DeNoize sets up its R&D program at the Provence Microelectronics Center

Start-up improves the acoustic comfort of buildings by acting on the glazing

Imagine what it would be like if you could put noise-canceling headphones over your entire home... The Franco-Dutch start-up DeNoize has developed a breakthrough innovation that will improve the acoustic comfort of our living spaces with an innovative approach to windows. Among the various proposals pitched by Provence Promotion to build its R&D lab, the company opted for the Provence Microelectronics Center. DeNoize has already gained recognition for its solution, which it recently exhibited at CES in Las Vegas.

The company tackles noise pollution with a technique that is similar to noise-canceling headphones. The system, which is built into the window frame, listens and reacts in real time to generate vibrations that reduce the intensity of sound waves transferred to the interior space.

The project is the brainchild of two engineers: Aman Jindal a serial entrepreneur based in the Netherlands, and Olivier Schevin, a former TechnoFirst executive with a PhD in industrial acoustics. They co-founded DeNoize in May 2018 and decided to base their R&D work in Marseille.

"The Provence Promotion team helped us find a location. They spent a full day with us, introducing us to local stakeholders and touring incubators. We ultimately opted for Team@Mines Saint-Etienne on the Georges Chapark campus at the École des Mines in Gardanne," explains Olivier Schevin. "We are currently looking to hire a mechatronics engineer (PhD) in Gardanne. Six students from the engineering school will work on the electronics portion. Within five years, we intend to have about 20 employees. Things are going to happen really fast," notes Olivier Schevin.

20 new jobs and a fund-raising campaign

The start-up had barely completed its proof of concept when it inked a deal with a major airport operator in the Netherlands at the end of 2019. The 18-month contract is a commission for a study of the noise problems experienced by local residents who live within air traffic pathways. "We are going to build a real-size demonstrator," enthuses Olivier Schevin. Within a few months of existence, DeNoize won accolades from the international community.

"The tests conducted will allow us to optimize our technology. We have vibration sensors that listen for outside noise, then we make the window pane vibrate using actuators concealed in the window frame. At the ID-Fab platform in Gardanne, we are installing our first prototypes and a sound reduction kit that can slash low-frequency noises by up to 90%", Olivier Schevin adds.

With the support of Team@Mines Saint-Etienne, it is one of the 10 start-ups to receive the Bercy-IMT Innovation Award. "We received the Special Award from Safran in the Smart Building category and we were selected to exhibit our innovation at the last CES in Las Vegas," says Olivier Schevin. At the electronics show in January, the company sparked the interest of investors and window manufacturers. Furthermore, the start-up is preparing a campaign to raise €3 million.