The Amsterdam Science Park-based technology company Confocal.nl has received an investment of €5 million from a consortium of investors, including ROM InWest and Nascent Ventures. This funding will enable the company to make its innovative microscopes for live research more accessible worldwide. The technology helps scientists across the globe to accelerate breakthroughs, for instance in the development of more effective drugs or innovative agricultural crops.
Confocal.nl develops and produces advanced microscopes that allow scientists to study living cells in unprecedented ways, a process known as ‘Live Cell Imaging.’ Pim Vos, CEO of Confocal.nl, explains: “We are on the verge of major breakthroughs in the medical world, which will require more expertise in confocal microscopy. Our technology can make a significant difference by making this complex technology more suitable and accessible to a broader group of scientists.”
What makes Confocal.nl unique is its use of minimal laser light at a very high resolution, enabling longer and more reliable observation of living cells. Vos: “Traditional microscopes use intensive laser light, causing cells to behave differently, fade, or die faster. This limits the ability to study living cells. Our technology prevents this, offering scientists the opportunity to study processes in living cells longer and more accurately, making the results more reproducible. This is crucial for research into new drugs and treatments for complex diseases.”
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With this investment, Confocal.nl aims not only to further automate its products but also to increase its international brand awareness. “We are going to make our technology more accessible to both the scientific and industrial research communities. We are also investing in our marketing and sales efforts, particularly in Europe and the United States,” Vos says.
In addition to funding from the Rabobank Startup & Scale-up team and RvO Innovation Credit, new investors ROM InWest and Nascent Ventures are joining our existing investors and partners, including VCC TechNanoFund, ECFG, University of Amsterdam Ventures, and Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland. Together with them, Confocal.nl aims to continue innovating and further spread its technology globally. Janet Nieboer, CEO of ROM InWest, emphasizes the impact of the technology: “Live cell imaging is a promising technology in the fight against diseases such as cancer. Confocal.nl is making this technology widely accessible, which not only contributes to effective treatment methods but also helps to reduce healthcare costs as a result.”
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