Distinkt – A New Name in Nanotech Authentication

Nanotechnology has been a fertile breeding ground for authentication and brand protection devices – given that structures that can be controlled at the nanoscale (roughly the size of a few atoms or molecules) exhibit responses to light that are distinctive and near impossible to replicate. Now, a team of researchers and entrepreneurs has launched a new optical ink feature into the market.

Distinkt is a university spinout set up to utilise a patent filed by the Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience, Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council. The patent is protected in the EU, USA, Japan, China and India.

To help launch the product, the researchers recruited a team of experienced entrepreneurs and MBAs in early 2022 to jointly form the company.

Image Caption

 One of Distinkt’s inks printed in polycarbonate substrate: when the ink is exposed to UV light it shows red fluorescence. Then, after irradiating with an NIR light source at 830nm, the ink turns from red to yellow fluorescence. After removing the NIR source, the ink turns back to the initial red emission in five seconds.

The technology uses tiny particles to create unique visual and covert effects. After five years of intense investigation, the team discovered a way to assemble materials so that they create a specific visual response when stimulated by near-infrared light. The dynamic luminescent inks are unique in their ability to transition between colours at a specified rate and to then revert back (or not) to their original state. The company claims that the method of activating and reading the inks is irreplicable.

The unique authentication capability of the product comes in the combination of the colour changes selected, the duration of the change and the reversibility of the change (or permanence). Additional levels of authentication are produced through the way the inks are activated by near-infrared LEDs. A further layer of protection is created by the software solutions written to read and trace the patterns created.

Sustainability and growth

The company provides an inexpensive and organic solution to visual authentication using readily available materials. It takes care to avoid harmful chemicals, rare earths or other materials which are in short supply or constrained by transport across national borders.

Distinkt is a young company in outreach mode. The company’s initial strategy is to address two very different market sectors – brand protection (both industry and consumer brands) and government-issued documents such as banknotes, ID cards and tax stamps.

‘The two markets are very different with different entry points and dynamics,’ said Luca Venza, CEO. ‘For the brand protection market, Distinkt can print directly onto consumer products (or industrial materials) with invisible ink solutions, or we can produce our own series of trademark labels, tags and QR codes for specific customers.

‘In the banknote, ID and tax stamp market, we can integrate our raw material with existing suppliers of UV or standard inks as an entry point to the market. We will build long term relationships with central banks and government suppliers,’ he added.

Distinkt is now looking for industrial partners to embed its technology in practice. It has commercially available solutions ready for customers, as well as the ability to develop custom solutions when needed. Product turnaround is fast, with unique solutions available within three weeks to three months. Distinkt can integrate its technology into most off-the-shelf ink solutions and create its own inks and printed solutions.

The company is always on the lookout for potential corporate or venture partners for investment to accelerate its growth.

The management team comes with an impressive track record of success. It consists of a group of experienced MBAs and PhDs with experience in Global 100 companies and top university laboratories. Collectively, the founders have started eight companies, filed 10 patents, and successfully exited from three start-ups. They have led three major M&A acquisitions from both the sell and buy sides.

To learn more about Distinkt’s technology, and meet with members of the management team, be sure to attend High Security Printing Asia 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka (4-6 December) where Chief Technology Officer, Àlex Julià, will be presenting a paper on ‘New Generation of Dynamic Luminescent Inks Based on Nanotechnology to Prevent Counterfeiting’.

Àlex Julià, [email protected], CTO & Co-founder, +34 618256676

Luca Venza, L[email protected], CEO & Co-Founder, +34 608283306