Deep Tech Ventures Summit: LIST spin-offs and market-ready solutions in the spotlight

The first edition of the Deep Tech Ventures Summit, organised by Technoport on 19 and 20 September 2024, demonstrated how Luxembourg’s innovation ecosystem, anchored by institutions like the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, is thriving in bringing research-driven solutions to market. With strong government support and an ever-growing pool of spin-offs, the nation is well-positioned to remain a hub for deep tech innovation.

During this event, Dirk Fransaer, CEO ad interim of LIST, shared his vision for an integrated deep tech ecosystem. He emphasized the need to focus on Luxembourg's national research priority areas while maintaining an openness to global collaboration. "It’s about delivering applicable and innovative solutions," he remarked, highlighting the critical balance between specialization and adaptability in research and development.

By uniting research institutions, industries, and government bodies, Luxembourg can harness deep tech innovations to address pressing societal challenges. The recent renewal of the framework agreement between the Luxembourg Ministry of Economy and LIST guaranting the operations of the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) is a concrete example of how government support can propel research.

LIST’s spin-off companies to shape the future of earth observation and in-vitro safety testing

As part of its contribution to the event, LIST highlighted several of its spin-off companies. One of them included WASDI, a cloud-based environment for creating, using, and sharing Earth observation-based applications. Users can develop and deploy Earth Observation (EO) apps without requiring technical expertise. A central feature of WASDI’s demonstration was its Automatic Flood Detection application, powered by the patented HASARD technology developed by LIST. The company aims to build the world’s largest open EO community, developing next-generation solutions to real-world problems.

Another spin-off company was INVITROLIZE, which has rapidly become a leader in in-vitro testing. INVITROLIZE showcased its flagship technology, ALIsens®, the only in vitro alveolar model capable of obtaining OECD certification. The ALIsens® technology allows companies to test volatile compounds for potential respiratory sensitization, an emerging regulatory requirement. With respiratory sensitization expected to become a legal obligation by 2028, INVITROLIZE is well-positioned to offer solutions to companies in the cleaning products, cosmetics, and e-cigarette industries, helping them avoid legal and reputational risks.

High TRL solutions looming on the horizon

In addition to spin-off companies, LIST presented several high-technology readiness level (TRL) solutions that are poised to impact various industries. ElectroPep, a pioneering protein screening technology, showcased its innovation in peptide microarrays, which can provide critical insights into peptide-protein interactions in under a week. This rapid turnaround time could revolutionize personalized medicine, facilitating advancements in cancer vaccines, antibody treatments, and more. ElectroPep is also developing its first market-ready product that includes antibody profiling with nanomolar sensitivity—offering significant potential for personalized healthcare.

TwiSCO, a web application designed to optimize construction logistics using Semantic Digital Twin Technology and Lean Construction methodology. By mutualizing and streamlining deliveries to construction sites, TwiSCO has demonstrated significant cost savings and a reduction in environmental impact. At the Deep Tech Ventures event, attendees had the opportunity to experience a demo version of TwiSCO’s tool, which demonstrated how data-driven supply chain management can tackle the economic, social, and environmental challenges of construction logistics.

NANOSENS, a suite of molecular sensing technologies, was also featured as one of LIST's cutting-edge solutions. Applicable across sectors like biology, agriculture, and food & beverage, NANOSENS offers a range of tools for molecular detection, R&D acceleration, and material surface engineering. The technologies showcased, such as SES and Nano-QCM, promise to deliver scalable, low-cost solutions for critical applications like environmental monitoring and biosecurity.

LIST’s spin-offs and high TRL solutions serve as tangible examples of how research can be translated into impactful, market-ready technologies.

As Dirk Fransaer put it: "By connecting the dots between research and entrepreneurship, we can turn ideas into real-world applications and create a lasting impact." The Deep Tech Ventures event is just the beginning, as Luxembourg’s deep tech ecosystem continues to expand and thrive.