The latest spin-off of Helmholtz
Zentrum München is Photonion GmbH. The start-up company was founded
as a joint venture with two mid-sized companies, Airsense Analytics GmbH, Schwerin
and Tofwerk AG, Thun, Switzerland. Ascenion GmbH also holds equity in the company.
The goal of Photonion is to develop new analytical devices based on the mass
spectroscopic method invented at Helmholtz Zentrum München in order to
be able to directly analyze complex organic gases, liquids or solid materials.
Potential applications include process control at a coffee roasting plant or
in plastics production, the analysis of cigarette smoke or crude oil, and the
detection and determination of fine dust contamination.
 | | Prof. Ralf Zimmermann (photos: Ulla Baumgart).
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The underlying technology is based on one-photon ionization. It utilizes an
innovative vacuum ultraviolet light source which was developed by Professor
Ralf Zimmermann and his team. “The decisive advantage of photon ionization
is that the substance to be measured is hardly disturbed, so that the results
are meaningful even for complex mixtures,” Professor Zimmermann said.
“Thus we can usually skip the separation processes that are otherwise
required in mass spectroscopic analysis and are so expensive and time-consuming.
That is why the system is ideally suited for process monitoring and quality
control.” Over the long term the company plans to independently develop
and market its devices, which will be based on this new technology and will
be utilizable in many different applications.
Commenting on the spin-off, Prof. Dr. Günther Wess, president and CEO
of Helmholtz Zentrum München, said: “This is yet another success
story demonstrating how economic and social value creation can evolve out of
public research funding.” He added, “Our model for technology transfer
works: Products with a direct benefit for society originate from cutting-edge
basic research at Helmholtz Zentrum München.”
Photonion has already entered into two strategic alliances for the development
and marketing of two specific analysis systems. One shall enable a direct analysis
of organic solids through the combination of thermal analysis and mass spectroscopy.
The other can analyze cigarette smoke – directly during smoking. “In
many respects, Photonion is an exemplary spin-off project,” said Dr. Christian
Stein, managing director of Ascenion. “The management is experienced and
is well networked in the sector, the founders’ competences complement
each other ideally, and the strategic partnerships will facilitate a fast market
entry. In this way the founders can develop their company in a sustainable fashion
– without first having to take on large sums of risk capital.”
Tofwerk brings an outstanding infrastructure and a great deal of know-how on
the production of mass spectrometric devices to the new enterprise; Airsense
has special expertise and experience in systems integration and marketing. In
the first phase, the managing directors of Airsense, Dr. Andreas Walte and Wolf
Münchmeyer, will head Photonion. Professor Zimmermann will advise the company
as consultant and ensure that Photonion has long-term access to the latest research
findings. All patents on photon ionization and mass spectroscopy were exclusively
licensed to Photonion by Helmholtz Zentrum München. The license agreement
was mediated by Ascenion GmbH, which also advised the founding team on legal,
strategic and financial issues. The start-up funding is being provided by Helmholtz
Enterprise Funds, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Tofwerk and Airsense.
“Due to the close cooperation between scientists, industry and technology
transfer,” Professor Zimmermann explained, “we will now be able
to harvest the fruits of more than 20 years of research in this field. I am
extremely pleased that our invention is now finding application. Moreover, Photonion
offers exciting career opportunities for the scientists that began as doctoral
students in my team.” Within the framework of the Mass Spectroscopy Center,
a cooperative project of Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of
Rostock, Ralf Zimmermann and his colleagues plan to continue their research
in the field of photon ionization and to further investigate potential applications,
especially in the fields of medicine and energy.
Posted November 10th, 2009
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