Centers of Excellence - expertise for new products
Speedy product development is of the essence and a significant factor for the business success of micro and nanotechnology products. This demands expertise and high investment in technical equipment. In Dortmund young micro-and nano-technology companies can make use of four different centers of excellence, which can provide them with technical equipment and specialist support during the development and production of new products.
The advantages of the centers of excellence for new and young companies:
- low investment costs
- competent support from experienced specialists during development phases
- fast product development
- close contacts to universities and research institutes
- help with business and financing plans as well as with acquiring capital
- support for quality management and marketing
The four centers of excellence have different orientations in order to be able to offer the best possible sector-specific environments and expertise. In addition to the Center for Packaging and Interconnection Technologies (AVT) and the Center for Micro-Structure Technology, these include the new centers of excellence MST.factory dortmund and the BioMedizinZentrum Dortmund (BMZ).
All of the centers of excellence support technology transfer from the scientific establishments to the companies of the region, promote interdisciplinary exchange as well as cooperation in different research and development fields.
MST.factory dortmund
Company success is very much dependent on the speed of prototype developments and the exact timing of market launches. In the micro and nanotechnology sector, this usually means high initial investments in technical infrastructure. That is why the MST.factory dortmund, the first center of excellence dedicated to micro and nanotechnology, offers founders and technology firms:
- Infrastructure services: needs-oriented and technology-specific equipment, a modern machine-park, clean-room capacity and laboratories;
- Business Support: customer-specific coaching and a full range of infrastructure facilities;
- Training: training and further education for the whole field of micro and nanotechnology
BioMedizinZentrumDortmund (BMZ)
The BioMedizinZentrumDortmund (BMZ) is a center of excellence for startups and biotechnology companies with connections to the health system, IT, medical technology, microtechnology and nano-technology. The applications focus on biomedicine, bio-informatics and proteomics as well as on bio-microstructure technologies. Modern, appropriately equipped office and lab space together with development rooms and clean-room facilities covering 10,000 m² ensure optimal work environments and an attractive infrastructure for putting new ideas and concepts into practice. Security level S2 is standard for the laboratory areas. In addition to renting space, user-specific equipment is also available for lease.
Center for Packaging and Interconnection Technologies (AVT)
The AVT-Center Dortmund provides small and medium-sized companies with support in the fields of silicon-, sensor- and microtechnology. It helps companies to find the right microtechnology concept and to open up new markets with intelligent products. Microtechnology components – such as micro-optics, micromechanics, micro-sensoric or micro-electronics – can be integrated here. It is possible to develop prototypes, samples and pre-production series as well as to test new manufacturing processes.
Center for Micro-Structures-Technology
Since 1994, the Center for Micro-Structures-Technology at the TechnologieZentrum in Dortmund has been specializing in the development, production and marketing of high quality micro-structures and optics. Transferring specific product components and systems to serial production is another key activity.
