COMPANIES

We have been actively involved in commercialising innovation that lead to the formation of the following companies:

Mushroom Biomedical Systems

This company commercialised a new design laryngoscope with disposable ABS blade. The light bulb was located in the handle, and the blade directed the light to the tip of the blade. We managed to secure $1m of orders within the first nine months from seven countries. Eventually the company failed due to product production problems. We’ve made all the mistakes that could be made in a biotech start-up, but we learned a lot!

Radical Waters

In this platform technology, electricity and a little salt were used to split normal tap water into two products, an anolyte and a catholyte. The anolyte is a very strong natural sterilizing agent and the catholyte is a strong surfactant. Through proper market research, we found the market in South Africa to be immature for a specific dental application. However, we researched the US market and found it ripe for adoption. The application was licensed to the world’s largest dental company at the time for $3m. The company is still in existence and active in 11 countries. https://www.radicalwaters.com

CONNI INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS

The CONNI product range was developed in Australia, and we assisted in commercialising this innovative range of incontinence products in South Africa. Unfortunately, after getting the product range sold to pharmacies and hospitals, the South African master vendor abandoned the company and country. The products are still successfully sold throughout the world. https://www.conniglobal.com

VETRICS ANIMAL HEALTH

Vetrics commercialised a natural fulvic acid-based animal nutrient product range developed by Dr Gerhard Jordaan. 100% natural, the technology behind the product range is also a platform technology with applications in humans, animals and plants. This company was conceived and started during COVID-19, and successfully sold two years later to one of our distributors. www.vetrics.co.za

BOVITIME ANIMAL PRODUCTS

This startup commercialised an adhesive patch for dairy cows that tells the farmer when the cow is in estrus (ready to conceive). The cow can then be separated for artificial insemination. We started the company and production from scratch, and ten years later sold the brand to the market leading US competitor. The company still manufactures the products for our previous competitor, which is now our partner. www.bovitime.com

BOTANICS PLANT HEALTH

Also based on natural fulvic acid produced by carbo-hydrates and not extracted from soil, this technology has been used to develop a plant nutrition range of products for commercial crops and for forestry nursery saplings. The commercial crop range is being commercialised through BIOCO CROPS (www.biococrops.co.za) and the forestry application through BOTANICS Plant Health. www.botanics.co.za The product is still undergoing R&D and field tests to validate results achieved in the nurseries.

SIMERA TRACE

Simera Trace commercialises the Smartblock and MINEX platform that was built for RFID applications in mines. The applications can broadly be divided into four segments:

Inward logistics – tracking assets (tools, equipment, machines, explosives, material cars) into the mine. Main benefits are increased utilization rates, better transparency and accountability, and reduced lost blasts since real-time insight is possible on whether all people, assets and explosives will be present on time.
Outwards logistics – tracking samples from pit/rockface to lab, tracking ore from blast hole to final delivery. Benefits are reduced lost samples, reduced ore waste, all mining functions using the same real-time data therefore removal of silos, optimal ore blending for optimal processing, and digital audit trail validating ore quality.
People logistics –real-time insight into worker location throughout the mine for faster emergency responses, tracking Shaft Clearance, Safety equipment, Lamp Room equipment (PPE) etc.
Plant efficiencies and audits. Real-time DMS audits and optimized plant configuration by validated confirmation of ore grade control.

The company already features Anglo American as client, with strong interest received from most of the large and medium sized mining houses. www.simera-trace.com