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Today, November 30th, 2006, Cytocentrics BV officially announced that it is
open for collaboration with external customers in prototyping, development
and small scale production of thin film products. It aims to attract
companies that want their Micro System Technology (MST) product ideas to be
realized by subcontracting or co-development.
Cytocentrics BV started in January 2005 as a subsidiary of
Cytocentrics AG in Rostock, Germany. It has developed a chip that
is used in the Cytopatch machine to catch single
cells and enable ion channel meas-urements
(www.cytocentrics.com). The company is located at the High Tech Campus
Eindhoven in the southern part of The Netherlands. The campus has currently
more than 5000 residents. Cytocentrics BV uses the facilities of MiPlaza (Mi-crosystems Plaza) in the centre of the Campus. MiPlaza offers a world-class infrastructure and
expertise enabling cus-tomers and partners to
carry out high-tech research and development programs in the most
cost-effective way. Such programs are typically in the areas of electronic
systems, large area electronics, healthcare, and nano-technology.
The facilities include multi-purpose cleanrooms
for thin film processing and systems-in-package, materials analysis,
product design, prototyping, test and measurement. MiPlaza
is part of Philips Research, and is one of the largest shared research
service cen-tres in the world.
Last October the High Tech Campus received the award for the best Business
park of the Netherlands.
Cytocentrics BV has started with the development and
production of its Cytopatch chip but due to its
specific expertise has established con-tacts with
several companies for which they do prototyping, develop-ment and small scale production. Activities have
expanded to other market segments but focus still is on prototyping and
development of the more complex chip structures and on handling of small
volumes of liquid into or by chips.
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"For
Cytocentrics it is essential to broaden the activities. It enables us to
maintain a high level of expertise in prototyping and small scale
production" says Dr Peter van Stiphout, Director of Cytocentrics BV. "Working
in the High Tech Campus innovation concept perfectly matches our skills and
ambitions."
Open Innovation is the principle that fundamental technological break-throughs and generic innovations can best be achieved
through close cooperation between companies, research centres and
universities. It has proven to be feasible on the High Tech Campus and
Cytocentrics was one of the first companies realising their product in this
innova-tion concept.
Dr Sep Bastiaens,
department head of Philips MiPlaza Devices,
Technology and Service says that by sharing facilities quality is improved
and costs can be shared. “ The equipment infrastructure,
investment programs and depth of expertise is so substantial that in Europe our facility is one of the best
equipped and best skilled of its kind”.
“We
have established a good working relationship with Cytocentrics over the
last years. The skills and capabilities of Cytocentrics can be of great
value for its customers.”
Dr Thomas Knott, CEO of Cytocentrics AG emphasizes the importance of
working in a high tech environment for the complex products.
"We are at the forefront of new products and applications and must
have a firm base developing and producing our key components. Our Dutch
subsidiary has managed to do so within the infrastructure of the Campus and
the existing Philips organization."
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