A Tendris initiative, supported by strong technology partners

Sparkxis was initiated by Tendris, an investment company based in the Netherlands and the US focused on developing innovative and sustainable products and solutions. Sparkxis' technology was inspired by the search to increase the energy efficiency of existing LED lighting solutions by expanding the light output of the LED light source of Lemnis Lighting, an affiliated company also initiated by Tendris.

During 2007 and 2008, the scientist-inventors, in close cooperation with the nano-technology research institute MESA+ of the Technical University Twente, developed a technology which enables the commercial production of customized organically coated titanium dioxide (TiO2) nano particles. In 2008 the nano-technology was incorporated in Sparkxis and in 2009 Sparkxis expanded its production facilities and continued marketing its technology for use in one of the many application areas.

Partnership approach

Sparkxis is a company initiated by Tendris, its affiliated scientists-inventors, in close cooperation with the Technical University Twente and its nano-technology research institute MESA+.

Day to day operational management of Sparkxis is conducted by senior Tendris employees. Production of the coated materials and further development of the technology is conducted by scientist-inventors (Dr. Henk Schutte, Atma de Waal and John Rooijmans), supported by the MESA+ Insitute of the Technical University Twente for the further development of the technology and by the Technical University Delft for the production of the coated base materials.



Tendris initiates innovative and sustainable products and services. One condition supersedes all Tendris'. initiatives: they have to contribute to People and the Planet. By profitably marketing these products Tendris assures that this condition is met long term, for a better world. The Tendris philosophy is that choosing sustainable products or services should not negatively impact quality of life or consumer choice and therefore sustainable behavior should be rewarded. The scientist-inventors developing sustainable technologies in Sparkxis are:

  • Dr. Henk Schutte: a chemist/physicist with over 35 years of experience in the field of (bio)chemical and high-tech development. He is the lead inventor on the patents of the titanium dioxide nano-technology incorporated in Sparkxis
  • Atma de Waal: a generalist scientist with a chemistry degree and has facilitated successful market introductions of technological innovations based on the "People, Planet, Profit" principle
  • John Rooijmans: a generalist inventor with a background in electronics, who has been involved in groundbreaking innovations in the LED lighting sector since 2004

The Technical University Twente, through its MESA+ institute, is specialized in nano-technology and its researchers (Mark Hempenius and Julius Vancso) have co-developed the Sparkxis technology and are co-authors on the patent applications. They continue to be involved in further developing the unique high refractive properties of the Sparkxis materials.

Since early 2009 the Technical University in Delft has become the location where the Sparkxis technology is produced in larger volumes and where the materials will be made suitable for the application on an industrial scale in various applications.

Lemnis Lighting focuses on introducing mass scale energy-efficient LED lighting with higher light output. Lemnis Lighting initiated the research project that has lead to the Sparkxis technology and as such is closely involved in developing ways to incorporate the Sparkxis technology into its products. Sparkxis'. technology has the potential to increase the light output of the LED light source in Lemnis Lighting'. s products with over 50% and therefore significantly reduce energy consumption in its general lighting applications.