{"id":999,"date":"2021-03-15T14:20:19","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T13:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qrai.de\/?page_id=999"},"modified":"2026-06-08T18:01:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T16:01:46","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/qrai.de\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We bridge the gap between innovative ideas and viable R&D projects<\/h1>\n

QRAI Innovation GmbH supports small and medium-sized enterprises in challenging R&D collaborations, with particular expertise in ZIM cooperation projects, industrial development initiatives, and technology-driven innovations.<\/p>\n

We help companies organize technical ideas, suitable partners, funding criteria, and commercialization into a clear project structure. This ensures that a development project does not become a loose experiment in securing funding, but rather a robust project with substance, financing prospects, and market relevance.<\/p>\n

Check project potential<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Structure creates flexibility<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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QRAI was founded on the observation that many strong technical ideas fail not because of the technology itself, but because the company\u2019s structure, financing, partners, and commercialization strategy are not considered together early enough.<\/p>\n

Founder Natalia Kourakina-Lattner has supported companies through various stages of development over many years: as a consultant, sparring partner, investor, and partner for corporate development, financing, and growth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What became clear is that small and medium-sized enterprises often have strong technical concepts. What is usually lacking is not the idea itself, but rather the time, structure, and experience needed to develop it into an eligible R&D project.<\/p>\n

This insight led to the creation of QRAI in its current form: We view government funding as a strategic lever for making development risks more manageable, building partnerships, and bringing innovations to market more quickly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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What Defines QRAI Today<\/h3>\n

Today, QRAI is a specialized team dedicated to structuring, applying for, and advancing technology-driven R&D projects. Our focus is on ZIM collaboration projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in areas where industrial, materials-related, process-related, or technology-driven innovations are to be developed. We do not merely write grant proposals. We approach projects from an entrepreneurial, technical, and economic perspective: from the core development through the partner structure to subsequent commercialization.<\/p>\n

We therefore continue to support many of our clients even after a successful R&D project, for example during market launch, scaling, follow-up projects, or the strategic further development of the resulting innovation.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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The team behind it<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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\"natalia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Natalia Kourakina-Lattner<\/h2>\n

Founder and Managing Director<\/span><\/p>\n

Natalia Kourakina-Lattner brings over 25 years of experience at the intersection of business development, financing, B2B sales, innovation consulting, and grant management.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" 25+ years
\nBusiness experience<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" \u20ac1.5 billion
\nProject scope managed<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" Business
\nAngel<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Learn more about Natalia<\/div>\n
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Natalia has initiated and implemented international projects – with project budgets of up to 1.5 billion euros – and has supported companies through a wide range of stages: from early-stage business development and financing issues to market entry, growth, and scaling.<\/p>\n

After working in large corporations, technology-based SMEs, and startup environments, she decided to focus her experience, network, and entrepreneurial perspective specifically on innovative companies.<\/p>\n

As a consultant, sparring partner, and business angel, she understands the questions that are crucial for growth-oriented companies: Which idea is truly viable? What structure does the project need? How can it be financed? And how does this lead to an economically viable next step?<\/p>\n

Her strength lies in organizing complex technical, economic, and organizational interrelationships and developing a clear project logic from them with a view to implementation, funding, and subsequent commercialization.<\/p>\n

At QRAI, Natalia represents a consulting approach that consistently integrates technical substance, eligibility for funding, and entrepreneurial impact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\"alexander<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Alexander Lattner<\/h2>\n

Business Expertise for Growth, Financing, and Implementation<\/span><\/p>\n

Alexander Lattner serves as the business advisor on the QRAI team. With over 30 years of experience in finance, controlling, accounting, and treasury, he has built, restructured, and scaled financial organizations across a wide range of industries – from startups to international corporations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" 30+
\nYears Finance<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" M&A<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" PE Expertise<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Learn more about Alexander<\/div>\n
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Alexander\u2019s strength lies in his ability to quickly grasp complex financial and organizational structures, bring clarity to the situation, and prepare companies for the next stage of development: improved processes, reliable financial data, financially viable growth plans, and a professional basis for decision-making.<\/p>\n

Through his work in senior finance roles and his collaboration with private equity firms, he has practical experience with the requirements of growth-oriented companies and the further development of portfolio companies.<\/p>\n

At QRAI, he applies this experience where R&D projects must be considered beyond the application stage: in terms of economic feasibility, financing prospects, market launch, scaling, and the question of how development results can be transformed into robust business models.<\/p>\n

In this way, QRAI combines technical innovation, eligibility for funding, and commercial execution strength.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Technological expertise with a focus on expert assessment and implementation<\/h3>\n

The QRAI team is complemented by experts with PhDs who have practical experience in research, small and medium-sized enterprises, and project evaluation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" Research<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" Project Evaluation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\" Technical Argumentation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Learn more about our technical expertise<\/div>\n
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Our team members bring scientific and technical expertise to the table while also understanding what matters most in the technical evaluation of innovation projects: clear development goals, transparent technical risks, robust work packages, and a compelling case.<\/p>\n

Thanks to previous experience in the technical evaluation of technology-oriented projects, our team also understands the perspective from which projects are assessed<\/strong>: What is comprehensible? Where is substance lacking? Which arguments hold up? And when does a technical idea become a compelling R&D project?<\/p>\n

This experience is reflected in the structure, language, and technical plausibility of our proposals – professional, clean, and without artificial exaggeration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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For companies with a genuine commitment to development<\/h2>\n

QRAI Innovation GmbH works with technology-driven companies that are pursuing a relevant development program and wish to make professional use of funding opportunities.<\/p>\n

QRAI is particularly well-suited for companies where the CEO, CFO, or commercial director wants to consciously outsource the process without losing control over objectives, profitability, and strategic direction.<\/p>\n

Check project potential<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It makes sense to talk to us if you<\/h2>\n
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  • have a technical idea but don\u2019t yet have a clear project structure,<\/li>\n
  • want to develop a new product, process, material, or technical system,<\/li>\n
  • want to establish a partnership with companies or research institutions,<\/li>\n
  • wish to utilize ZIM funding without having to establish the funding framework internally,<\/li>\n
  • want to involve management, the CFO, or commercial leadership in the decision-making process,<\/li>\n
  • are already thinking about future market launch, scaling, or commercialization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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