UNIVERSITY SPIN-OFFS Spin-offs are companies whose main activities are based on the formal transfer of research results originating from the university or university college. This transfer can take different forms, e.g. through a license agreement or share capital participation, depending on the specific case. In 2020 VUB added 3 new spin-off companies to its portfolio which brings the total to 41 active companies based on research in various fields: engineering, life sciences, economics, ICT, sports, etc. In this context, VUB also cooperates with strategic research centers such as VIB, imec, Flanders Make and VITO. VUB TechTransfer plays a crucial role in identifying, developing and evaluating VUB spin-off projects. To maximise the survival of a start-up, a lot of attention is paid to other factors than the innovative technology, such as market strategy, value proposition and a complementary team.
New spin-offs in 2020: Ensuring the intestinal health of piglets
Animab offers a safe and sustainable way to protect piglets’ intestinal health during the vital postweaning stage. Our proprietary antibodies mimic secretory IgA, a type of natural antibody passed through colostrum and milk to protect nursing animals. In a collaborative effort with VIB, VUB and the Ghent University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animab further improved these antibodies to target with speed and precision specific intestinal pathogens in livestock without altering the healthy microbiome. Animab will continue to collaborate with these top academic research groups to expand the high precision biological resources available to protect young animals. www.animab.com
Neuro-research services measure implicit emotional reactions
Knowing what citizens and consumers really think of new measures, products or advertising is crucial for governments and businesses. But it is often difficult to find out. iCense, a new spinoff from the VUB, now offers neuro-research services that measure implicit emotional reactions and thus help to better understand and predict behaviour. In addition, it can provide companies and governments with advice and courses on neuroscience and marketing. When people come into contact with information or products, it triggers a series of reactions in their bodies that they are often unaware of, such as changes in their heartbeat or eye movements. Thanks to powerful algorithms developed within VUB and high-tech applications such as eye-tracking devices and sensors that measure emotions and engagement, these bio-signals can be mapped. This gives a deeper insight into the emotional reactions of consumers that ultimately determine their behaviour. www.icense.org
LAVIMA Fertility
A revolutionary next step in in vitro maturation of oocytes
LAVIMA Fertlity, Inc. was founded by Prof. Johan Smitz (VUB), Prof. Andre Rosenthal and Elien van Hecke. The company focuses on the development and commercialisation of a biphasic in vitro maturation (IVM) culture system named “Capa-IVM” which has been developed at VUB, in a collaboration between the Follicle Biology research group (FOBI) and Centrum voor Reproductieve Geneeskunde, the fertility clinic of UZ Brussel. The Capa-IVM technology has the potential to improve the efficiency of the currently available IVM systems for clinical use. “Capa” stands for capacitation, i.e. the in vitro culture of the oocytes is extended in order to enhance the developmental potential of the matured oocytes. The technology of IVM of oocytes is a more patient-friendly alternative for standard hormonal stimulation of the ovaries, because of the lower hormonal burden and reduced risks of adverse events. Moreover, the technology has an emerging role in onco-fertility preservation and may increase access of women to fertility treatment in countries with limited resources. 15
