Invenio is an online diagnostic system that builds on more than 20 years of research conducted by the Department of Psychology and the Psychology Research Institute at the MU Faculty of Social Studies. It provides a fast, science-based and user-friendly assessment of children’s key abilities through game-based principles.
“Our vision was to create a system that would allow teachers and parents to recognize the strengths of every child: not to compare them with one another but rather to help them find their own path to learning and development. I believe that Invenio can do this,” says Šárka Portešová, one of the company’s founders and a leading expert on the psychology of talent.
Inovation based on humanities research
Establishing the spin-off company is an important milestone not only for the project but also for the university. In the humanities and social sciences, commercialisation is often more challenging than in engineering because of the intangible nature of the results. Invenio Plus shows that research in the humanities can give rise to innovation.
The children are tested while playing a computer game. They perform tasks that test their logical thinking, memory and spatial skills while having fun. The whole test is designed so that it is not stressful for the children – more like a game than a traditional test. Once the test is completed, the parents or the school will receive a summary of the child’s strengths and recommendations on how to further develop their potential.
Invenio Plus wants to become a key player in diagnostics in education in the Czech Republic and on the international market. Its mission is to support the identification and development of children’s talents, creativity and abilities, which is a key prerequisite for the long-term competitiveness of a society based on knowledge and human capital.
The spin‑off company Invenio Plus has been created thanks to the long‑standing support of the Technology Transfer Office. It is also first company established through MUNI Ventures, a subsidiary of Masaryk University.
Diagnostic device to detect the level of infection
A new technology that was developed as a part of research at CEITEC and can quickly and sensitively detect chlamydial infection is also heading towards a practical commercial application. The new spin-off company was built on the research of Karel Lacina and the technological facilities available at CEITEC and the MU Faculty of Science.
“The device measures changes in the electrochemical signal based on the presence of a target substance, which in this case is chlamydia. Its advantage is that it can offer semi-quantitative information in addition to qualitative results,” says Karel Lacina, who is now working on commercialising the technology through the new spinoff ACTOSens, s.r.o.
The technology behind the device was under development for almost ten years as a part of research at CEITEC MU. The breakthrough came several years ago, when the electrochemical biosensor measurement procedure was optimised to such an extent that the test results were not only reproducible, but also sufficiently accurate for further development that would eventually allow practical use.
The diagnostic device allows you to quickly and easily determine whether a person is infected and how active the infection is. Imagine a home pregnancy test – just a urine sample applied to a test strip. If the bacteria causing the infection are present in the body, the device detects this within a few minutes and provides the results in a digital form. The technology has a broad potential for other applications: by modifying some of the components, it could be adapted to detect other STDs or even other infectious diseases.
The spin-off company is currently focusing on two things: completing the development phase, including having the device certified in line with the legislation for medical devices, and negotiating with investors. Introduction of the device for commercial use and the broader impact of this technology could make it significantly easier to detect infections early and could improve the availability of diagnostics in medical practice.
ACTOSens, s.r.o. is the second company established through MUNI Ventures, a subsidiary of Masaryk University.