Evonik restructures RD&I around bio-based solutions, energy transition & circular economy
Last update on Jun 15, 2026
Formulators working on bio-based formulations, energy transition applications, and circular economy materials can expect a revised development pipeline from Evonik following a structural realignment of the company's research, development, and innovation (RD&I) organisation.
At the center of this reorganisation is the newly established Evonik Innovation Factory, which evolved from the former Creavis unit. According to Evonik, the Factory is designed to bring strategically important development programs to market readiness within an average of five years. The company projects that the Innovation Factory will contribute up to €300 million toward an anticipated €1.5 billion in additional revenue from its innovation growth areas by 2032.
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Accelerate decision-making and improve commercial predictability
The three innovation growth areas now structuring Evonik's pipeline are bio-based solutions, the energy transition, and the circular economy. Five to seven active programs are currently running across these areas within the Innovation Factory framework.
A key structural change affects how Evonik's researchers are deployed. Approximately two-thirds will now work directly within business lines, in close proximity to application development and customer projects, while centralised research will continue to cover capabilities that serve multiple business units and longer-term programs. According to Christian Eilbracht, Evonik's chief innovation officer, the objective is to accelerate decision-making and improve commercial predictability.
Two mechanisms underpin the projected reduction in development timelines. The first is what Evonik describes as combinatorial innovation, the integration of internal capabilities with external partners along the value chain. The second involves researchers building on existing internal and external knowledge bases to enter the development process at a later stage.
Evonik reports that its R&D intensity held at approximately 3 percent of revenue in 2025, corresponding to expenditures of around €418 million (down from €459 million in 2024). Around 82 percent of that investment is directed toward business-driven development; a further 15 percent toward longer-term innovation projects.
The company also reports that approximately 48 percent of its revenue now derives from products it classifies as Next Generation Solutions, a category it defines as products with above-average sustainability benefits. That share increased by three percentage points between 2024 and 2025.