Belfast-based Intelesens, which was founded in 2001 by three leading sensor technology professors at Ulster University, has been acquired by US-based UltraLinq. Intelesens developed a portfolio of intelligent, wearable, non-invasive, wireless vital signs monitoring devices for global hospital and home patient monitoring markets.
Professor Jim McLaughlin (pictured above) is one of the founders and a member of the MATRIX panel.
Ulster University Vice-Chancellor Professor Paddy Nixon said: “As one of the world’s leading sensor technology firms, the pioneering research carried out by Intelesens has impacted on the lives of countless people globally, improving patient care and driving efficiencies in the healthcare sector.
“The ability of Intelesens to develop such engineering and healthcare advances and then rapidly commercialise them, is testament to its world-leading research and outstanding business leadership. This acquisition by UltraLinq, a company already well established in the global medical technology sector, is an endorsement not just of Intelesens but of the wider knowledge base at Ulster University.
“Our research across key industry sectors delivers solutions focused impact and this is reflected in the level of research grants and income secured, with £29 million of new awards secured in the past year. In addition, our linkages with industry support and nurture the critical entrpreneurial aspect of research, ensuring that Ulster University can continue to spin out even more firms like Intelesens and drive economc growth.”
Since it was established in 2001, Intelesens has attracted international venture capital, including start up investment from Innovation Ulster Limited. The company has retained a close working relationship with Ulster University’s Nanotechnology and Integrated BioEngineering Centre (NIBEC), which gives it access to world class academia and has enabled the company to recruit a talented team of engineers to drive product development.