Chemovator is the business incubator and early-stage investor of BASF, one of the world's largest chemical companies. Founded in 2018, Chemovator is headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF SE. Its primary mission is to turn bold ideas in chemistry into thriving businesses, focusing on areas such as sustainability, next-generation materials, and other groundbreaking innovations[1][2][3]. ### Key Activities and Support - Incubation and Investment: Chemovator supports venture teams by providing pre-seed investments and resources to develop their business ideas into scalable models[1][2]. - Mentorship and Networking: It offers hands-on mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and access to BASF's expertise and global network[2][3]. - Ecosystem Support: Chemovator provides a comprehensive ecosystem that includes HR, legal, finance support, and access to its office spaces[2]. ### Recent Developments Chemovator has expanded its scope to include external startups, launching the Elevate program to support early-stage chemistry startups. A notable investment under this program is in Heartland, a Detroit-based startup that produces natural fiber plastic additives, marking Chemovator's first portfolio company in North America[3][5]. ### Purpose and Impact Chemovator aims to shape the future of the chemical industry by fostering innovation and sustainability. It has developed over 30 business ideas since its inception and has spun off several successful companies[4][5].