The Cluster of Excellence „Unifying Concepts in Catalysis“ (UniCat) was founded in 2007 within the framework of the Excellence Initiative launched by the German Federal and State Governments.
More than 250 chemists, physicists, biologists and engineers of 4 universities and 2 Max Planck research institutes are involved in this research network in Berlin and Potsdam.
Those scientists carry out research in the field of catalysis. Their future-related research topics range from energy supply, including natural gas and bio-hydrogen, to the development of new agents.

Under the chairmanship of  Prof. Dr. Drieß, Prof. Dr. Mroginski and Prof. Dr. Thomas of the department of chemistry of the TU Berlin a consortium spanning several universities and research institutions is funded  in the framework of the "Exzellenzstrategie" of the german federal government.

The central scientific objective of UniSysCat is to master the next stage of future challenges in catalysis: how to elucidate, create, and control reaction networks in chemical and biological catalysis at different levels of complexity in space and time

You can find information at  www.unisyscat.de.

Since  2011 the Cluster of Excellence “Unifying Concepts in Catalysis” (UniCat) and the chemical company BASF SE are running  the joint lab BasCat at Technische Universitaet Berlin. Here, about 20 scientists (Postdocs, PhDs, undergrad students) pursue multidisciplinary approaches to generate the fundamental knowledge needed for developing alternative processes to activate less reactive molecules.

The Einstein Centre for Catalysis (EC²) aims at bundling the research potential in molecular catalysis and strengthening the efforts of Berlin's scientists within the German “Excellence Initiative”. This will be done in accordance with the mission of the Einstein Foundation Berlin to enable and support excellent research in Berlin.

The TU Berlin is currently building the Chemical Invention Factory, a new building designated for start-ups in green and sustainable chemistry. On an area of 1000 m² laboratory spaces for chemical synthesis and analytics as well as conference rooms are created. 

The MANGAN project is a collaborative research program that is funded by the german Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In teh project scientists from ten universities and four research institutions investigate the the fundamentals of electrochemical water splitting by manganese-based catalysts in various formulations.

The Collaborative Research Centre 1109 "Understanding of Metal Oxide/Water Systems at the Molecular Scale: Structural Evolution, Interfaces, and Dissolution" is an interdisciplinary research platform bringing together scientists from four universities and three non-university institutions. It comprises research projects with a diverse expertise in chemistry and physics. The research aims at a comprehensive understanding of the complex atomic scale processes underlying oxide formation, structural evolution and dissolution.

The Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from abroad and from Germany with research fellowships and awards.
Laureates, who are spending or have spent some time in his group and with whom long-lasting personal and scientific friendships have ensued:

• Prof. Robert West, University of Wisconsin, USA; Humboldt research award 1989 & 2002
• Prof. Akira Sekiguchi, University Tsukuba, Japan; Humboldt research award 2004
• Prof Cameron Jones, Monash University, Australien; Humboldt research award 2008
• Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig, Technion, Israel; Humboldt-Lise-Meitner research award 2010
• Prof. Guy Bertrand, UC San Diego, USA; Humboldt research award 2010
• Prof. Gregory H. Robinson, The University of Georgia, USA; Humboldt research award 2012
• Prof. Kim Baines, University of Western Ontario, Kanada; umboldt research award 2015

Additionally from 2010-2ß015 the Sofja-Kovalevskaja-Laureate Prof. Shigeyoshi Inoue was working in close  collaboration with Prof. Driess at the TU Berlin.

The Einstein Foundation Berlin was founded 2009 by the state of Berlin to support Berlin's excellent research both financially and structurally in a sustainable manner.  In addition to revenues generated from its endowment, the foundation has also access to financial means from the state of Berlin. Funded projects are identified by a top-class, independent scientific commission. Donations and capital contributions are welcome.

In the years 20011/2012  Prof. John Hartwig (UC Berkeley, USA)was teaching  and doing  research as an Einstein Visiting Fellow at the TU Berlin and will especially have close cooperations with the group of Prof. Driess.

Since 2016  Prof. Doug Stephan (University of Toronto, CAN)  is teaching and doing research as an Einstein Visiting Fellow at the TU Berlin and working in close collaborations with the groups of Prof. Driess and Prof. Oestreich.