About ICAS

The ICAS Innovation Cluster addresses autonomous systems in a holistic context and is particularly focused on their integration into economic processes. The research and development topics of ICAS focus on unmanned autonomous surface and air vehicles as well as on corresponding infrastructures and services. The projects classified in ICAS explicitly cover activities and goals of the Berlin-Brandenburg cluster Transport, Mobility and Logistics.

Funding

ICAS stands for “Innovation Cluster Autonomous Systems” and is funded by the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Energy of the State of Brandenburg (MWAE) within the framework of the Joint Task “Improvement of the Regional Economic Structure” (GRW) with about 5 million EUR at 50% and supported by the Wirtschaftsförderung Land Brandenburg GmbH (WFBB). The innovation cluster is supported by TITUS Research GmbH. The duration is initially three years, the start was in November 2020.

Research and development for highly automated and autonomous systems

The innovative research and development activities of ICAS are focused on unmanned autonomous vehicles and their ecosystems. ICAS brings together innovative and future-oriented projects with actors from different disciplines that deal with highly automated and autonomous systems on land, water and in the air and the corresponding infrastructures.

These collaborations result in solutions for new application fields, services and technologies. This is accompanied by significant contributions to the widespread introduction and use of digital processes and their sustainable expansion.

An innovation network in Brandenburg

Currently, 12 companies from Brandenburg and Germany are participating in the project, and additional companies can join. ICAS offers them integration into a large innovation network and access to national and international research institutions and associations. This results in outstanding opportunities such as increased innovative capacity, stronger potentials and improved competitiveness.

ICAS currently has no equivalent in Germany or Europe. The innovation cluster offers the state of Brandenburg the opportunity to take a leading position as a “high-tech location” in the field of unmanned autonomous systems – and thus to increase its national and international visibility and attractiveness in the long term.

Advantages for ICAS partners
  • R&D projects are 50% co-financed by the state of Brandenburg
  • application completely prepared by TITUS Research
  • no additional application procedure for partners
  • funding is not subject to the “de-minimis” regulations of the EU
  • interdisciplinary research and development to achieve and use synergy effects
  • employees receive a scientific qualification, doctorate after graduation can be included

With our support for this innovation cluster, we are helping to launch another important building block for the mobility of the future in our region. I am impressed by how many partners have already been won over for the project. This shows me that autonomous driving on the road, on water and in the air is high on the agenda of companies and scientific institutions alike. I wish the initiators of TITUS Research GmbH and all those involved every success – so that we can implement application-based solutions for modern sustainable transport in the state of Brandenburg as quickly as possible.

Prof. Dr. -Ing. Jörg Steinbach, Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg