History

The history of our company goes back to the late 1990s, when first project-activities for microsystem technology started at the Vienna University of Technology, at the University of Applied Science of Wiener Neustadt (Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt) as well as in the Research Institute of Seibersdorf (Lower Austria). During this time, the idea was born to concentrate the know-how in this specific field in one research centre.

This was realized at the beginning of the 21st century, when the Austrian Government started with public funding programs to finance such competence centers. In May 2005 the 1st Austrian Competence Center program started providing public funding for competence centers of different scientific areas.

At this time, a group of scientists from the above mentioned Universities and Institution applied for participation in this Competence Center Program and after approval, the company "Integrated Microsystems Austria GmbH (IMA)" was founded in December 2005.

IMA was operated as a K-ind Center (competence center for industrial research) until 2009, when the Competence Center Program ended. During this time more than 70 projects could be realized successfully. These were focused on  integrated sensors and advanced materials for new innovative processes, process control and new products for different branches and companies. Research topics were applied research in integrating microsystem technology into macro-applications. With this large number of successfully finished projects, IMA could build up a reputation as being a serious research partner for the industry. One of these project experiences let us to enter the medical technology applications.

In 2009 the COMET Program, the successor of the Competence Center Program started and IMA took part in it with a K1 application to establish a center of competence for medical devices, named "Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology (ACMIT)".

ACMIT started in April 2010 and will run for 4 years with the opportunity for 3 more years due to successful evaluation at the end of the fourth year.

Located in Wiener Neustadt within the "Technologie- und Forschungszentrum" (TFZ) IMA will take advantage of having two Austrian centers of competence literally next door. ACMIT is in contact with "AC²T - Center of Competence for Tribology" and "CEST - Center of Competence for Electro-Chemistry" to cooperate and have synergies. Also the planned MedAustron, a center for ion-therapy and research, gives outlook to interesting joined future research activities.