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ZCP – Z-Chitosan Products Germany
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Joint development

Developing together: in phases, with clear rights.

ZCP works with manufacturers to develop coatings, formulations and finishes with Z-Chitosan for their products. Milestones, contributions and rights are agreed before work begins.

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Two pairs of gloved hands working together on polymer test plaques in a laboratory
Illustrative image
Feasibility
2–6 weeks
Laboratory
2–4 months
Pilot
2–6 months
Validation
3–12 months

Phases

Five phases, each with a result and a decision.

Each phase has a defined scope, a result and a joint decision at the end. Durations are indicative.

  1. Work
    Capture requirements, assess material and process, draft the test plan, classify the product
    Result
    Project brief, draft test plan, proposal for phase 2
    Duration (guide value)
    2–6 weeks

    Start, adjust or stop the lab phase

  2. Work
    Incorporation trials, variants of loading and application, first tests to standard
    Result
    Lab samples, test reports, recommended variant
    Duration (guide value)
    2–4 months

    Start, adjust or stop a pilot trial in your production

  3. Work
    Trials on your line, define the process window, test the part
    Result
    Pilot parts, process parameters, test results
    Duration (guide value)
    2–6 months

    Start, adjust or stop validation

  4. Work
    End-product testing, biocompatibility or migration depending on the product, technical documentation
    Result
    Test reports and documents for conformity assessment or approval
    Duration (guide value)
    3–12 months; often longer for medical devices, depending on biological evaluation, clinical evaluation and the notified body

    Approve market launch

  5. Work
    Specification, quality agreement, handover to series production
    Result
    Supply or licence agreement, start of series production
    Duration (guide value)
    2–6 months

    Ongoing review in series production

Guide value All durations are guide values, not commitments. They depend on material, test scope, laboratory availability and regulation.

Contributions

Who contributes what.

ZCP

  • MaterialZ-Chitosan in lab and pilot quantities
  • DevelopmentFormulation and coating development, trial planning
  • TestingTest plan, coordination with test laboratories, evaluation
  • RegulatoryData package on Z-Chitosan, dossier support
  • Series and marketHandover to series: specification, quality control, supply or licence

Your company

  • MaterialSubstrates, parts, reference material
  • DevelopmentProduct requirements, process data, line time for pilot trials
  • TestingEnd-product testing, release to your own criteria
  • RegulatoryConformity assessment or approval of the end product
  • Series and marketSeries production, sales, labelling

Rights

Rights agreed up front.

Before a project begins, ownership is set out in writing. These are our principles.

  1. 1

    Background IP

    What each side brings remains its own. Z-Chitosan know-how and patents stay with the rights holder; your product and process knowledge stays with you.

  2. 2

    Foreground IP

    For results created in the project, we agree before the start who owns them and who may use them and how.

  3. 3

    Use

    You use results for your product in the agreed field of use. A licence can form part of the agreement.

  4. 4

    Confidentiality and publication

    An NDA applies before the first data exchange. Both sides agree publications and test reports in advance. In funded projects, the programme's rules also apply, for example on publication rights of research institutes.

Funding

Funding routes.

Public funding can cover part of the development. Options include SAB R&D project funding for projects with a site in Saxony and Eurostars for international consortia led by an R&D-performing SME. ZIM has not accepted new applications since 7 July 2026, for a limited period.

As of 26 September 2026 · Details: Partnering › Public funding

Funding details
Sources3
  1. Sächsische Aufbaubank: EFRE/JTF – FuE-Projektförderung 2021 bis 2027. sab.sachsen.de, retrieved 26 September 2026.
  2. EUREKA: Eurostars. eurekanetwork.org/programmes/eurostars, retrieved 26 September 2026.
  3. ZIM: befristeter Antragsstopp seit 07.07.2026. zim.de, retrieved 26 September 2026.

Start a project.

A project starts with the project brief from the Integration Designer or with a conversation. We then propose phase 1 with scope and deliverables.

Discuss your project Check feasibility