Progress Tech Transfer

Sustainability. Technology Transfer. Investments
Progress Tech Transfer is an investment fund specialized in sustainable technologies from research of Italian universities and public research organizations, start-ups, spin-offs, and visionary entrepreneurs. Complexity is our comfort zone, as we work with technology transfer offices in top institutions to scout deep tech opportunities and intellectual property leads to drive growth from lab to market and create impact. This is what we stand for. And we do it with a distinctive approach that blends finance, business vision, and industrial connections.

Progress Tech Transfer

Sustainability. Technology Transfer. Investments
Progress Tech Transfer is an investment fund specialized in sustainable technologies from research of Italian universities and public research organizations, start-ups, spin-offs, and visionary entrepreneurs. Complexity is our comfort zone, as we work with technology transfer offices in top institutions to scout deep tech opportunities and intellectual property leads to drive growth from lab to market and create impact. This is what we stand for. And we do it with a distinctive approach that blends finance, business vision, and industrial connections.

Our Vision

Patient capital

This is how they call it. This is what we bring. Financial resources for early stage technologies we like to see grow and become business opportunities. We are ready to trade quick returns tomorrow for huge impact in longer timeframes. But we don’t take any backseat. Rather, we side with inventors and entrepreneurs to create our journey and find the right trail to success.

Money,
More than money

The Progress Tech Transfer management team blends a unique combination of financial resources, mixed competences and industrial connections. We provide money, but before and beyond that, we work with teams to build their capacity, to transfer our passion, patience and knowledge, and to create opportunities for rewarding exits.

Experience matters

Our team has over hundred man/year of combined experience in technology transfer, intellectual property management, business strategy, intelligence and finance. Unlocking the value of early stage technologies is not an easy job; what we are today has been built over years of direct experience with researchers, technology transfer offices, investors, industrial players worldwide.

Sustainability,
We really mean it

Progress Tech Transfer focuses on technologies for sustainability. Energy, water, air, waste, new and smart materials, new crops. We look at whatever technological lead can create impact and help solve the gran challenging of a fast -growing worldwide population and limited natural resources. We transfer progress from technology to markets.

Our Vision

Patient capital

This is how they call it. This is what we bring. Financial resources for early stage technologies we like to see grow and become business opportunities. We are ready to trade quick returns tomorrow for huge impact in longer timeframes. But we don’t take any backseat. Rather, we side with inventors and entrepreneurs to create our journey and find the right trail to success.

Money,
More than money

The Progress Tech Transfer management team blends a unique combination of financial resources, mixed competences and industrial connections. We provide money, but before and beyond that, we work with teams to build their capacity, to transfer our passion, patience and knowledge, and to create opportunities for rewarding exits.

Experience matters

Our team has over hundred man/year of combined experience in technology transfer, intellectual property management, business strategy, intelligence and finance. Unlocking the value of early stage technologies is not an easy job; what we are today has been built over years of direct experience with researchers, technology transfer offices, investors, industrial players worldwide.

Sustainability,
We really mean it

Progress Tech Transfer focuses on technologies for sustainability. Energy, water, air, waste, new and smart materials, new crops. We look at whatever technological lead can create impact and help solve the gran challenging of a fast -growing worldwide population and limited natural resources. We transfer progress from technology to markets.

Fund Manager

Logo amanco

AManco S.A. is the alternative investment fund manager within Arendt. It is wholly-owned by Arendt Services and will extend the fund administration services provided by the latter and complement the one-stop-shop approach for all clients’ needs.
AManco S.A.
has the capacity to manage a wide range of investment strategies and asset classes (private equity, venture capital, real estate, debt and fund of funds).
The domains of asset management, risk management and compliance cover the core areas of AManco S.A. supported by a strong team of experienced people.

Investment valuation is performed within the risk department either autonomously or in cooperation with external valuators or valuation advisors.

Investment management decisions are made by the internal team of portfolio managers, most of the time in consultation with the relevant investment advisors as well as with the risk and compliance functions. In some cases, portfolio management is carried out with the support of authorized sub-managers.

Fund Manager

Logo amanco

AManco S.A. is the alternative investment fund manager within Arendt. It is wholly-owned by Arendt Services and will extend the fund administration services provided by the latter and complement the one-stop-shop approach for all clients’ needs.
AManco S.A.
has the capacity to manage a wide range of investment strategies and asset classes (private equity, venture capital, real estate, debt and fund of funds).
The domains of asset management, risk management and compliance cover the core areas of AManco S.A. supported by a strong team of experienced people.

Investment valuation is performed within the risk department either autonomously or in cooperation with external valuators or valuation advisors.

Investment management decisions are made by the internal team of portfolio managers, most of the time in consultation with the relevant investment advisors as well as with the risk and compliance functions. In some cases, portfolio management is carried out with the support of authorized sub-managers.

Advisory Company

MITO Technology is the strategic advisor of Progress Tech Transfer
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At the intersection of IP law, technology and business strategy, MITO is the responsible partner for companies, universities, venture funds, start-ups and research centers to turn their intellectual property in economic success. With over one hundred man/year of business, technology, intellectual property experience, and a selected group of highly skilled and talented professionals,

MITO Technology offers strategic assistance to Progress Tech Transfer to achieve the most from business opportunities in the field of sustainability while providing fundamental connections with Italian research institutions and technology transfer offices.

MITO Technology

Francesco De Michelis

Francesco graduated with a law degree from the University of Trento Law School and was admitted to practice law in Italy. He was a Senior Intellectual Asset Manager at the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Department of the Fondazione Torino Wireless, a dedicated structure for the professional and vertically-integrated management of all the steps of production and commercialisation of IPR.

He co-authored a book on technology transfer agreements and is a regular speaker in workshops and conferences on intellectual property, licensing and technology management. He is the CEO of MITO Technology and oversees the licensing activities of the company, particularly for evaluation of inbound technologies and negotiation of IP transactions with licensees. He has an extensive experience in dealing with universities and public research institutions and managing internal organisational issues.

LinkedIn profile

Andrea Basso

Andrea Basso, PhD (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL CH and Stanford Univ. USA)
Is currently serving as CTO of MITO Technology. He serves a senior expert for the European Commission and for WIPO.
In previous positions served as CEO of Sisvel Technology and as CTO of the Sisvel group where he oversaw evolution of Sisvel strategic technology areas and worked on business strategy and new market development.

He has 147 granted patents. He has been instrumental in the support of patent litigation in outstanding cases. He has been consulting as patent developer and he is the recipient of the 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property Award for outstanding contributions to Intellectual Property.

While in Bell Labs and AT&T Labs –Research USA, as Research Manager has developed 22 years of research experience he led research on multimedia technologies and he has developed innovative services and architectures for IPTV and Over The Top (OTT).

Andrea has been involved in the development of standards in several international bodies including IETF, ISO/MPEG, 3GPP, ITU-T and IMTC.

Andrea has published 60+ papers, several books chapters. He is a frequent speaker in international conferences and events.

LinkedIn profile

Massimiliano Granieri

Massimiliano Granieri is professor of Comparative Private Law at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the University of Brescia where he teaches Business Law and Intellectual Property (art. 6, para 1., l. 240/2010). He has been adjuct faculty at LUISS Guido Carli Department of Management and Widener Law School. He was visiting scholar at the George Washington University National Law Center (Washington, D.C.) and at the Jamail Center for Legal Studies of the University of Texas at Austin, School of Law. Massimiliano earned a J.D. (cum laude) in Comparative Law from the LUISS Guido Carli Law School. He received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law; a Ph.D. in Comparative law from the University of Florence and was the Jemolo Fellow at the Nuffield College, Oxford.

In his professional life, Massimiliano has been admitted to practice in Italy as an attorney-at-law (Rome bar). Former Head of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer group at the Fondazione Torino Wireless, he was counsel with the Office of Technology Transfer of University of California (Oakland), and past board member of ARTI Puglia, Fondazione Felice Chirò, Mekna, ASTPPRoton. He is currently board member of NETVAL (the Italian Network for the Valorization of Research). He acted several times as consultant for the European Patent Office and was the member of the IPR Expert group of the European Commission (DG Enterprise) for the exploitation of patents.

Massimiliano has published extensively in the field of economic analysis of law, antitrust, intellectual property and contract law. He is author of five books and authored an co-authored more than a hundred of book chapters and scientific articles.

LinkedIn profile

Advisory Company

MITO Technology is the strategic advisor of Progress Tech Transfer

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At the intersection of IP law, technology and business strategy, MITO is the responsible partner for companies, universities, venture funds, start-ups and research centers to turn their intellectual property in economic success. With over one hundred man/year of business, technology, intellectual property experience, and a selected group of highly skilled and talented professionals, MITO Technology offers strategic assistance to Progress Tech Transfer to achieve the most from business opportunities in the field of sustainability while providing fundamental connections with Italian research institutions and technology transfer offices. MITO Technology

Francesco De Michelis

Francesco graduated with a law degree from the University of Trento Law School and was admitted to practice law in Italy. He was a Senior Intellectual Asset Manager at the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Department of the Fondazione Torino Wireless, a dedicated structure for the professional and vertically-integrated management of all the steps of production and commercialisation of IPR.

He co-authored a book on technology transfer agreements and is a regular speaker in workshops and conferences on intellectual property, licensing and technology management. He is the CEO of MITO Technology and oversees the licensing activities of the company, particularly for evaluation of inbound technologies and negotiation of IP transactions with licensees. He has an extensive experience in dealing with universities and public research institutions and managing internal organisational issues.

LinkedIn profile

Technical-Scientific Committee

We have a superb group of academics and business professionals that continuously supports our investment strategy, from scouting to evaluation, from organizing to exploitation, with sharp advice and relentless generosity.

Tom Hockaday

POC expert
Director TTO, University of Oxford 2006-2016

  • Concluded over 400 licence agreements and assisted in the formation of 62 spin-out companies since 1997

Alberto Salleo

Scientific expert
Professor, and Department Chair, Materials Science and Engineering

  • UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Palo Alto Research Center

Eva Milella

Scientific expert
IMAST President

  • IMAST is the Tech District of Material Engineering in Campania
  • AIRI Strategic Committee
  • Aspen Institute, Plart, ARTI
  • CNR Manager

Roberto Castagno

IP Expert
Head of IPR at Neste

  • IP rights strategy
  • Patent acquisition and divestment transactions

Giorgio Simbolotti

Scientific expert
Head of Strategy / Renewables, ENEA

  • Enea is the National Agency for New Technology, Energy and Sustainable Development
  • Previously IEA, OECD, Iter
  • 120 publications, technical reports, books, articles

Emilio Paolucci

POC expert
Full Professor Strategic Mgmt & Entrepreneurship Politecnico di Torino

  • Former chairman of “Spin-off” and “Patent Committee”
  • Co-founder of Electro Power Systems (WEF 2012 “Global Cleantech 100″ list), now listed on Euronext

Bruno Sinopoli

Scientific Expert
Professor, and Department Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Washington University

  • UC Berkeley
  • Stanford University
  • Carnegie Mellon University

Technical Scientific Committee

We have a superb group of academics and business professionals that continuously supports our investment strategy, from scouting to evaluation, from organizing to exploitation, with sharp advice and relentless generosity.

Tom Hockaday

POC expert
Director TTO, University of Oxford 2006-2016

  • Concluded over 400 licence agreements and assisted in the formation of 62 spin-out companies since 1997

Alberto Salleo

Scientific expert
Professor, and Department Chair, Materials Science and Engineering

  • UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Palo Alto Research Center

Eva Milella

Scientific expert
IMAST President

  • IMAST is the Tech District of Material Engineering in Campania
  • AIRI Strategic Committee
  • Aspen Institute, Plart, ARTI
  • CNR Manager

Roberto Castagno

IP / Scientific expert
Head of IP Services, TECH – Nokia Technologies

  • IP rights strategy
  • Patent acquisition and divestment transactions

Giorgio Simbolotti

Scientific expert
Head of Strategy / Renewables, ENEA

  • Enea is the National Agency for New Technology, Energy and Sustainable Development
  • Previously IEA, OECD, Iter
  • 120 publications, technical reports, books, articles

Emilio Paolucci

POC expert
Full Professor Strategic Mgmt & Entrepreneurship Politecnico di Torino

  • Former chairman of “Spin-off” and “Patent Committee”
  • Co-founder of Electro Power Systems (WEF 2012 “Global Cleantech 100″ list), now listed on Euronext

Bruno Sinopoli

Scientific Expert
Professor, and Department Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Washington University

  • UC Berkeley
  • Stanford University
  • Carnegie Mellon University

Portfolio

Start-ups and Proof-of-concept projects funded by Progress Tech Transfer Fund
Sustainability means using technology to tackle the grand challenges that the mankind faces in the contemporary world, from green energy production, storage and saving, to water preservation, from waste management to sustainable crops, from new eco-materials to improved production methodologies. We believe so much in sustainability that created a technology transfer fund entirely committed to finding and funding business opportunities in the field.
waterview
Waterview

Weather affects every aspect of our life. So, in the era of smart cities, smart roads, smart everything, why not having smart weather monitoring, to automatically provide meaningful weather insights and make our lives better? This is what we do everyday at WaterView, by developing groundbreaking technologies that look from a completely new perspective what everyone else considers a simple camera.

Waterview.it

respectlife
RespectLife

RespectLife has developed an innovative technology for the production of polypropylene-based fabrics with high performance features, finished without chemical products and without elastomers and a natural candidate to replace cottons in bed linens, isolation gowns, blankets and other material currently used within hospital for clinical applications, as well as of use in other fields, including, but not limited to, sportswear, fashion and technical clothing.

respectlife.it

hiq-nano
HiQ-Nano

HiQ-Nano is a spin-off company from the Italian Institute of Technology focused on the design, fabrication and characterization of high-quality nanoparticles. The mission on the company is to guarantee excellence in the production of nanoparticles and related technologies to our clients, allowing researchers and industries to thrive thanks to the exceptional properties of nanomaterials.

hiqnano.com

mat3d
MAT3D

MAT3D is a joint spin-off company of Modena and Reggio Emilia University and Parma University, specialized in designing and manufacturing new advanced materials for 3D printing in different industrial sectors from prototypes to mould&tools to end-use parts.

mat3d.it

Finapptech
Finapp

Finapp, a spin-off company from the University of Padova, has developed an innovative sensor for water sensing on large areas based on the measurement of neutrons generated by cosmic-rays. Thanks to new methodologies and new materials, Finapp has innovated the way of measuring environmental neutrons.

finapptech.com

Blubrake
Blubrake

Blubrake develops and produces advanced mechatronic systems focused on braking and sensing applications for bicycles, in particular e-bikes. The company developed the only ABS (anti-lock braking system) for e-bikes that can be fully integrated inside the frame and that can drastically increase safety on every kind of e-bikes, from city to mountain, from trekking to cargo.

blubrake.com

HTMS
HT Materials Science

HT Materials Science Ltd. is the developer of Maxwell 2020®, an innovative, award-winning, sub-micron heat transfer fluid technology. Maxwell 2020® is a ’drop-in’ additive for use in new or existing commercial and industrial cooling and heating systems. Maxwell 2020® enhances heat transfer, resulting in a reduced energy consumption (benefit expected in the range of 15-25%), which delivers lower energy costs, enhanced equipment performance and a significant reduction in carbon emissions, leading to paybacks for clients of as low as 6 months.

htmaterialsscience.com

unitn

The research group of the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Trento, led by Prof. Gian Domenico Sorarù, has developed an innovative method for the manufacture of "nano-belts" felts with very high porosity and very low thermal conductivity that find applications as a thermal insulation material in the field of filtration of aggressive or high temperature fluids, as well as in catalysis and acoustic insulation. The Proof of Concept funded by Progress Tech Transfer will focus on validating specific features of the material and the process and on clarifying the most promising market applications.

dii

The research group of Professor Sara Spilimbergo from University of Padova has developed an innovative processes to pasteurize fresh food at low temperature  with the aim of increasing its safety without compromising the nutritional and health aspects. The technology uses high pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) as a pasteurizing agent in its supercritical state. CO2 is a non-toxic, inert gas that is made available from secondary processes and industrial waste. The Proof of Concept funded by Progress Tech Transfer will concentrate on validating specific features of the technology on the basis of the needs of the target markets.

Deeptrace
DeepTrace Technologies

DeepTrace Technologies is a spin-off company of University School for Advanced Studies Pavia that has developed an artificial intelligence technology designed to perform early diagnosis and predict the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The company's technology uses artificial intelligence to detect pathologies that can be diagnosed by collecting biometric data and images such as X-rays and CT scans, enabling early diagnosis of generative diseases such as Alzamheir or Parkinson's.

deeptracetech.com

cnr-itm

The technology has been developed by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, University of Calabria and University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe and consists in a coating for filtering membranes that enhances the durability of the membranes and has antibiological properties. The strengths of this technology are an increased membrane efficiency and an increased lifetime of the membranes related to a lower fouling tendency. The Proof of Concept funded by Progress Tech Transfer will focus on validating specific features of the material and on clarifying the most promising market applications.

cnr-itm

Mogu develops fully circular products for interior architecture based on fungal biofabrication processes (mycelium technology) and on the upcycling of low-value, raw materials. Mogu offers functional, beautiful and meaningful products with a durable and sustainable life cycle, being committed to industrial processes that have the lowest environmental impact possible.

mogu.bio

endostart
Endostart

Endostart has developed the Endorail System (ES), a totally new generation medical device aimed at facilitating fast colonoscopy completion. The device works thanks to a patented technology that exploits the properties of the ferrofluid. The technology developed by Endostard is set to make the specific medical treatment more sustainable from an economic standpoint and more tolerable for inpatients.

endostart.com

cnr-itm

Dynamic Optics, a spin off company of the Italian National Research Council, has developed an innovative technology for lens deformation that is based on Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). The project aim at developing glasses that can automatically adjust their focus on the basis on where the person is looking. Thus once a person puts them on, the objects in front of the person always show clear, no matter at what distance the object is. The project has potentially a major impact on the reduction of usage of any type of glasses from prescription to sunglasses as its capability to adapt to natural vision degradation with aging, reduces considerably the need of new pair of glasses reducing usage of natural resources.

easyrain

Easy Rain has developed the first active system able to counter aquaplaning, increasing car safety and performance on wet asphalt. The “A.I.S.” system (Aquaplaning Intelligent Solution) is the first anti-aquaplaning active safety system for all vehicles, even electric ones, already applicable to autonomous cars and ready to be connected to the 5G network.

easyrain.it

spectophotonics
Specto Photonics

Specto Photonics develops, manufactures and commercializes the next-generation miniaturized Brillouin spectrometers. This technology enables to optically retrieve mechanical viscoelastic information of both organic and inorganic materials, without the need of contact or label. This fundamental data is so far inaccessible through conventional technology.

spectophotonics.com

Proionic naturbeads
Naturbeads

Naturebeads has developed a unique, very innovative technology that allows the substitution of plastic microbeads with biodegradable cellulose-based products in a variety of applications.

naturbeads.com

newcleo
newcleo

newcleo is designing and building the next generation (Generation IV) of nuclear reactors: the lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) fueled with MOX. They will contribute to climate change mitigation and global decarbonization.

newcleo.com

picosats
Picosats

Picosats, a spin off company of University of Trieste, designs and produces advanced small satellites and powerful solutions to make space accessible and affordable.

picosats.eu

Wearable Robotics
Wearable Robotics

Wearable Robotics operates in the general sector of service robotics, with a special focus on the applications of wearable robots in the industrial and medical fields. In particular, the company is focused on the design and development, production and commercialization of advanced wearable robotics devices, eventually integrated with virtual reality systems, for neuromotor rehabilitation, motor assistance and force augmentation for medical and industrial applications.

wearable-robotics.com

Sealance
Sealence

Sealence is a global leading pioneer in electric propulsion for marine applications. The company is developing the most efficient naval propulsion ever designed. The competitive advantage lies in having conceived fluid dynamic innovations that led to the design of a very innovative propulsion jet system.

sealence.it

valuematic
Valuematic

Valuematic, spin-off of IMT Lucca, want to bring to the market a solution for the problem of sustainable cloud computing, by focusing on the optimization of the energy consumption and providing a viable solution for an optimal allocation of necessary resources while maintaining the same performance level.

valuematic.it

cnr-itm

A research team from the University of Brescia and the  National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) has developed and patented a method that uses an improved carbothermic reaction in black masses to extract lithium from spent batteries and other kind of waste, using only a water solution. The Proof-of-Concept project will focus  on observing the variables of the carbothermic process to understand the performance on a larger scale and predict the function of cost growth for industrial scale plants.

cnr-itm

The company has developed an innovative technology for the deposition of metals in the manufacturing process of solar cells. The solution brought by RiSE Technology is based on a proprietary technology based on the Dynamic Liquid Drop/Meniscus concept, suitable for surface treatments, which is an innovative tool able to continually renew the composite material used for the precise deposition of the exact right quantity at nanoscale on a vertical plane.

risetechnology.com

Portfolio

Start-ups and Proof-of-concept projects funded by Progress Tech Transfer Fund

Sustainability means using technology to tackle the grand challenges that the mankind faces in the contemporary world, from green energy production, storage and saving, to water preservation, from waste management to sustainable crops, from new eco-materials to improved production methodologies. We believe so much in sustainability that created a technology transfer fund entirely committed to finding and funding business opportunities in the field.

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For a better understanding of all our investment choices we identify for all companies one or more
Sustainable Goals from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations.
Progress Tech Transfer Fund is supported by InnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing.
European Investment Fund
European Commission
Progress Tech Transfer Fund is supported by InnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing.
European Investment Fund
European Investment Fund
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