Nanogate in Top Three at enterprise awards in Berlin
Saarbrücken nanotechnology company rated one of top three in Deutscher Gründerpreis up-and-coming companies category
Saarbrücken/Berlin, 13 September 2006. Nanogate AG, Saarbrücken, a pioneer in the field of chemical nanotechnology, was yesterday singled out in Berlin as one of the three outstanding up-and-coming German companies of 2006. The jury was impressed by Nanogate’s extraordinary growth as an enabler of the commercialisation of nanotechnology.
The Deutscher Gründerpreis award ceremony at the Zollernhof ZDF television studio in Berlin took place in the presence of German Minister for Economics and Technology Michael Glos. Nanogate AG’s timely and successful commercial exploitation of innovative nanotechnology convinced the jury. An above-average number of products, well-known joint venture partners and excellent future prospects were plus points that earned the company a rating among the top three in the up-and-coming companies category.
“We are so pleased to have won this award, which reaffirms our clear market alignment,” said Nanogate AG CEO Ralf Zastrau. “We defined ourselves as a nanotechnology enabler at a very early stage and transformed our scientific success into concrete innovation for practical use,” he added. Nanogate now operates as a successful interface between raw material producers and industry in search of product solutions, and therefore defines itself as a gateway to nanotechnology.
“What we are concerned with is practical improvement of our customers’ products,” Zastrau said. “We always take our lead from the market.” In that, Nanogate distanced itself from other technology companies early on, thereby strengthening its position as a pioneer.
Nanogate plans to launch an initial public offering this year subject to general
developments on the capital markets. The company plans to use the IPO
proceeds to continue its strong previous year’s growth by expanding and building
new fields of business and technology platforms and extending its development
and production capacity. In the current year Nanogate, which has been profitable
since 2004, has again reported a positive trend in sales and earnings. In the
financial year 2005 Nanogate AG (without participations) increased earnings
before interest and taxes (EBIT) by around 232% to €382,000. Sales rose by
around 67% to approximately €4.8 million during the same period.
