NenoVision

NenoVision is a technology firm that originated as the first spin-off from the Brno University of Technology and the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) in 2015. The company was established by Jan Neuman, Michal Pavera, and Zdeněk Nováček, who developed the initial concept during their doctoral studies. The idea to integrate atomic force microscopy (AFM) with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) emerged from the practical challenges they faced in characterizing material surfaces, a project that took five years to yield a working prototype. CEO Jan Neuman, who graduated with a degree in Physical Engineering, has been a driving force in commercializing this academic research, leveraging Brno's established ecosystem in electron microscopy.

The company develops, manufactures, and sells the LiteScope™, an atomic force microscope designed for seamless integration into scanning electron microscopes. This core product enables what NenoVision terms Correlative Probe and Electron Microscopy (CPEM™), a proprietary technology that allows for the simultaneous acquisition of data from both AFM and SEM instruments. This approach provides a comprehensive, three-dimensional analysis of a sample's topography and its mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties, all under the same in-situ conditions, which eliminates the risk of contamination from sample transfer. The key benefit is the ability to correlate SEM's two-dimensional images with AFM's three-dimensional measurements with high precision, streamlining the analytical workflow.

NenoVision's business model centers on the sale of these specialized microscopy instruments and related accessories to a global market. Its primary clients are universities and research institutions focused on material science. However, the company is strategically targeting high-tech industrial applications in sectors related to sustainability, such as solar cells, batteries, and semiconductor components. The firm has received seed funding, including a notable investment from Y Soft Ventures in 2019, to bolster its international marketing and product development efforts.

Keywords: correlative microscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, CPEM, LiteScope, nano-scale imaging, material science, semiconductor analysis, in-situ analysis, surface characterization, nanotechnology, scientific instruments, AFM-in-SEM, research instrumentation, Brno University of Technology, CEITEC, Jan Neuman, multimodal analysis, surface properties, electron microscopy accessory