To give life and even a soul to an abstract and often not very attractive plan is the goal Serge Ecker set himself. To achieve this, he created Grid Design, a company specialising in real or virtual 3D modelling of architectural plans. In constant pursuit of innovation, he is participating in the development of an iPhone app which enables the user to explore the interior of a building, a car or any object by means of a virtual visit and to have a unique experience which is both fun and realistic.

On 12 October 2011, VesselSat1, the first satellite built entirely in Luxembourg was placed in orbit for ORBCOMM Inc. Dedicated to tracking ships (the AIS system), it was created and assembled in less than a year by the engineers of LuxSpace sàrl. A record delivery time for the Luxembourg company, which is the only designer of microsatellites in Europe.

Boson Energy SA is a prime example of technology transfer in action: award-winning work in research, development and innovation about to be released on the European market. The product: the Boson Energy Unit, a small-scale plant that uses gasification to convert wood and other cellulose-based biomass into gas and ultimately into green electricity and heat. Clients include: industries, communities, hospitals and others.

The Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg (IBBL) is a key component of Luxembourg’s push to develop personalised medicine, the discipline which tailors treatments to individual patient needs. Since it opened on 25 February 2010, the IBBL has applied itself to becoming an international centre of excellence and to supporting scientific advances that will produce health and economic benefits. FOCUS spoke to IBBL CEO Dr Robert A. Phillips about the role of this institution and asked how Luxembourg can make a difference.

Luxembourger Patrick Kersten, founder and managing director of the real estate website atHome.lu, is the epitome of the modern entrepreneur. He discusses his business ventures with FOCUS, describes his career so far, and outlines where he sees opportunities for the future.

"My motivation has always been to do something that other people aren’t doing," says Norbert Keller. He wants his company to be a high-quality niche business, and leaves standard products to others. Not surprisingly, the company he founded has become a market leader in its sector.

Founded in October 2010 by Olivier Raulot and two other partners, Augusta Guernier and Mathieu Lozinguez, iNUI Studio aims to revolutionise the use of IT in businesses. To this end, the company is developing user friendly solutions in the field of natural user interfaces (NUI).

Fernand Schmidt is the inventor of territ®, a high thermal conductivity backfill material for the installation of high voltage cables underground. Through Bamat S.A., he now wants to pursue the technological development of this patented product and exploit its license on an international scale.

The NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, established in 2005, is the product of a unique partnership between CRP Santé and a renowned research centre at the Department of Biomedicine at Norway's University of Bergen. Now recognised as one of the largest and most esteemed research groups on brain tumours in Europe, the collaboration has resulted in a highly productive blend of professional expertise and enhanced contact within the international brain tumour community.

Solar power is ahead of many other eco-technologies. SOLARtec, a small firm specialised in the large-scale installation of solar panels, has developed an independent power system together with a container which accumulates and distributes the electricity produced by these solar panels. This innovative project has obvious environmental benefits and also supports communities in developing countries.