Innovation Industries invests €1 mln in University of Twente spin-off IamFluidics

Founded in 2018, IamFluidics is based on discoveries developed at the departments of Developmental BioEngineering and Physics of Fluids of the University of Twente. Its proprietary technology enables the manipulation of liquids in the air, called in-air microfluidics. In this way microparticles can be produced at rates of up to 1,000 times the rate of existing chip-based technologies. Additional benefits are that the expensive microfluidic chips are no longer required, and it creates new 3D printing possibilities such as 3D printing of living cells.

Microparticles are used in many advanced materials and composites, in industries such as personal care, healthcare, and the chemical industry. For example, microparticles are used in the healthcare industry as contrast agents in contrast-enhanced ultrasound or MRI procedures.

The technology of IamFluidics enables a wide-spread industrial and clinical application of microfluidics, as its technology offers production of up to 1,000 times more than existing chip-based technologies while having the same consistency in shape and size. The funding round will be used to accelerate product development towards market introduction.

Tom Kamperman, CTO and co-founder of IamFluidics, commented, “We are happy to have Innovation Industries on board, as they share our vision of the development of a new microfluidics platform. Furthermore, we are excited that Ivo Aarninkhof has joined us as CEO on the journey that we have ahead of us.” Claas Willem Visser, CSO and co-founder of IamFluidics added, “This is a unique opportunity to develop scientific discoveries made at the University of Twente into products available to everyone.”

Harm de Vries, Partner at Innovation Industries added, “We are very enthusiastic about our investment in IamFluidics. Its technology platform opens up many new opportunities with its high production rates of microparticles in consistent shapes and sizes.”

Novel-T is pleased with the opportunity the financing round offers IamFluidics to further develop their technology. “The investment from Innovation Industries shows the value and potential of the research that is done in the region at the University of Twente in the field of microfluidics”, says Jaap Beernink, CEO at Novel-T.

About Innovation Industries
Innovation Industries is an independent venture capital fund that combines company-building and venture investment under one roof. Innovation Industries uses a market-driven approach to create long-term value in high technology start-up and scale-up companies. It has partnered with all Dutch technical universities (Eindhoven, Twente, Delft and Wageningen) and applied research institutes (TNO) to commercialize technologies that originate from these research institutes.

Innovation Industries has currently invested in ventures which are active in the nano- and microtechnology, semiconductor, food and agrotechnology, and medical technology fields. For further information about the portfolio companies please visit: https://www.innovationindustries.com/companies.

The Innovation Industries Fund is supported by private and institutional investors such as PME and InnovFin Equity. InnovFin Equity with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing.

For further information please contact:
Harm de Vries
hv@innovationindustries.com
+316 53 21 63 39

About IamFluidics
IamFluidics has invented in-air microfluidics, a technology that combines the versatility and resolution of microfluidic chips at industry-level production rates. IamFluidics’ approach enables the production of microparticles of consistent size and shape (10 to 300 µm), at production rates up to 1000 times higher than existing chip-based technologies.

For further information please contact:
Tom Kamperman, Chief Technology Officer
t.kamperman@iamfluidics.com
+316 53 23 92 67

About Novel-T
Novel-T supports the creation of innovative businesses by giving pragmatic advice to realize innovative entrepreneurship. It has realized a dynamic and rich ecosystem where the University of Twente, the Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the regional government collaborate to put innovation and entrepreneurship first. The core of Novel-T is to commercialize research of the University of Twente and the Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

For further information please contact:
Cindy Marsman, marketingmanager Novel-T
c.marsman@novelt.com
+316 42 31 20 77

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