JPK Instruments (JPK), a world-leading manufacturer of nanoanalytic instrumentation for research in life sciences and soft matter, is pleased to announce that JPK has received an award for its future technologies from the KfW bank group in cooperation with the German journal SUPERillu.

The winners of the four categories were selected from a group of 392 candidates. JPK Instruments received the award directly from Germany's Economics Minister Brüderle, who confirmed the decision with the following words: "The four founders from JPK recognized the pioneering possibilities of nanotechnology for biotechnology, medicine, and pharmaceutical science and developed it to the pinnacle with their atomic force microscope technology."

JPK Instruments was founded in 1999, became profitable at a very early stage and continues to grow, up by 20% in 2010 compared to 2009. JPK is headquartered in Berlin with 70 employees, with direct operations in Europe and Asia. Since 2009, JPK has maintained a global network of distributors and support centres.

Frank Pelzer, CEO of JPK Instruments and co-founder, says: "We are pleased that our working achievements and economic success in recent years have been recognized with this award. In this respect we are certainly proud of the accomplishments - but in many areas we are at the beginning of our development."

Dr Stefan Breuer, director of the KfW bank group, says: "With this start-up-competition from the KfW and SUPERillu we want to set a signal for more entrepreneurial thinking and for a new entrepreneurial culture in our country."

For more details about JPK's specialist products and applications for the bio and nano sciences, please contact JPK on +49 30533112070 or visit the JPK web site