Continuing with our series of BioWin Success Stories, WOW Technology from the Wallonia region of Belgium, is getting a lot in return after providing their expertise for the BioLine* R & D project.
Engineers at WOW Technology assemble an Ovizio Microscope

WOW Technology, in collaboration with Ovizio Imaging Systems (Brussels), is providing its expertise to further validate and optimize Ovizio’s holographic microscopy technology for cell culture monitoring that allows non-invasive and reliable analysis of key cell culture parameters such as cell numbers, cell morphology, viability, distribution of cell sizes and the presence of cell clusters and their sizes. Located in Naninne, Belgium and currently employing 50 people, WOW Technology specializes in the conception and the manufacturing of machines and automated made-to-measure equipments in the following sectors: biotechnological, pharmaceutical, food-processing, automobile, aeronautical and energy. The specificity of WOW Technology is guaranteed by its basic values which assure the satisfaction of its clients and; to all the contributors of a project, favors the long-term partnership with its clients and its suppliers. The 3-year ongoing project is set to benchmark and validate the technology in comparison with other classical methods and processes that are currently being used.

Jean Demarteau, Managing Director of WOW Technology, has expressed how being involved with the R&D project has introduced WOW Technology to many other biotechnology companies. He further explains how the benefits of this interdisciplinary interaction have allowed the emergence of new skills that have helped WOW Technology develop and produce different innovative pieces of equipment that can be offered to new clients involved in the life sciences sector worldwide. As a matter of fact, following its collaboration on the BioLine project, WOW Technology has sold more than one hundred different machines to date and have recruited 7 more people for its newly created Laboratory and Medical Devices department.

What else makes this a success story? Thanks to its involvement in this project: 3 patent applications have been submitted by Ovizio; a new product has been developed; 7 new jobs have been created for WOW Technology; and an international distribution agreement has been signed between Ovizio and Applikon Biotechnology (Netherlands) to use and distribute the 4D microscopy technology (developed by the consortium in association with its proprietary bioreactors), and will be produced in Belgium by WOW Technology. The economic results of this collaboration are also proving positive and have allowed the company to get involved in other R&D projects.

A truly wonderful example of how open innovation and interdisciplinary interactions with the R & D projects of BioWin have played a vital role in the success of a company’s new commercial ventures.

*The BioLine Project is one of the 27 R&D projects that have been approved by BioWin over the past 6 years. It began in 2011 and is led by a consortium comprising WOW Technology (coordinator), Ovizio Imaging Systems, GSKbio, ULB (Microgravity Research Centre), ULB (Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging) and FUNDP (Biochemistry and Cellular Biology). The objective is to further validate and optimize Ovizio Imaging Systems’ technology for cell culture monitoring that allows non-invasive and reliable analysis of key cell culture parameters. In Phase II, the technology will be adapted to allow for real time monitoring of cell cultures in industrial applications developing two instruments based on Ovizio’s existing technology.

Sources:
www.biowin.org/Biowin/BioLine.pdf
www.wowtechnology.com
www.ovizio.com
www.applikon-bio.com

Contacts:
WOW Technology SA
Jean Demarteau – Managing Director
E:
Web: www.wowtechnology.com

Pascal Debrue (project coordinator)
E-mail: