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Izon scientist with nanoparticle counter - Source: ONE News -
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Christchurch company Izon is making its mark on the world's scientific stage with its new nanoparticle measuring device.
The Q-Viro and Q-Nano instruments allow scientists and researchers the ability to see some of the smallest particles in existence - those that are 10,000 times less than the width of a human hair.
The instruments, around the size and weight of a coffee plunger, have a tuneable aperture and are believed to be the first of their kind. They will help researchers in virology, gene therapy, medicine, chemistry and nanoscience.
The instruments are also attracting overseas interest.
"It's an area a lot of people ignore, but the world research market is over a trillion US dollars. It's a huge market in its own rights," says Izon CEO Hans van der Voorn.
It took a lot of hard work to get the instruments to market, with van der Voorn mortgaging his own house to finance the project.
Van der Voorn says it is this dedication and a hard-nose philosophy that has seen Izon succeed.
"You need really drive and an implacable desire to succeed. You just can't be a whimp about it really, life gets hard, successful people always work hard," he says.
The four-year project has involved collaboration with universities and researchers from around the world who all contributed to the final product.
"We want to see, as a government, taking research from the university lab to the market place because that's how New Zealand's going to grow," says Minister of research science and technology Wayne Mapp.
Izon celebrated the commercial launch of its new product with a
world-first nanoparticle counting championship.
