SILMECO APS

Their core work

SILMECO APS is a Danish deep-tech SME specializing in Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) — a nanophotonics-based sensing technique capable of detecting chemical substances at trace concentrations. Their core work involves developing SERS substrates using porous and gas-sensitive nanomaterials, which they apply to the detection of chemical warfare agents and hazardous compounds in both gas and liquid phases. They also work on the physical integration of sensors onto flexible substrates using additive manufacturing, enabling wearable or deployable sensor formats. Their technology targets first responder and security use cases — providing rapid, field-deployable chemical threat identification tools.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earliest H2020 work (SENSOFT, 2019), SILMECO operated within a broad sensing platform — combining nanomaterial substrates, passive sampling, flexible fabrication, and even energy harvesting into an integrated wearable or deployable sensor concept. By their second project (SERSing, 2020), they had sharpened their focus significantly: the fabrication-platform language drops away and the framing shifts to SERS as a mature, deployable technology aimed directly at first responders facing chemical threats. This suggests a deliberate move from platform exploration toward a specific product niche — SERS-based field detection instruments for security end-users.

SILMECO is consolidating around SERS as a commercial detection technology for security and first-responder markets, making them a strong candidate for consortia targeting CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) defense and hazmat response innovation.

How they like to work

SILMECO has taken the coordinator role in their larger, more recent project (SERSing, EUR 871,875), which suggests growing confidence in leading consortia — not just contributing specialist technology. Their participation in SENSOFT as a partner under MSCA-RISE indicates they are also comfortable operating within researcher mobility networks, likely contributing laboratory-side expertise. With 17 partners across 10 countries from just 2 projects, they build wide international consortia rather than relying on a fixed circle of repeat collaborators.

SILMECO has built a network of 17 unique partners across 10 countries in just two projects, an unusually broad reach for a 2-project SME. Their geographic spread across Europe suggests they actively seek diverse consortium compositions rather than defaulting to familiar national partners.

What sets them apart

SILMECO occupies a rare niche as a small private company that both develops SERS nanomaterial substrates and leads EU research projects — most SERS research in H2020 comes from universities or institutes, not commercially-oriented SMEs. This dual identity makes them a practical bridge between laboratory science and deployable security technology, which is exactly what security-sector consortia need. For a consortium building around chemical detection for first responders or border security, SILMECO brings credible technical depth combined with commercial motivation to push toward real-world deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SERSing
  SILMECO's coordinator role in this EUR 871,875 RIA project — advancing SERS-based detection of gases and liquids for chemical threat response — demonstrates both technical leadership and project management capability at scale.
• SENSOFT
  This MSCA-RISE project reveals SILMECO's multidisciplinary roots, combining nanomaterials, flexible fabrication, and energy harvesting into a sensor system for chemical threats on soft targets, establishing their security sensing credentials.