A Perfect Partnership

Mr. Richard Stokes

Invent DCU has introduced a new "entrepreneurial partnership" model for its scientists. Bernard Hensey is the first to be paired with DCU scientist Bert Ellingboe. They have founded Phive Plasma Technologies, with DCU as a shareholder, which aims to exploit a unique new DCU developed technology in the solar, display and semiconductor markets.

The researcher (Bert) handles the science and the entrepreneur (Bernard) manages the business side, with Invent DCU providing the backup facilities and intellectual property management.

Bernard previously was the managing director of FLS Aerospace and the founder of the aviation software company AMT. Bert is an US national and has worked in semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley before coming to DCU to lead a research team in plasma physics.

The licence agreement for the technology developed by Bert Ellingboe is the beginning of this new market approach pioneered at the university’s commercialisation gateway Invent DCU. In future, more entrepreneurs will be partnered with scientists to develop and finance a business model around a concept technology to secure the first commercial customer for the product.

For Hensey and Ellingboe their business relationship was formed in a playground two years ago. They met when their kids were in the same class in junior school and they got talking about Bert’s innovative technology idea while waiting for class to end.

"Generally it is difficult for entrepreneurs to interact with the scientific establishment in Ireland and it is not surprising that I met Bert through social interaction" said Bernard Hensey. "Traditionally the two types did not mingle and scientific research existed in a different world to business. With SFI and EI investing huge amounts of tax payer’s money in research it is essential that we have an increased level of interaction to commercialise this investment. I am delighted that Invent DCU have fostered our business and welcomed a joint approach to the start-up".

This collaborative relationship is unique to third level education in Ireland. On a grander scale what is being developed at Invent will help advance innovation and ultimately boost entrepreneurship in general. The approach has been implemented with the full support of Enterprise Ireland and DCU and represents a pragmatic approach to commercialising university funded research.

Commenting on the new partnership approach by Invent, CEO Richard Stokes says: “DCU’s National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST) works on fundamental research inspired by the challenges posed by multi-national companies based in Ireland and elsewhere. Phive is the latest of several exciting spin-outs from NCPST which are competing in international markets. From experience we know that working with seasoned entrepreneurs is the best way to move the technology from the lab to the market. We are actively seeking more opportunities to work with experienced Irish entrepreneurs to exploit DCU’s wide range of technologies”.

Phive Plasma Technologies is a Dublin based technology company that specialises in providing innovative plasma sources for the advanced materials market. Phive’s products are used in the Solar, Display and Semiconductor segments and DCU’s patented breakthrough technology allows customers to deploy UHF plasmas to reduce manufacturing costs and improve device performance.