CORDOUAN TECHNOLOGIES SAS

At the overlap between the worlds of science and industry, Cordouan Technologies was born in September 2007 from the impetus of David Jacob (CTO) and Mathias Pennec (CEO), originating respectively from the telecom industry and laser/applied optics business. Sharing a common vision and ambition to develop and industrialize innovations still confined to research laboratories, our adventure started through a first technology transfer with the French Petroleum Institute (IFPEN). This successful transfer led to the development of a unique commercial granulometer named VASCO™ (like the famous Portuguese sailor) dedicated to the size characterization of nano-particles in complex medium.

After only four years of activities, Cordouan Technologies has constructed major expertise and become a reference in the world of N3 (Nanoparticles, Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies) thanks to the development of innovative solutions for the characterization of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. Thus, today we offer our customers a coherent and broad portfolio of instrument solutions for Granulometry, Refractometry, Electrophoresis, Electronic Microscopy and sample preparation accessories. Present in more than 30 countries throughout the world, our instruments equip some of the most prestigious partners (Total, Rhodia, L’Oreal, ENS Paris and Lyon, CRPP, ENSPCI, STMicro-electronic, INRS, Dow Chemical, ARABLAB, Université of Waterloo, etc) working on advanced applications: synthesis of polymers and functionalized metal nano-particles, crude oil extraction, improvement of the quality of cosmetic gels, development of special inks in colloidal form, biological studies and cellular analysis, etc.

As envisioned by its creators, Mathias Le Pennec and David Jacob, Cordouan Technologies is a human adventure gathering a team of motivated and highly qualified men and women, sharing common values and vision: commitment, accountability, rigor, reactivity, scientific and technical curiosity, a taste for innovation and progress, the respect of our environment and mankind.

Established in “Cité de la Photonique” (Photonics City) in Pessac-Bordeaux, between the greatest vineyards and the prestigious research laboratories of the university Of Bordeaux, our company bears the name of the most prestigious and the oldest lighthouse in Europe still in operation on the estuary of the Gironde river (France): Cordouan, the king of lighthouses. It symbolizes the light which shows the way towards unknown horizons, towards the future, and guiding researchers, the explorers of modern times, in their scientific quest. The name of CORDOUAN also illustrates the deep attachment of our company to the Aquitaine region and its cluster of competitiveness named “route des lasers” (Laser Road) within which Cordouan Technologies is one of the historical industrial actors. Our ambition for tomorrow: to fully contribute to the technological and economic growth of the Aquitain area and, beyond regional and national borders, to become a leader in the market place for instrumentation dedicated to the characterization of advanced nano-materials.

Cordouan Technologies has been granted excellence in innovation awards by the French ministry of research and industry in 2006 and 2007.