The aim is to strengthen the materials research innovation ecosystem and ensure its excellence. MateriNex offers Flemish companies active in materials research support for their high-risk long-term research. 

In consultation with industrial and academic stakeholders, from the 3 innovation themes selected for the launch of MateriNex, 2 are aligned with Build Up targets. These innovation themes fit within both the EU research agenda, and the Flemish policy priorities. For each of these innovation themes, there is a roadmap that will provide the framework to elaborate and assess project proposals. Each roadmap contains a limited number of application domains and a number of common 'transversal' challenges in terms of digitalisation and 'safe and sustainable by design' (which includes circularity).

The innovation themes and corresponding roadmaps with application domains are:

• materials for building and construction (low-carbon construction and resource efficiency) 

• strategic and critical raw materials (ensuring supply, sustainable and circular value chains)