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Sencilia is an early-stage, investor-backed, deep-tech startup company based in the Netherlands. We develop nature-inspired sensing solutions using innovative fabrication methods to solve critical problems in industries such as healthcare, underwater robotics, microfluidics, water and energy (oil and gas, hydrogen).

Technology

Blind cave fish

The blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) displays a remarkable navigation ability in spite of its lack of vision that is attributed to the lateral line organ on its skin.

Bioinspiration from fish neuromasts

The lateral line consists of a linear array of slender ‘neuromasts’ that bend in response to the tiniest of flow disturbances in the fish’s surroundings and allow the blind cavefish to map its hydrodynamic surroundings. Inspired by this concept that is optimized over millions of years of evolution, Sencilia develops MEMS flow sensors that are miniaturized and sensitive to very low flow rates, thus mimicking the fish neuromast design and functionality.

USP’s

  • Miniature (5mm × 5mm × 2 mm)

  • Low flow sensing (down to at least 2 mL/hr for IV flow)

  • Broad fluid portfolio

  • Accurate

  • Patented technology

  • Low-cost

  • Disposable

  • Biocompatible

  • Scalable

  • IOT compatible

  • Miniature (5mm × 5mm × 2 mm)

  • Low flow sensing (down to at least 2 mL/hr for IV flow)

  • Broad fluid portfolio

  • Accurate

  • Patented technology

  • Low-cost

  • Disposable

  • Biocompatible

  • Scalable

  • IOT compatible

Markets

Our story

Sencilia is an investor-backed, deep-tech, early-stage startup company based in Groningen, the Netherlands. The startup was spun out of the research of Dr. Amar Kamat (former postdoc at University of Groningen and currently the managing director of Sencilia) and Dr. Ajay Kottapalli (Asst. Professor, University of Groningen) who cofounded the company to bring their bioinspired sensing technology from the lab to the market with the mission of ensuring maximal societal impact. The company name is a portmanteau of the words ‘sense’ and ‘cilia’, highlighting the bioinspiration from the ‘cilia’ flow sensors used by fishes for flow sensing. The patented technology underpinning the bioinspired flow sensors was invented by Dr. Kottapalli and Prof. Triantafyllou at MIT, and has been further developed and optimized for over a decade by scientists and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Groningen. Currently, Sencilia is actively developing flow management automation solutions in healthcare with the aim of reducing intravenous dosage errors, improving the accuracy of fluid balance in critical care patients, and mitigating nurse work load. Amar and Ajay were awarded the ‘Take-off’ grant by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) in late 2020 to explore the technical and commercial feasibility of the venture, and the company was formally incorporated in Sep 2021 following a seed investment by RUG Ventures and Triade.

Meet our team

Dr. Amar M. Kamat

Co-founder and Managing Director

Amar oversees the technology and business development activities at Sencilia.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ajay G.P. Kottapalli

Co-founder and Chief Technology Advisor

Ajay acts as the chief advisor on MEMS technology development at Sencilia.

Ir. Natanael Gomes

R&D Engineer (Electronics)

Natanael heads the development of the data acquisition unit and software interface for the sensing systems.

Ir. Felix Wood

Design Engineer

Felix heads product design, prototyping, and sensor testing.

Prof. Dr. Michael Triantafyllou

Scientific Advisor

Michael acts as a scientific advisor to Sencilia in issues related to fluid mechanics and underwater sensing.

Prof. Dr. Bayu Jayawardhana

Scientific Advisor

Bayu acts as a scientific advisor to Sencilia on matters related to signal processing and mechatronics.

Dr. Leon Ramselaar

Business Developer

Leon is an experienced executive and advises Sencilia in business development activities.

Dr. Maarten Nijsten (MD)

Clinical Advisor

Maarten is a surgical intensivist at the UMCG and acts as a scientific advisor to Sencilia on clinical issues.

Dr. Ellis Folbert

Clinical Advisor

Ellis is a Nurse Practitioner (Traumatology) at the ZGT Hospital and advises Sencilia on matters related to nursing practices.

Media coverage

Media coverage

Contact us

Would you like more information about our bioinspired flow sensing technology? Do you foresee an application in your industry? We would love to hear from you! Please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Partners

SENCILIA B.V.

  • Kadijk 4
    9747 AT Groningen

  • KvK: 83498702
    BTW: NL862896095B01

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