Lunaphore announces collaboration with an American company
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Lunaphore Technologies SA, a Venturelab alumnus developing automation systems for tissue diagnostics is going to collaborate with PerkinElmer Inc. Together, they will develop automated and ultra-fast multiplexed staining and analysis tumor samples. Déborah Heintze, Lunaphore co-founder & COO, answers our questions.
Congratulations on this new partnership! Where did you meet your new partner and what let you to form this collaboration?Initially, Lunaphore wanted to buy a product from PerkinElmer. Exchanging with them, both parties saw a fit for a potential partnership, thanks to complementary technologies. Lunaphore then went into discussions with the business development team, which, ultimately led to a collaboration.
The headquarters of the company are located in the United States and you are in Switzerland, how are you going to proceed?
For the moment, regular teleconferences and personal meetings on occasions. Long term intentions of Lunaphore are anyway to investigate the US market.
You have taken part in different Venturelab programs.[1] In 2015, you won CHF 130,000 in the Venture Kick finale, does the experience have a lasting impact? You also have been among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups for the past four years, what does this recognition mean for you?
Participating to Venture Kick, especially attending the Kickers camp, is an excellent way to consolidate the business case and learn to be challenged, which is required also in the course of negotiations with external potential partners. Being in the TOP100 increases highly the visibility and credibility of the company. Both channels are excellent to develop the business and have a great impact on the company.
What are the next steps for Lunaphore? What do you hope to accomplish with PerkinElmer?
Together, we want to develop staining and analysis solutions for tumor samples, combining their reagents and imaging platforms with Lunaphore’s automated solution.
[1] In 2017, Ata Tuna Ciftlik,CEO and co-founder, participated in Venture Leaders China in 2017. Read his interview as he was about to leave for China here.
About Lunaphore:
The Swiss company, based in the EPFL Innovation Park, conceives next generation tissue autostainers. Founded in 2014, the startup has since then won the Venture Kick finale in 2015, travelled to the USA in 2014 and to China in 2017 with Venture Leaders, and was among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups for post four years.
