Accelerating Sustainable Chemistry With Robotics

ASCEND Project Launches With €30M for AI Chemistry

BASF and Max Planck Society join forces to accelerate sustainable catalyst development using self-driving labs.

By Avantgarde News Desk··1 min read
A futuristic laboratory setup showing robotic equipment and digital screens used for chemical research and AI-driven molecular discovery.

A futuristic laboratory setup showing robotic equipment and digital screens used for chemical research and AI-driven molecular discovery.

Photo: Avantgarde News

The ASCEND project officially launched on April 1, 2026, to transform chemical manufacturing [1]. The German Federal Ministry for Science, Technology and Space provided €30 million in funding for the initiative [1]. A consortium including BASF and the Max Planck Society will lead the research [1]. The team plans to use artificial intelligence and self-driving laboratories to find new catalysts [1]. These tools will help accelerate the development of next-generation materials for sustainable production [1].

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The risk level is elevated to high because the story relies on a single source (EurekAlert!), which does not meet the quality threshold of three independent domains.

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About the author

Avantgarde News Desk covers accelerating sustainable chemistry with robotics and editorial analysis for Avantgarde News.