Nextsense is an innovative SME within the P&P Patents & Technologies group, focused on developing patents and solutions for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). The company operates in translational research, turning scientific evidence into practical applications that improve living beings’ health, with a low environmental impact.
Its core innovation is Biovitae, a non-UV microbicidal technology based on a patented combination of visible-spectrum frequencies (peak in the Soret band 400–420 nm) that enables continuous, passive sanitization in occupied indoor spaces. Biovitae can be integrated into both lighting (sanitization and illumination) and non-lighting devices, is safe for people, animals, and plants, and aligns with One Health principles. As a HealthTech and CleanTech solution, it offers low energy costs and a minimal environmental footprint.
Interview with Mauro Pantaleo, CEO & Chiara Cavallo,(Head of Marketing and Communication at Biovitae.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Mauro Pantaleo & Chiara Cavallo: Biovitae redefines the paradigm of indoor sanitization by keeping microbial load under constant control to prevent infections and counter antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It is the only technology that uses continuous and passive sanitization through visible natural light, ensuring a safe, UV-free and chemical-free operation in occupied spaces, with low energy demand and minimal environmental impact.
By integrating directly into illumination, it maintains microbially healthy conditions without disrupting daily activities, aligning effectiveness, safety, and sustainability in a single, deployable system.
The result is broad applicability across infection hot spots: residential, workplace, and other high-traffic spaces; intensive livestock facilities; household appliances; transport systems and related hubs; and vertical greenhouses.
What’s the news about new products/services?
M.P & C.C: Biovitae’s distruptive innovation is grounded in a patented platform backed by certified tests and peer-reviewed studies (available on the official website www.biovitae.it).
In General Lighting, Biovitae operates in the Poliambulatorio of the Corte dei Conti in Rome (ex Caserma Montezemolo). The installation provides continuous control of microbial load in a high-demand healthcare setting that serves a potential user base of roughly 600,000 people – including military personnel, constitutional bodies, police forces, and civilians – supporting infection prevention while protecting workers’ health. Biovitae has also been deployed at Campus Bio-Medico in Rome, further validating performance in real clinical environments and everyday operations.
Beyond institutional settings, Biovitae is expanding through vertical integrations. In home appliances, Haier has introduced the I-Pro Shine dishwasher, which embeds Biovitae to sanitize between wash cycles with very low energy consumption and to minimize unpleasant odors.
What are the ranges of products/services?
M.P & C.C: Biovitae’s offering is structured across three main product ranges.
First, a professional line of products, engineered for high-traffic and hygiene-sensitive environments, from hospitals and clinics to public transport, offices, schools, and retail spaces. These installations ensure that air and surfaces remain continuously protected from microbial proliferation without the need for chemicals or UV exposure.
Biovitae’s second line focuses on the consumer market, featuring standard LED bulbs and spotlights – specifically designed for home and office environments.
These products are fully compatible with existing lighting systems – E27, B22, GU10 – allowing for effortless replacement and immediate use. The result is a seamless integration of illumination and continuous sanitization. The products are also available in different color temperatures (i.e., 3000k, 4000k) to suit various lighting environments and preferences.
Third, an expanding area of appliance and system integration, where Biovitae’s technology is embedded directly into industrial products. The partnership with Haier for their dishwashers is an example of how Biovitae can transform everyday appliances into active safety systems.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
M.P & C.C: Biovitae’s primary addressable market is General Lighting, a global segment worth over $50.9B. From this base, Biovitae extends into vertical applications that bring continuous sanitization to new objects, contexts, and sectors- an additional opportunity measurable at over $70B. The broader sanitization market is undergoing a structural shift: historically dominated by chemical and UV-based methods, it is moving toward non-invasive, continuous, people-safe solutions – of which Biovitae is positioned as pioneer.
Recent regulatory recognition of visible light as a sanitization mechanism—via UNI PdR 173-2025—further underpins the shift, while demand accelerates across healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, and home environments.
What can you tell us about market trends?
M.P & C.C: The first strong and relevant market trend is sustainability. There is increasing emphasis on reducing energy consumption across building systems. Biovitae is the green sanitization system of the future, as it offers an eco-friendly, low-energy alternative that aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Second, demand is moving toward safe, non-invasive technologies that can operate seamlessly in occupied spaces and integrate into everyday infrastructure. This favors systems that combine reliability, certified performance, and compliance with emerging standards—reducing operational friction while improving baseline hygiene.
Third, the market is prioritizing people’s wellness and human-centric design. Solutions are expected to support comfort, productivity, and healthy indoor environments, not just cleanliness. In this context, Biovitae is positioned as the only light-based sanitization technology designed to preserve circadian-friendly illumination profiles, coupling standard white light with continuous microbial control to enhance day-to-day well-being without changing routines.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
M.P & C.C: The most emblematic innovation is the multi-peak visible-light LED, capable of eliminating bacteria and viruses while emitting standard white light. This unique dual function makes Biovitae the only patented technology in the world that can continuously sanitize in the presence of people.
Its technology has already been adopted in some of the most prestigious and high-traffic locations worldwide – from Rome Fiumicino Airport, where it helps maintain cleaner air for millions of travelers, to the U.C. Sampdoria Training Center, enhancing safety in athletic facilities. Another example of Biovitae’s application is in the Venice Architecture Biennale, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, as part of a forward-looking vision of sustainable design and human-centered innovation.
These examples illustrate a broader concept: embedding microbial protection into the environments where people live, work, and interact; silently, continuously, and sustainably.
What estimations do you have for the second half of 2025?
M.P & C.C: The second half of 2025 marks a decisive acceleration in Biovitae’s growth trajectory. As the regulatory ecosystem continues to evolve and more international standards embrace visible light technology, Biovitae aims to consolidate its position as the global benchmark for continuous, UV-free sanitization, turning light itself into a daily instrument of health protection.
We expect the commercial rollout of Biovitae-powered appliances in Europe – starting with Haier – to strengthen market awareness and consumer trust. Parallel initiatives are under way in the healthcare and public infrastructure sectors, with new installations planned across Italy and abroad.
