The project, BiogasPLUS, introduces the creation of a spin-off company that produces nanoparticles in large commercial quantities with specific applications. In particular, the focus product is a nanoparticle-based additive that can enhance the production of biogas up to a 200% together with other environmental benefits. This is a result from the findings on the biological effects of inorganic nanoparticles in waste treatment processes, co-developed between the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The project is led by Prof. Víctor Puntes, together with Dr. Eudald Casals and Dr. Cecilia López, working in collaboration researchers on waste management led by UAB Prof. Antoni Sánchez.

BiogasPLUS was one of the 16 finalist projects, selected among 479 proposals presented in this call. Fundación Repsol selected 8 projects for company incubation, while 2 more were chosen to be supported for further development and maturation – BiogasPLUS being among these two.

This was the second edition of this increasingly successful call from Fundación Repsol: as stated in its website, this initiative is framed within Repsol’s corporate strategy for improving the sustainability of the current energy models, and aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurial development in the field of energy efficiency and new energy sources.

Full news at the Entrepreneurs Fund – Fundación Repsol website:

English: http://www.fondoemprendedores.fundacionrepsol.com/en/entrepreneurs-fund/second-call

Spanish: http://www.fondoemprendedores.fundacionrepsol.com/es/fondo-de-emprendedores/segunda-convocatoria

]]> http://www.inorganicnanoparticles.net/victor-puntes-featured-in-newspaper-la-vanguardia-for-nanobiomedicine-entrepreneurship/ Sat, 05 May 2012 20:19:41 +0000 http://inorganic.wpengine.com/?p=1115 Prof. Víctor Puntes has been featured in an article in La Vanguardia, a local newspaper, in relation to our research on bioconjugated nanoparticles for drug delivery. For several years, Víctor and several members of our group, together with collaborators, have been carrying on a project on bioconjugation of gold nanoparticles for delivery of cisplatin, an anti-cancer drug. This work has led to a patent that has been now licensed to the Swiss company Nanonica, to create the start-up Nanotargeting as joint venture between Nanonica, ICN, and Ferrer Group.

This story, being an excellent example of technology transfer and entrepreneurship in the biotechnological field, was fully covered by the local newspaper La Vanguardia in the article “Gold in nanotechnology”, by Rosa Salvador, published on May 2, 2012.

Read the full article here (in Spanish)