Companies in the new materials sector profit from the fact that North Rhine-Westphalia has one of Europe's densest research networks. Major 'innovation regions' have emerged around the cities of Aachen, Bochum and Paderborn. Since 2008 the Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Materials Simulation (ICAMS) at Bochum University has been using computer simulation techniques in order to create innovative materials. The Institute of Materials Research at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is exploring new applications in the aerospace, energy and automotive sectors. A further focus for innovation is the Jülich Research Center, which has created new materials for fuel cells.