How Does Anti-Fog Innovation Improve Endoscopy?

Marine Queffeulou and Jacopo Profili, co-founders of Quebec City start-up Kalego Solutions, are developing next-generation plasma technology to enhance the properties of flat surfaces and materials. Their innovations include an advanced anti-fog treatment that keeps endoscope lenses clear during medical procedures — solving a long-standing industry challenge.

From Idea to Innovation

While pursuing her PhD at Université Laval’s Infectious Disease Research Centre under the supervision of Professor Marc Ouellette, Queffeulou met biomaterials expert Jacopo Profili in a graduate entrepreneurship course. Their collaboration led to the creation of Kalego Solutions and the development of Plasmino, an innovative plasma reactor designed to treat surfaces.

The inspiration for the start-up came from research conducted in Gaétan Laroche’s laboratory at Université Laval, in collaboration with Université de Montréal and Université Paul-Sabatier (France).

“When Jacopo told me about this anti-fog treatment he was developing, using an ‘artificial lightning’ generated in the lab called plasma, I immediately thought of the recurring issue of fogging during endoscopy procedures,” Queffeulou says. “As an infectious disease expert, I knew nothing about plasma, but I immediately saw its potential, and the idea for Kalego Solutions was born.”

Fogging in endoscopy is a persistent challenge in the medical field, with current solutions offering only temporary effectiveness. Kalego Solutions’ coating is designed to withstand extreme humidity and heat, providing lasting protection and clarity. The technology is also eco-friendly, using only minimal atmospheric gas, electricity, and glass substrate to modify the outer surface of the optics at the nanometer scale.

Scaling up with support from Mitacs

Since its incorporation in 2022, Kalego Solutions has grown to 10 employees, secured partnerships with a leading medical endoscopy supplier, and signed multiple contracts for custom surface treatments on various materials including wood, metal, glass, and polycarbonate. Queffeulou has also successfully tested and validated the anti-fog coating in a hospital setting at the Infectious and Immune Diseases Research Center at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval (CHUL).

“Mitacs is a key partner for us, both for research and business development,” she expresses, noting that Mitacs’s support was instrumental in helping to expand the company’s network and validate its market.

“Through Mitacs, I’m able to advance my research while focusing on my start-up at the same time,” she added. “They understand the steps that are essential for the growth of our company and support us at each step of the way.”

The Future of Kalego Solutions

Queffeulou and Profili are focused on scaling their anti-fog coating, with physician testing expected next year. Beyond healthcare, they are also exploring new industrial applications to address other surface treatment challenges.

The entrepreneur is also working to raise awareness of plasma technology and its potential across industries.

“Plasma physics is all around us in space and in our daily lives without knowing it — it’s what makes up the sun and gives the Northern Lights their glow,” explained Queffeulou, “We’ve found a way to generate that same ionized gas state in the lab, and apply it to improve the characteristics of surfaces, whether that’s to make something waterproof, ink-permeable, smoother, rougher or more adhesive,” she added.

For the company’s breakthrough work, Kalego Solutions earned the Mitacs Innovation Award — Start-Up Innovator of the Year in 2024.

“This award is both the culmination of our collaboration with Mitacs, with whom we’ve been working since the beginning of this adventure and an encouragement for us to go further in our projects, to pursue our mission of improving the health and well-being of society. The impact this award can have for a small, growing company like Kalego means so much to us,” said Queffeulou.

Looking back on her experience, Queffeulou highlights the unique support available to innovators in Quebec, particularly through initiatives backed by the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation, et de l’Énergie (MEIE).

“We’re particularly lucky in Quebec. We’re really giving entrepreneurs and researchers the opportunity to turn their ideas into concrete solutions that will shape the future. That’s a priceless opportunity,” she reflects. “I don’t think I’d have attempted this adventure anywhere else but in Quebec.”

Mitacs’s programs receive funding from multiple partners across Canada. We thank the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon for supporting us to empower Canadian innovation. 

Do you have a business challenge that could benefit from a research solution? If so, contact Mitacs today to discuss partnership opportunities: BD@mitacs.ca.