Browse Or Filter Technologies

Browse Or Filter Technologies

Innovus supports Stellenbosch University’s researchers, students and staff members who wish to commercialise their research output or inventions. This is done by licensing intellectual property rights to an industry partner, or by the formation of a spin-out company. All the technologies listed below are available for Innovus Instant Access Licensing, which fast-tracks the licensing process considerably.

Innovus commercialises and assists with the further development of technologies which meet specific industry needs. Numerous research outputs from Innovus have been developed into fully-fledged spin-out companies, which have benefited from our unique suite of services, including incubator facilities, access to business mentors, limited seed funding and legal advice, among others.

Please note these technologies are only for investing/licensing opportunities. These technologies are not for sale. If you are interested in investing/licensing, please contact the TTO associated with the technology.

Technology Listings
An artificial intelligence system for automatic diagnosis using x-ray images
Public healthcare in South Africa faces an issue where diagnosis on images lacks professional radiologists. People end up queuing for hours for a diagnosis that often doesn’t happen. The lack of diagnosis is damaging to a person’s wellbeing and can often lead to fatal cases. The technology that we’re building aims to make an impact and solve this problem. We have developed an artificial intelligence system that can perform automatic diagnosis of the x-rays.
TerraClim
TerraClim empowers long & short term decision making at regional, farm & vinyard level through the provision of detailed climate and terrain information.
Improved heterologous protein expression platform for production of recombinant proteins in E. coli
A robust heterologous expression system was designed to enable the production of proteins with valuable bioactivities. The system can improve on the production of currently sort after proteins as well as enable the production of novel proteins with unknown production challenges. This function can therefore deliver a local supply of proteins used as consumables and help introduce new proteins and products to the market.
Polymer-peptide conjugate with anti-tumor activity
Membrane-disruptive peptides like Tyrocidin have great potential as anti-tumor and antimicrobial drug. However, their selectivity is usually limited, which leads to significant toxicity that is prohibitive for systemic application of the peptides. Our polymer-peptide conjugates self-assemble in aqueous environment to prohibit exposure of the body to the toxic peptide. At the site of the tumor or bacterial infection, the peptide is released and causes local cell lysis, which improves selectivity.
Enzymatic recycling of bioplastics
Plastic is one of the world’s most severe anthropogenic pollutants. Bioplastics were developed to form part of the solution to the plastic pollution crisis, but their increased production and use pose a significant risk to current recycling and waste management systems. Microbial enzymes that can hydrolyse selected plastic materials, including bioplastics, have been identified that may have several advantages over current methods for the treatment of bioplastics. This technology entails the production of enzyme cocktails by recombinant fungal hosts to efficiently hydrolyse and recycle common bioplastic polyesters. This is a significant step towards a circular recycling system for various bioplastics and could benefit current waste processing facilities to manage the increase in bioplastic waste.
The BASE architecture
BASE lowers the barrier to entry and increases the competitiveness of companies in the fourth industrial revolution. The BASE platform is built on a proprietary architecture enabling a cost-effective, customizable and scalable solution to automate, optimize, schedule, keep track of, and get timely feedback on activities and processes in a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, and even healthcare. Additionally, the BASE architecture allows the seamless integration of human workers into the digital environment.
IFIT Polypeptides and uses for treating tuberculosis
The treatment invention relates to the introduction of exogenous IFIT polypeptides or expression vectors or mRNA encoding the IFIT polypeptides to treat tuberculosis. The novel and specific induction of IFIT polypeptides employing vectors or mRNA nanoparticles. The invention in development is envisaged to be very specific with minimal risk of complications in relation to other medical conditions.
Slip Permanent Magnet Generator (S-PMG)
This novel generator does away with cumbersome gear boxes and electrical converters by relying on electrical machines to produce a direct drive system that is directly connected to the grid.
Electrical Water Heater
The innovation comprises of an electrical water heater monitoring system and method to detect and estimate usage events. These events may then be used to develop a usage profile for the specific user, which may be used to develop a customized heating schedule for the water heater.
Water Collection Trough System
A cost-effective, highly efficacious assembly for collecting and removing drops with minimal air-side pressure drops for use in evaporative heat exchangers or cooling towers. The innovation reduces water consumption and required fan power.
Value added chemicals from Lignin
This invention describes a process for the depolymerization of lignin under mild oxidizing conditions, which does not produce highly acidic or basic waste-streams and is particularly useful for making aromatic aldehydes such as vanillin and syringaldehyde.
Faster and more frequent calibration of large heliostat fields in tower CSP/CST systems using UAVs
This technology uses Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to calibrate heliostats used in large Concentrating Solar Power/Thermal (CSP/CST) tower system fields faster than traditional methods allow. Faster and more frequent calibration results in improved system efficiency and could result in CAPEX savings associated with the heliostats.
Paper sludge to value product through using a new contaminant sensitive bioprocesses technology
Biofuel technologies make use of readily available and low-cost feedstocks to produce high-value and high-energy molecules. These feedstocks generally originates from unclean sources which result in microbial contamination - the leading cause of failure in biofuel production processes.
System and process for the desulphurization of pyrolysis feedstocks.
The pyrolysis process is commonly used to produce fuel oil products and char. Common problems with the oil products have been identified to be large boiling point ranges and high sulphur content.
 
Splash grid for rain or spray zones
A splash grid for rain or spray zones in cooling towers that results in drop size reduction thus enhancing the heat and mass transfer performance characteristics.
System for monitoring water stress in grapevines
This technology continuously monitors water stress in vineyards through direct measurement from the plant. The sensor information enables quick decision making to avoid severe drought or over-irrigation of vineyards. The team is looking at expanding the technology to additional crops.
Novel mechanism to enhance plant growth under sustainable agricultural system (SUMO Crops)
Mechanism for improving abiotic stress tolerance in monocotyledonous food crops.
A natural, biodegradable, anti-microbial plant pathogen control agent (BioPEP)
The technology is a antimicrobial coating or treatment for a wide range of manufactured products including medical equipment (devices, PPP, etc), food packaging, surfaces, papers, flooring, pipes, and the like. The cyclodecapeptides proposed are bacterial-derived and may have a composition of tryocidine, trypocidine, phenycidine, gramicidin S, or analogue.
A Novel Yeast-Based Biofertiliser
A yeast strain with the potential to be used as a biofertiliser of blue lupin and wheat within a break-crop or crop rotation system to increase growth of both plants.
PhenoLab
PhenoLAB is a web-based application for phenolic analyses in red grapes, fermenting samples and in wines. The platform provides users with the ability to generate, interpret, benchmark and store phenolic data in real time.
Wine filtration system for preventing pinking in white wines
A filtration device for reducing oxidation in varieties of white wines. Elimination of oxygen (O2) is of utmost importance to the winemaker during reductive vinification. If not, pinking occurs affecting the quality of the wines.
Amaasing
A lactose free Amasi-based Ice cream.
Multistrain Probiotic Composition
A multi-strain probiotic, consisting of six different bacterial strains, that has the potential to enhance the immune responsiveness of broiler chickens and decrease the burden that pathogenic bacteria place on broiler chicken growth performance.
Power and Water saving sprinkler for agricultural irrigation
An energy and water efficient sprinkler for centre pivot irrigation systems.
Axial flow fan tip appendage to improve fan performance
A tip appendage that controls tip leakage vortices in axial flow fans to improve fan performance.
An automated dispenser and User interface
A simplified automated dispenser for granulated substances such as sugar for tea and coffee, or spices, with a dispensing mechanism intended to reduce mechanical wear. The original design was Bluetooth-connected to a smartphone and included an app specially designed using research into user accessibility.
Natural Gas Storage Facility
The utilization of abandoned mine shafts to provide the bulk storage of natural gas to meet the dispatchable power need.
Cultivation Method for the Medically Valuable Pelargonium
Mass production of Pelargonium sidoides and Pelargonium reniforme curtis bio-actives through use of in-vitro cultivation. This technology is a novel cultivation method to alleviate the pressure on wild growing populations and provide quality stock for the medicinal industry.
Novel Enzyme for hydrolysing glucuronoxyla to improv the yield from pulp material
The alpha-glucuronidase is capable of selectively processing the complex hemicelluloses xylan side-chains in the pulping process. One of the benefits of our isolated alpha-glucuronosidase is that it cleaves glycosidic side linkages within polymeric substrates such as glucuronoxylan.
Cyclopeptide-derived Antimicrobial Compositions and Uses Thereof
A green and biodegradable antibiotic that can prevent surface contamination and/or biofilm formation.
SharkSafe Shark Barrier
An environmentally friendly and cost‑effective alternative to conventional anti-shark devices such as shark nets, drum lines and exclusion nets.
Improved Production of Fructooligosaccharides (scFOS)
Modification of B-fructofuranosidase enzymes to enhance their performance in production of FOS under industrial conditions.
A Natural Preservative Extracted from Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.)
Extracts from honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) are known for their anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic and phytoestrogenic activities. This invention shows that it also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities.
Prosopis Glandulosa - A method of enhancing and treating contused muscle tissue
A novel herbal remedy for the treatment of contused and fatigued muscle tissue. P. Glandulosa, commonly referred to as Honey Mesquite, has been discovered to strengthen skeletal muscle and boost healing of contused skeletal muscle.
Plant Extract For Treatment of Breast Cancer
Non-toxic plant extract used to reduce proliferation of tumours. This novel plant extract can be used for treatment of breast cancer.
PepTrap™ Enzyme Immobilization Platform
A novel and affordable cellulose based matrix that is capable of acting as a perfect enzyme immobilization platform, while also providing a broad and tailored use of varied enzymes for immobilization. PepTrap™ provides next-generation enzyme immobilization through a coordinated bond between a histidine tagged enzyme and NiO nanoparticles.
A Biofiltration System
High rate biofilm contact reactor for winery wastewater treatment. No filters are used which means less clogging than traditional filtration systems.
Facile Immobilization of Enzymes
Immobilized enzymes have an advantage over free enzymes in solution in that they can be used repeatedly and easily removed from the reaction mixture after completion.
Infrared & Impedance Needle (IRI Needle)
An infrared and impedance needle to help locate the exact position when performing lumbar punctures or entry to veins and arteries.
Indole based non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV
This invention describes a novel indole based non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that is potent against HIV, with an IC50 value of 1nM, which exceeds the potency of any currently marketed
 
A Heart Valve
An innovative percutaneous aortic heart valve with unique advantages over the competitors has been designed.
Synsurf - Synthetic Lung Surfactant
This invention is a synthetic surfactant formulation consisting of a combination of readily accessible phospholipids and synthetic peptides which may be administered as either a liquid or in a nebulised/aerosolised form.
Universal Image Quality Assurance (U-QA) Phantom
In medical imaging, maintenance of image quality at clinically acceptable levels to allow for accurate disease diagnosis is important. This technology provides a single solution for image quality control in projection radiography, fluoroscopy, mammography and Computed Tomography (CT) Scanning. This technology provides a more cost effective and simpler solution for resource limited hospitals and medical institutions.
Hydrapatch, A Visual Indicator for Measuring the Loss of Fluid From Exercise
An instantaneous hydration measurement feedback device
A Method of Treating Abnormal Blood Clotting Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
The use of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) to treat Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) by reducing hypercoagulation (exaggerated blood clotting) commonly associated with this disease.
A Method of Treating Abnormal Blood Clotting Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease
The use of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) to treat Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) by reducing hypercoagulation (exaggerated blood clotting) commonly associated with this disease.
iFlow
Lung flow monitoring device. The monitor has the capability of monitoring lung functions on a daily basis and downloading the data to a web based platform.
Gestational Age Measurement (GAME) device
A novel technology that uses foot length to measure gestational age of a neonates. The device offers high accuracy and a quick method for estimating gestational age of new-born babies.Foot length is a recognized indicator of the duration of pregnancy, (gestational age). Measuring foot length rapidly provides a means of assessing probable gestation, much easier and quicker than utilizing scoring systems, such as the Ballard score.
Method for Diagnosing Tuberculosis
A cost effective TB diagnostic test with high accuracy results. This diagnostic test suitable for all patients including children.
Nanowire-array Biosensor
A biosensor nanochip for direct detection of pathogenic microorganisms and antibodies towards specific biomolecule
Autophagic Flux Biosensor
A unique nano-biosensor with a software readout component that delivers autophagic flux numerically, comparable to a routinely used blood glucose or cholesterol test. This biosensor is versatile, highly cost-effective, the interface user friendly and easy to use.
A nano-biosensor to detect inflammatory molecules in blood with high specificity to diagnose and follow the progression of cancer and other inflammatory diseases
The global cancer burden is increasing rapidly in developing countries where populations continue to expand. The lack of resources and basic health infrastructure means that most people in developing countries have no access to cancer screening, early diagnosis, treatment or palliative care. Many patients are frequently sent home to die without comfort or palliative care. It is therefore of utmost importance to develop an affordable, reliable, accurate and sensitive cancer biomarker device to detect cancer at an early stage.
Patient Guided Non-Mydriatic Fundus Camera
Portable, low cost, user-friendly Fundus camera for Primary Healthcare use. This device is used to screen patients for retinopathy.
Medical Implant For The Treatment Of Radius And Ulna Fractures
A novel anatomical interlocking intramedullary nailing system for forearm fractures.
Polymers for Nanodisc Technology and Membrane Protein Research
For researchers and drug developers to design and discover new therapeutics to treat diseases such as obesity, depression or even cancer, they need to be able to study and understand proteins embedded in the cell membrane. As these membrane proteins (MPs) play an essential role in regulating physiological processes, they are considered prime therapeutic targets for almost 70 % of FDA-approved drugs. The effective isolation of Membrane Proteins (MPs) can be cumbersome, making it difficult for researchers and drug developers to understand, discover and design effective therapeutics for diseases. For this technology, polymers are able to act as molecular cookie cutters, allowing for the functional and active isolation of MPs in nanoscale discs. This nanodisc technology offers the unprecedented opportunity to access some of the most valued proteins in a biologically active state, which in some cases, was an impossible task only a decade ago.
Permanent antimicrobial coating for materials and textiles
A permanent antimicrobial coating that can be applied to various materials and textiles to make them sterile and prevent bacterial growth.
Modified poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) resin for precious metal recovery
A modified poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) resin utilized in an ion-exchange process to separate gold chloride ions from acidic gold slurries is described in the invention.
Zwitterionic polymers for SMALP Technology
This innovation is a poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMAnh)-based propyl carboxylic zwitterionic (PCZ2K) copolymer.
Kuze – Combination Sit/Stand Desk & Chair
The KUZE uses an innovative, height-adjusting and locking mechanism, it allows the child to move change position instantly, thereby not interfering from their academic work or disrupting the class. The KUZE has 6 height adjustable settings that accommodates children from the age of 6 years to beyond complete high school.
Communi-kate Speaker Recognition Toy
This invention describes a microchip-based capability that enables toys to exhibit bonding behaviour towards their owners. Unlike other interactive toys on the market, our device can change its behaviour over time in a way that encourages the child to develop positive characteristics such as responsibility, while the child is playing.
Stellenbosch University Digital Evaluation Model (SUDEM)
SUDEM is an accurate, high resolution digital model or 3-D representation of South Africa’s entire terrain.
SurgiTrack - a surgical workflow system
SurgiTrack is a surgical workflow system. It provides a web-based platform for health care workers to manage the patient processing from the moment of diagnosis to surgery.
Paediatric attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder application software (PANDAS)
A tablet based game aimed at distinguishing between specific neuropsychiatric disorders and level of cognitive functioning in children and adolescents.
Radiometric Correction of Aerial or UAV Imagery
A technique for the production of seamless mosaics of aerial imagery corrected for coarse scale atmospheric and bidirectional distribution function (BRDF) effects that does not require ground reflectance references.
Multi-mode Composite Antenna
A new antenna design that achieves near hemispherical coverage with low power gain variation and good polarisation discrimination when compared to conventional dual-polarised dipole antennas
Cargo Securing Apparatus
A device that continuously monitors truck strap tension to eliminate load shifting while the truck is in motion.