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Maties move towards entrepreneurial future Stellenbosch University (SU) is now the home of a brand-new business accelerator, known as LaunchLab, in the centre of its Stellenbosch campus. The LaunchLab, a proud initiative of Innovus, is the hub of all entrepreneurial activity on the SU campus. Besides being home to a number of SU spin-out companies, it also houses student start-up companies and external service provider companies, who will be on hand to provide mentoring and services to any tenants who require it. The aim of the LaunchLab is to boost entrepreneurship at the University by providing networking opportunities, mentoring and affordable rental...

Heliostat module grabs attention A triangular heliostat module designed by researchers of the Solar Thermal Energy Research Group (STERG) at the Faculty of Engineering has grabbed the attention of some global players. Paul Gauché, senior researcher and director of STERG, explains what it is all about … What is a heliostat? A heliostat is a mirror that tracks the sun. The name is derived from the Greek words helios (sun) and stat (stationary) and refers to the fact that when we track the sun, we make an image of it that is stationary. This stationary point is called a receiver. Every heliostat in a...

InnovUS Instant Access™ licensing: Short cut to technology Forward with technology. Away with red tape. With this approach InnovUS will minimise the frustrations and obstacles which so often go hand in hand with the licensing of new but untested technologies to private organisations. InnovUS Instant Access™ licensing now provides easy access to certain leading technologies in its intellectual property portfolio. InnovUS, Stellenbosch University’s technology transfer company, supports the University’s researchers and students in the further development or commercialisation of their ideas and inventions through patenting, licensing and establishing spin-out companies. In the past the licensing of utilisation rights to organisations in the private sector has,...

SU satellite components join the space race In a groundbreaking move for Stellenbosch University (SU), CubeSat satellite components manufactured by the University’s Electronic Systems Laboratory (ESL) will be sold to buyers around the world, for use in cutting edge space programmes. This marks the first time that the University is exporting goods for sale in foreign countries. The CubeSat satellite components concerned are an attitude sensor board called CubeSense, an onboard computer known as CubeComputer and Cubetorquer rods for attitude control. The products were developed at the ESL under the watchful eye of Professor Herman Steyn, satellite engineering specialist and head of the...

2011 - Our b​est year yet This year InnovUS has exceeded all targets set for disclosures and licence transactions. At the end of November 59 disclosures have been finalised, exceeding the target of 49. Nine licence agreements were concluded with one more being finalised - exceeding the target of 7 set for the year. InnovUS also became a shareholder in three companies and raised access to R35 million in funding for one of these companies. "We are very happy with what our team has achieved this year, but also excited by all the innovative ideas and research done by Stellenbosch University staff members....