European Space Agency backs new company to exploit sensing technologies for terrestrial use

Interasight becomes the 17th company to be awarded a place at the ESA Business Incubation Centre Harwell (ESA BIC Harwell), in Oxfordshire.

The company has been set up to market products based on terrestrial applications for ESA’s many sensing technologies and will improve quality control on food production lines, improving quality and helping better protect consumers’ health.

Roger Dewell, Interasight’s CEO said: “Current technologies are bulky and some, like X-ray scanning, can involve high capital costs. The product we are developing will transform this area, better enabling food manufacturers to detect contaminants in food. We will also be offering consultancy in innovative scanning technologies.”

The incubator, managed for ESA by STFC Innovations Ltd (the commercialisation company of the Science and Technology Facilities Council) , offers a unique and intensive package of services and support to up to 10 start-up companies per year in a high-tech, open innovation environment. It has specialist capabilities in innovation, exploration and instrumentation, as well as expertise in areas such as earth observation, astronomy, operations, data management, advanced electronics, detectors, optics and robotics.

Paul Vernon, STFC’s Head of Campus Development and ESA BIC Harwell lead said: “Interasight is based around two experienced entrepreneurs who have identified a novel application for sensing technologies through our brokerage of ESA’s technology transfer network. We have had the opportunity to watch them take these technologies and shape them into a commercially viable product concept with demonstrable market need using our Innovations Technology Access Centre.” He continued: “We have been particularly impressed by Interasight’s grasp of their target market and by their successful efforts to form industry alliances, undertake concept R&D and identify pilot customers.” He concluded: “We are delighted to welcome them to the ESA BIC Harwell and look forward to further supporting them on their route to market.”

Roger Dewell replied: “We would like to thank ESA and STFC for their support. Access to the complex and extensive testing facilities at Harwell, and being able to take advantage of the expertise available in both organisations to help newer companies to grow, gives us the backing we need to bring an innovative scanning product to market.”

Interasight is a newly-formed business based in Harwell focussed on adapting sensing technologies developed in the space industry for terrestrial use, particularly imaging for industrial inspection.

Roger Dewell
Interasight Limited
Atlas Building
Fermi Avenue
Harwell
Oxford
OX11 0QX

Tel: 01865 958068 or 07772 171790
roger.dewell@interasight.com
www.interasight.com

This release was published on openPR.