The University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences and four high tech companies are combining forces to increase the production capacity for microfluidic systems. As part of this pilot line project (“proeftuin”), they are improving access for SMEs to their facilities, including the MESA+ NanoLab and High Tech Factory. Moreover, four concrete demonstrators to suit a range of applications will be developed, including a micropipette and micro needle.

The University of Twente and Saxion are both equipped with a high-quality micro and nano technology infrastructure. For example, the MESA+ NanoLab has as focus on development, prototyping and small-scale production, to be used by various high tech companies. The facilities at High Tech Factory (HTF) on the UT campus are typically equipped for so-called back-end activities, such as testing wafers and testing/sorting chips.

Many innovative high tech companies are forced to scale up their production activities within a few years. They often