FORTH Liaison Office > Spin-off companies from FORTH
Spin-off companies from FORTH
- ADVENT Technologies SA
ADVENT Technologies SA develops new materials and systems for renewable energy sources such as fuel cells and photovoltaic systems. The company, founded by researchers from FORTH/ICEHT and the University of Patras, is a spin-off operation from these two academic institutions and is funded by industrial partners (Germanos, S.A., Velti S.A, ILPRA S.A.), private investors and the Greek Ministry of Development under the PRAXE B program for matching capital.
It is headquartered in Athens, and occupies approximately 300 m2 of research and development space at the Patras Science Park (PSP). The PSP location is an ideal location for technology development due to its proximity to academic institutions, and its excellent infrastructure capabilities.
The major effort of this start-up company focuses on a high temperature PEM fuel cell system based on its proprietary technology. Advent Technologies high temperature (>150 oC) Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA) for High Temperatures PEM fuel cells is based on proprietary PBI free TPS polymer electrolytes. TPS technology is cheaper than the competition, allows the use of fuels with high CO content, reduces the complexity of the fuel system and leads to a reduced cost final PEM system. In addition, the company has the capability to combine the membrane and electrode technologies and the necessary engineering expertise to produce an integrated final fuel cell system.
- COMPITE-nt
COMPITE–nt SA was founded in 2002 as a collaboration between Compucon SA and FORTH. With experience in the field of embroidery business and international trade and the know-how of the FORTH/IESL on laser systems and applications, COMPITE–nt SA aims at being established as a leading new technologies company generally in fields where lasers might have a direct application and mainly in embroidery. The company develops and distributes its own Laser systems for cutting and engraving that are used by the embroidery industry professionals as well as manufacturers of leather and promotional products, advertising material producers, furniture decorating processes etc.
The complete Laser machines series of COMPUCON comprises of 4 different models (PROTEAS, SMART, ELEGANT, VEROMARK) providing full coverage to the specialised needs of the market.
- FORTH Photonics
FORTH-Photonics (F-P) was established in late 2002 as a spin-off from FORTH/IESL. It’s a medical technology company active in the field of biophotonics and its developments are based on the work of the research team of prof. C. Balas.
F-P is focused on the development of innovative and cost-effective devices for the non-invasive diagnosis, screening and guided therapeutics of cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions. Among potential applications, the company strategy is to focus on the development of diagnostic devices easily convertible to screening tools, thus enabling expansion of addressable medical practices and ensuring high impact on health practice. The DySIS™ Imaging Device for diagnosis and screening of cervical neoplasia is currently the flagship product of F-P.
The company raised a first round of financing from NBG Technology L.P. The FORTH Photonics group comprises two companies: FORTH Photonics Ltd, the holding company, registered in London, UK, and FORTH Photonics Hellas SA based in Athens, Greece.
- FORTHnet SA
FORTHnet SA is a spin-off company of the Institute of Computer Science of FORTH established in 1995, by the Institute of Computer Science of FORTH, with share holder the Minoan Lines SA. Forthnet was listed on the main market of the Athens Stock Exchange in the year 2000.
FORTHnet is one of the most dynamically developing Greek companies in the Telecommunications and Internet sector.
FORTHnet was the first company to introduce the Internet in Greece and currently has a large portfolio of Internet services, such as access services (via PSTN, ISDN and ADSL networks, permanent connections and pre-paid access time card), telecommunications services (LMDS, VPN - Virtual Private Networks, etc ), information services (S.MA.R.T., WebSMART programmes for on-line information), value-added services (http://search.forthnet.gr/, http://dir.forthnet.gr/ and the DriveMe mapping portal) etc.
Also, FORTHnet was the first company to offer customers the possibility to choose telecommunications provider by offering a complete fixed telephony services package known as Forthnet Telephony. Forthnet Telephony services are provided either by pre-selecting carrier or using the four-digit provider selection code (1789) or via a permanent connection (Direct Access services) or via the FORTHnet pre-paid telephone card, Smartalk.
- Impermeable AS
Impermeable AS was established in 2000 in Trondheim Norway with the aim to be a leading international company within environmentally friendly products and technologies for stabilisation of sandy ground. This can be related with construction of houses, buildings, roads and other infrastructure, as well as with the reduction of soil erosion. Techniques and products developed could also be used for the stabilisation of loose formations during hydrocarbon drilling and waterproofing of water bearing formations as well as for waterproofing and sealing of fine cracks in underground installations. The company wishes, in addition, to sell “know how” within its technical specialty area.
- Minos Biosystems
Minos BioSystems, is an IMBB spin-off company founded in September 2000, aiming at the commercial exploitation of the transposon technology (Minos transposon) developed in the laboratory of Prof. Savakis.
Minos transposon, as named by the research group, is a transposable element isolated from the fruit fly Drosophila hydei. Transposable elements have been isolated from various organisms and are actually pieces of DNA that can self-replicate and transfer themselves to new locations within the chromosomes of an organism. Their basic applications include functional gene identification and gene transfer.
The technology portfolio of Minos BioSystems, includes genetic tools using transposons and related gene transfer technology for diverse applications in the fields of agriculture and healthcare including:
- The large scale, low cost production of high value proteins (existing or novel functional human protein therapeutics such as growth factors, blood products, antibodies and enzymes) in mass reared, recombinant insect larvae.
- Gene discovery in insects, mammals and other organisms
- Nanothinx (NTX)
Nanothinx (NTX) is a spin-off enterprise of the FORTH / Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes (ICE-HT). It is located in Rio-Patras, Greece, and founded by Prof. S. Sotirchos.
The activities of Nanothinx mainly lie on the development of methods for the large-scale, high-yield and low-cost production of carbon nanotubes (CNT), using novel nanostructured catalysts on suitable supports. The proprietary methods of nanotubes production used by NTX are based on the catalytic chemical vapor deposition of carbon (CCVD or CVD) from hydrocarbon feeds using metallic catalysts on suitable supports. Nanostructured mixed (multi-component) oxides are employed as precursor materials for the CCVD catalysts. As a result, NanoThinX possesses and is developing expertise on the production of nanostructured mixed oxides by the use of various processing methods ranging from combustion synthesis to flame pyrolysis.
Work is also carried out on the development of methods for the production of nanostructured materials in which nanotubes are one of their constituent components, such as composite materials. Nanothinx can supply potential customers with high purity multi-wall and single-wall nanotubes in quantities ranging from milligrams to several hundreds of grams.
In addition to nanotubes, Nanothinx also offers R&D services on the process engineering of systems in which nanotubes and other nanomaterials are produced or employed.
