Leuven, November 1999.  IMEC, Europe’s leading centre for microelectronics research has announced the formation of a new spin-off for the development and commercialization of satellite navigation products.

Septentrio provides in-house developed hardware and software blocks as well as complete satellite navigation systems for use in the most demanding applications such as marine navigation, avionics, precise timing, attitude determination and high-end consumer and automotive receivers.

Its technology is based on the GNSS Receiver Core, GReCoâ, an advanced and highly integrated baseband processor for all existing satellite navigation signals (GPS and GLONASS). Unlike its competitors, the GReCoâ performs all the baseband processing for this realm of signals on one single chip.  It will also process the emerging augmentation signals (EGNOS, WAAS and MTSAT), enabling high performance, robust satellite navigation for the most demanding applications.

Septentrio has emerged from IMEC's research on design technology for integrated information and telecommunication systems in which began a contract research programme into satellite navigation in 1996.  The aim of this research was to develop very advanced, highly integrated receivers capable of processing a range of signals, including the GPS C/A and P(Y) on L1 and L2, GLONASS and augmentation signals.   Satellite Navigation is an  emerging technology that enables humans to respond to a basic need, specifically determining position and time. The most prominent system is the US Global Positioning System (GPS), which, like the Internet, is becoming a Global Information Asset.

Although originally developed as a military system, the commercial importance of GPS has quickly surpassed its initial function, with a current predicted growth rate of approximately 25% per annum over the next decade. 

The rapidly growing need for higher quality, more affordable satellite navigation products worldwide, and in Europe in particular, has created an atmosphere conducive to the success of a spin-off company such as Septentrio.

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Notes to editors

ABOUT IMEC

IMEC was founded in 1984 and today is Europe's leading independent research centre for the development and licensing of state-of-the-art microelectronic technologies.  IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and employs about 850 people, of whom 75 percent are highly qualified scientists and engineers.  Its $88 million revenue is derived from agreements and contracts with government agencies, aerospace and semiconductor industry companies worldwide.  IMEC's activities concentrate on: design of integrated information and communication systems; silicon process technology; silicon technology and device integration; microsystems, components and packaging; advanced training in microelectronics.

For further information please contact:

IMEC

Marianne Van den Broeck

Public Relations and Marketing Communications Manager

IMEC, Kapeldreef 75

B- 3001 Leuven, Belgium

http://www.imec.be

Tel +32 16 28 14 91 Fax +32 16 28 16 37

Email: Marianne.vandenbroeck@imec.be

SEPTENTRIO

ir. Peter A. Grognard

CEO

Kapeldreef 75

B-3001 Leuven, Belgium

http://www.septentrio.com

Phone     +32 16 28 18 27

GSM       +32 477 65 00 79

Fax         +32 16 28 15 15

peter.grognard@septentrio.com