Technology Transfer
Technology Transfer - swords into ploughshares
Dstl is charged by Government with ensuring that its world-leading innovative ideas and technologies are translated into wealth-creating enterprises that benefit the economy and wider society and bring useful income to MOD/Dstl.
To take care of our commercialisation interests and to ensure that Dstl can remain focused on serving its MOD customer, Dstl launched Ploughshare Innovations Ltd. as its technology management company.
Ploughshare Innovations, a wholly-owned company of Dstl- operates out of Porton Science Park. The company's task is to exploit selected Dstl Intellectual Property in non-MOD markets. Ploughshare will therefore aim to spin out those technologies that have commercial potential, applying professional expertise to find the best investment partners and license deals. Although wholly owned by Dstl, Ploughshare will operate at arms-length from its parent.
For the latest exciting developments, please contact:
Dr. Taj S Mattu - Marketing Manager
T: +44 (0) 1980 590062
E: tajmattu@ploughshareinnovations.com
Ploughshare will continue the good work of Dstl's original technology transfer group. These foundations include more than eight new ventures and a number of licence agreements. Some examples of joint ventures are featured here.
Plasma-coated clothing protects against chemicals and the daily mess of life
Porton Plasma Innovations Ltd.
P2i Ltd's plasma surface enhancement process gives everyday products extraordinary levels of oil and water repellency. It stems from Dstl's research into finding ways to protect soldiers from chemical exposure without the need for cumbersome protective gear. As a result, an ultra-thin P2i plasma surface enhancement can be applied to fully assembled products, from a suit to complex 3-D structures made of different materials. The P2i followed on from targeted government research in using pulsed radio frequency energy to activate chemicals for them to deposit on articles. The surface of the object gains the properties of the plasma (e.g. water-repellence) leaving the other, desirable properties of the object unchanged.
DNA analysis at the scene of crime or disease
Enigma Diagnostics Ltd.
Enigma provides a rapid diagnostic platform based around Dstl's ultra-rapid real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology for the detection of DNA and RNA. These cost-effective diagnostic systems provide genetic data to anyone at any location. Potential applications include rapid, field-testing for animal diseases (e.g. foot-and-mouth in cattle); detecting genetic modifications and bacterial contaminations at the point of sampling; and crime scene analysis of forensic DNA samples.