Amsterdam-based chip designer Innoseis Sensor Technologies (Innoseis) develops the world’s smallest and most sensitive MEMS sensors. The company supplies its sensor technology to international organisations in sectors including geophysics, navigation and aerospace. Innoseis has recently secured an investment of six million euros. Thanks to its patented technology, the sensors can be made microscopically small without compromising their sensitivity, accuracy or energy consumption. The investment round was led by the investment firm FORWARD.one. Innoseis intends to use the growth capital to expand its international sales and marketing capacity and to further develop its existing technology.
The chip-sized MEMS sensors developed by chip designer Innoseis measure the tiniest vibrations and movements and convert them into data. Because they are so sensitive, they are mainly used in applications requiring compact sensors where extreme precision is essential, such as in space travel or geophysics. “It’s as if you could track a single raindrop in the middle of a storm,” says Mark Beker, co-founder of Innoseis. “Our sensors have been developed to distinguish the tiniest movements and vibrations from all the surrounding noise. As we are the first company to have managed to maintain this level of precision in a chip-sized sensor, we can measure what was previously unmeasurable.”
Renewal
The chip designer recently raised six million euros for its patented technology. The investment round was led by the investment firm FORWARD.one. Julia Kuijs, Associate at investment firm FORWARD.one, adds: “This isn’t the first time this team has shaken up a market. They previously conquered the international market for seismic sensors. Now they are targeting a market that is ten times as large.”
It’s as if you could track a single raindrop in the middle of a stormMark Beker, co-founder of Innoseis
Tapping into new markets
Innoseis is based in the Netherlands, but the company’s MEMS technology is used internationally. For example, the Australian space company Fleet Space Technologies is using the sensor technology developed in Amsterdam, known as Regolith, to take measurements on the Moon as part of the SPIDER project. As part of Firefly’s Blue Ghost 2 mission, the highly sensitive, space-grade seismometer is expected to land on the Moon as part of Fleet Space’s SPIDER payload. Regolith is designed to record and analyse geological and seismic activity on the lunar surface, thereby contributing to the search for ice deposits.
Unique combination
The sensor has been selected for this mission due to its unique combination of high sensitivity, small size and low power consumption. This mission will demonstrate the feasibility of creating compact geophysical instruments to support the complex and evolving needs of future exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.
Goal of chip designer Innoseis
Beker: “Our aim is to become the international market leader in our field of specialism. To achieve this, it is essential that we scale up our production. Our technology is highly versatile, not only for soil measurements but also for predicting maintenance needs and improving navigation. Thanks to the investment from FORWARD.one, we can streamline our production chain.”
Source and image: Chip designer Innoseis
