The Dutch government and the European Investment Bank have set up a new fund to help fast-growing, young companies fulfill their enormous potential and provide them with the necessary capital. Paul Vulto of MIMETAS has been interviewed as MIMETAS is a good example of such a company.
More information:
You can read the full press release (in Dutch) here. Click here for more information about MIMETAS or visit www.mimetas.com.
LIQAL, turnkey supplier of small-scale LNG and hydrogen (fuelling) installations, obtained a patent for a unique feature that is included in its dispenser for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
The LNG fuel dispensers, designed and produced by LIQAL, comply with all standards to sell LNG as transport fuel including the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) and are fully certified to operate on the European market.
A patent has been obtained for the nozzle docking bay, which is integrated in LIQAL’s latest dispenser line. This docking bay is heated and purged in order to ensure tension-free connection and de-coupling of the nozzles to and from LNG-powered vehicles, as well as long life of nozzle seals and hoses.
The latest LIQAL dispenser has been implemented at the forecourt of various LNG station operators across North-West Europe who are convinced of its benefits compared to traditional dispensing- and docking devices.
More information:
Click here for more information about LIQAL or visit www.LIQAL.com
Inno4Life, machine building company in the life science industries, will receive an investment from the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), Holland Venture, TIIN Capital and the Zeeuws Investment Fund. Inno4Life uses the investment for the development of serialization equipment solutions in packaging machines for medicines and to accelerate the international growth of the company.
Inno4Life provides integrated tailor-made solutions and machines that meet the ever changing needs within the Life Sciences sector, especially in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The machines and automation solutions from Inno4Life include packaging processes for track & tracing of medicines. Inno4Life develops and builds machines for the top ten pharmaceutical companies worldwide. The organization offers solutions to companies in various areas e.g. automated filling systems, loading systems and fits robot and vision technology.
The pharmaceutical industry is continuously changing as a result of mergers or reorganizations. The level of automation intensifies, prices are under pressure and legislation is getting stricter. Johan Klootwijk, CEO Inno4Life: "Innovations in production processes are necessary for pharmaceutical companies. Companies have to comply with increasingly strict legislation and at the same time produce more efficiently and more effectively than competitors. Partly because of these developments, it is essential that specialist suppliers innovate continuously."
Innovation by new legislation
In 2019 all packages of prescription medicines need to be provided with a unique code. Pharmaceutical manufacturers print these unique codes on the packaging. Pharmacists scan this unique code to determine the authenticity of the medicine before they give it to patients. Inno4Life provides expertise and solutions for pharmaceutical companies to meet this new legislation.
"Our ambition is to increase our reputation as an international supplier of automated production equipment," continues Klootwijk. "By leading the way in providing customer specific, innovative solutions with exceptional customer service, we offer our customers the best possible service. With the knowledge and the capital of these investors we can pursue our international growth ambitions. "
More information:
Click here for more information about Inno4Life or visit www.inno4life.com
KIKK Capital and BOM (Brabant Development Agency) have invested in LIQAL, a Dutch company that builds LNG and hydrogen fuelling stations for the transport sector.
LIQAL’s technology makes LNG (liquefied natural gas) more attractive as a replacement for diesel fuel in the heavy road and water transport sector. The use of hydrogen and LNG contributes to improved air quality, is better for the climate and provides financial benefits to transport companies.
The investment will allow LIQAL to continue to grow both in the Netherlands and abroad. In the immediate future, the company intends to recruit additional personnel, some of whom will be engaged to head new projects. LIQAL also intends to use the capital to boost innovation and strengthen its financial stability.
“We want clean, gaseous fuels to become mainstream instead of diesel in the heavy road and water transport sector,” says LIQAL CEO Jorg Raven. “That’s what you see happening right now. We’re proud that KIKK Capital and BOM are showing their confidence with this investment, which will allow us to contribute to a cleaner transport sector.”
“LIQAL is playing into a trend that actually started to emerge quite some time ago. The market for LNG is really just on the verge of maturing,” says Johan Sebregts. His colleague Patrick Lems adds: “LIQAL is a young, driven company with an innovative technology that is already being used by some industry-leading parties. That’s great to see.”
More information
Here you can read the full press release. Click here for more information about LIQAL or visit www.LIQAL.com
Merijn from Bright TV visits Soteria Medical in Arnhem to learn more about the company and new approach to perform MRI guided interventions by utilizing a robotic device.
oteria Medical BV’s goal is to improve MR-guided biopsies (MRgBx) of the prostate. They have developed a unique new system for MR-guided interventions - based on a novel, patented motor principle. They are are enabling the Physician to perform a targeted prostate biopsy – using the best possible imaging modality with the same image quality for diagnostic imaging and biopsy guidance – to further improve prostate cancer diagnosis. The unique robot makes it able to detect and target the most aggressive part of the lesions and therefore improved and accurate MRgBx will help advance diagnostic results, followed by the best possible treatment for the patient.
Partly thanks to the investment of PPM Oost, Deventer company is able to save on healthcare expenses in hospitals worldwide by means of ScopeControl and GuideControl
DOVIDEQ medical can now make keyhole surgeries with rigid endoscopes even safer for patients and save on healthcare expenses. In addition to the ScopeControl to inspect endoscopes, the Deventer company has now developed the GuideControl to test the accompanying light cables for possible flaws. Together with the Zeeuwse InvesteringsFonds, participation company PPM Oost invests in DOVIDEQ to sell both innovations internationally to more hospitals.
Both test devices can be used by hospitals in the central sterile services department (CSSD). Here, all the instruments are cleaned, inspected and sterilised after surgery before the next use. The ScopeControl is the only test device in the world that inspects the optical quality of endoscopes for image clarity, colouration, light transmittance and viewing angles. The ScopeControl also tests for flaws, residual moisture and broken lenses. The GuideControl quickly and easily checks whether the light cables for the endoscopes still function properly. Without the ScopeControl and GuideControl, surgeons often only discover during surgery that the endoscope doesn't function properly.
Failure of endoscopes leads to surgeries having to be stopped. 'Surgeons and hospitals would like to prevent that,' Bert Dommerholt, director'/owner of Dovideq, says. 'If an endoscope or light cable needs to be replaced, this results in extra costs on the one hand. Additionally, this brings risks for the patient. In acute situations, a surgeon is sometimes forced to decide to open up a patient after all, because there is simply no time to wait for a new endoscope. Thanks to the ScopeControl, we can guarantee with a high degree of certainty that the endoscope functions properly. By adding the GuideControl to this, surgeons also know that the light cables are in order.'
Dommerholt, who has previously worked at Philips Medical, started the development of the ScopeControl in 2009 together with Menno de Braak, after he'd been approached by hospital St Jansdal in Harderwijk to develop a device that could test endoscopes.
The ScopeControl has now been available for a few years and is already used in hospitals from the United States to Australia, in small numbers. The GuideControl has only recently been launched, but the interest of hospitals from all over the world is extensive.
With the investment of PPM Oost and the Zeeuws InvesteringsFonds, DOVIDEQ can continue the further development of the GuideControl on the one hand. Additionally, the marketing and sales team is expanded to sell both the light cable tester and the ScopeControl. Dommerholt: 'We receive many glowing reviews from surgeons all over the world. However, the sales processes often take long due to the complicated decision-making at hospitals. We also use the financing to get our devices into operating rooms more quickly via rental, for instance. This allows us to truly make a difference for more patients and demonstrably lower the expenses of more hospitals.'
DOVIDEQ has expanded its service by gathering the measurement data from the ScopeControl and the GuideControl in the cloud and making this available to the hospitals. No standards apply to endoscopes and the optical values are kept secret by the endoscope manufacturers. By gathering the data of new and used endoscopes worldwide, DOVIDEQ expects to be able to set a standard for endoscopes.
At 21 september Toxys was awarded a €50.000 grant for a head-start project to further develop the ReproTracker. Toxys is dedicated to develop innovative in vitro toxicity assays that provide insight into the mechanisms of toxicity. Toxys’ lead product ToxTracker is a genotoxicity assay that provides mechanistic insight into genotoxicity and is available on the market. Toxys has now applied their knowledge and expertise to validate a novel assay, ReproTracker, which provides mechanistic insight into reproductive toxicity.
ReproTracker is an in vitro assay to visualise the key events during early embryonic development and thereby reliably assess the potential developmental toxicity hazards of new drugs and products. ReproTracker meets the strong demand from industry for better in vitro tests to predict human health hazards of their products during the early phases of product development. The assay is build on the technical and scientific background that has been developed by Toxys. We will combine our expertise on stem cell differentiation with the reporter technology that was applied in our ToxTracker assay and generate the ReproTracker reporter system that can identify developmental toxicity upon exposure to novel drugs, chemicals and materials.
Toxys was awarded the head-start project from EIT Health, which is one of the largest healthcare initiatives worldwide. Its goal is to sustainably advance the foundations of healthcare and thus promote the future conditions for healthier living and wellbeing of people across Europe. EIT Health is leveraging the expertise of more than 130 leading organisations spanning key areas of healthcare such as Pharma, MedTech, Payers, Research Institutions and Universities. Chosen by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to form EIT Health, the consortium offers best-in-class research capabilities, higher education and business expertise. With a budget of 2 billion EUR over the next decade, it will purposefully invest in Europe’s best entrepreneurial talents and creative minds to foster the development and commercialisation of smart product and service solutions in the health sector, addressing the challenges imposed by demographic change and ageing societies.
Op March 31 was in the Ridderzaal in The Hague, the finale of ‘Ideas From Europe'. The international jury had invited the 10 most inspiring companies from Europe selected to speak. Jos Joore of Mimetas has represented Netherlands. Click here to view his presentation.
"Ideas from Europe 'is the European quest for potentially successful innovative firms in partnership with governments, private partners and TEDx communities from the 28 EU Member States. The initiative of TEDxBinnenhof aims to show that the future of Europe lies in the hands of innovative entrepreneurs. By sharing their ideas among other things, they will encourage entrepreneurship in Europe.
Arnoud Snepvangers of Eaglet Eye was on Tuesday, March 22, guest at BNR 'eye-openers', a radioshow on high-impact innovations. The program is presented by Meindert Schut. Arnoud tells extensively about the ESP and why one-side-fits-all is past history.
On the 17th of March, at the ‘Health Valley Event 2016’, the finale of the ‘Health Innovation Award 2016’ was held. From the 100 entries the 1000 attendees have chosen DOVIDEQ Medical as the winner. The price of € 15,000 was received by Bert Dommerholt of DOVIDEQ Medical.
The ‘Health Valley Event’ is a big annual conference in the field of healthcare innovation where over 60 e-health innovations can be seen.
