New investment:

Membrane Technology made in Leipzig: TGFS invests in qCoat GmbH

TGFS

03 May 2021

TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen invests jointly with Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen (MBG) in qCoat GmbH in the course of a seed financing round. The MBG’s funds come from the Corona Start-up Assistance Fund (CSH), which it manages. qCoat is a company of the Leibniz Institute for Surface Modification e.V. (IOM) Leipzig, which was spun off in May 2019. It transfers the technology of subsequent and permanent modification of polymer membranes in a roll-to-roll process. This was developed under the leadership of Dr. Agnes Schulze, to the market. In the two years since the spin-off from the IOM, Dr. Agnes Schulze and her co-founders Dr. Alexander Braun and Dr. Karsten Otte have driven the company’s development and strategic orientation. Christian Wunderlich joined later. In particular, the team was able to make great progress in this area through participation in SpinLab — The HHL Accelerator in Leipzig and the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator in Berlin. The funds from this seed round will now be used to prepare the construction of the company’s own production facility. In purpose to carry out sampling processes with industrial customers and to take the final step from the research environment to the market.

Polymer membranes for the filtration of aqueous material flows represent a key technology in various industries. They enable fast, energy- and space-saving and efficient separation of the various fractions, e.g. particles from industrial wastewater. However, it is not possible to avoid the deposition of particles on the membrane and thus the fouling of the membrane. Therefore, membrane filters have to be cleaned or replaced mechanically and chemically on a regular basis to maintain the filter performance. By modifying the membrane surface, qCoat technology enables permanent hydrophilization, which means that fat and protein particles adhere less strongly to the membrane and foul it less. Cleaning cycles are extended accordingly and maintenance requirements are reduced. At the same time, the membrane can remain in use longer and its service life is increased. In addition, the qCoat process does not use any toxic or otherwise chemically harmful substances, making it easy to handle and use, for example in the food industry.

For Dr. Alexander Braun and Dr. Karsten Otte, qCoat GmbH is not the first cleantech spin-off from the IOM that they have subsequently established in the market. Back in the early 2000s, the two physicists and thin-film experts established Solarion AG, where they worked closely with Christian Wunderlich, who served as VP Finance for Solarion for more than eight years. As a chemist and accomplished membrane researcher, Dr. Agnes Schulze complements this technical and entrepreneurial experience with her deep professional background in modifying porous membrane filters. Together, as qCoat GmbH, they are pursuing the goal of lowering the barriers to entry for water treatment through their membrane upgrading technology and making it sustainable as well as more efficient in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. „Membrane upgrading is also technologically mature thanks to applied research at the IOM. The continuing high demand from membrane and filter module producers encourages us to now establish the qCoat technology as a global standard,“ agree the two managing directors Dr. Alexander Braun and Christian Wunderlich. The company is already looking to strengthen its sales team.

„qCoat GmbH is a good example of cooperation in the Saxon start-up scene. We are pleased to now accompany the start-up in its further company development and market entry. The process of qCoat enables a subsequent fine adjustment of already very complex polymer membranes and thus opens up new fields of application. The team around Christian Wunderlich, Dr. Alexander Braun, Dr. Karsten Otte and Dr. Agnes Schulze is very well positioned for this and has convinced us with its determination and distinct technical know-how. We are looking forward to the next few years with excitement,“ says Sören Schuster, Managing Director of TGFS. TGFS is one of the most active VC funds in Germany and focuses on Saxony. Since its foundation in 2008, it has supported more than 80 start-ups in the Free State.

Your contact
Sören Schuster | Managing Director
+49 341 256963 30
soeren.schuster@cfh.de

Deal team TGFS
Birthe Roß, Friedemann Stier and Robin Nitsch

Advisor TGFS
GRUENDELPARTNER (legal), Dr. Wolfgang Ansorge | Experte für Membrantechnologien (technical)