TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, together with TUDAG and another private investor, is investing a seven-figure sum in Flexora GmbH as part of seed financing. The Dresden-based sensor technology start-up uses organic electronics and an innovative printing process to apply a large number of sensors and evaluation electronics to flexible films. Flexora thus reduces the installation and integration effort for sensor technology to a minimum and enables area-based data acquisition. The investment will now be used to build up production capacities and further develop the company.
Dresden/Leipzig, November 12, 2024: TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen is investing in Flexora GmbH together with TUDAG and another private investor. Flexora is a spin-off from the Technical University of Dresden (Institute of Applied Physics). The start-up develops sensors printed on flexible film, which are inexpensive to produce and easy to install. These enable area-based sensor technology with real-time data analysis to improve systems and processes as well as other innovative applications. The company was founded as a spin-off in 2022 by Dr. Michael Sawatzki-Park (CTO), Cle-mens Haist (CEO), Dr. David Kneppe (Head of Production) and Kivanc Ararat (Head of Engineering) with the participation of Institute Director Prof. Dr. Karl Leo. The aim of the international and interdisciplinary founding team is to use Flexora to enable data to be collected easily and cost-effectively across large areas. The customers are manufacturers and operators of larger plants in the field of energy and process technology. With the data provided by Flexora, the systems and associated processes can be better controlled, thereby increasing resource efficiency. CTO Dr. Michael Sawatzki-Park explains: »We solve the problem of the low availability of sensor data over large areas with the help of a sensor film that contains a large number of printed sensors and can be stuck onto almost any surface like a second skin. Once attached, various parameters such as temperature, pressure or damage can be monitored in real time and over large areas. With the help of a handy evaluation box, the functionalities of which will be integrated into the film in the future, the data collected can also be transmitted wirelessly over long distances.« The sensor skin technology itself is based on a combination of specially developed sensors with organic thin-film electronics. This technology can be produced particularly cost-effectively using an additive manufacturing method in a roll-to-roll process. The lower material and energy consumption results in cost benefits and a better CO2 balance compared to conventional sensor technology. Together with TUDAG and another private investor, TGFS is investing a seven-figure sum in the company. The funds from the seed round will be used to build up production capacity at the Dresden site and for general company development. Sören Schuster, Managing Director of TGFS, on the current transaction: »The data on systems and processes used in the industrial environment is largely generated by physical sensors. However, the sensor solutions available on the market are only designed to cover a few and locally limited measuring points. Low flexibility, cabling and designs that are difficult to integrate are challenging. This is where Flexora’s flexible sensor foils offer customers real added value in the application. The highly motivated founding team clearly convinced us with their idea. We look forward to driving development forward together.«
Further information about Flexora can be found at www.flexora.de Everything about the TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen can be found at www.tgfs.de