What Emulate does

Emulate, Inc. is a Boston-based biotechnology company that develops Organ-on-a-Chip (Organ-Chip) microphysiological systems for preclinical drug development, toxicology, and disease modeling. Founded in 2014 as a spin-out from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, the company builds microfluidic platforms containing living human cells that recreate organ-specific microenvironments including tissue-tissue interfaces, mechanical forces (stretch and peristalsis), and vascular-like flow. Its product architecture comprises two instrumentation platforms, the Zoë-CM2 Culture Module for versatile model development (up to 12 chips) and the AVA Emulation System for high-throughput experimentation (up to 96 samples), four chip consumable formats (Chip-S1 stretchable, Chip-R1 rigid/low-absorption, Chip-A1 accessible, and Chip-Array 12-in-1), and a portfolio of more than 30 organ models delivered as BioKits (internally validated, off-the-shelf kits including Brain-Chip, Liver-Chip, Kidney-Chip, Duodenum Intestine-Chip, Colon Intestine-Chip) or Guided Models (developed with Emulate support: Lung-Chip, Bone Marrow-Chip, Lymphoid Organ-Chip, Vagina-Chip).

The company operates a platform-plus-consumables business model, placing instruments with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and government customers and generating recurring revenue through BioKit consumables, chip replacements, and research services. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales with field scientists providing onboarding, installation, scientific training, and validated protocols, supplemented by an emerging distribution channel into Asia Pacific. Named enterprise customers include Moderna (LNP toxicity screening), Roche (NAMs data for regulatory submissions), Northwestern University, and Institut Pasteur. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Emulate's commercial positioning is anchored by a regulatory tailwind: the FDA and NIH have signaled the phase-out of animal testing for preclinical safety, and Emulate's Liver-Chip is the first and only Organ-Chip accepted into the FDA ISTAND pilot program and the sole Organ-Chip cited in the FDA Roadmap to Reducing Animal Testing. The company has raised approximately $250 million-plus in venture funding, including an $82 million Series E led by Northpond Ventures in September 2021 and a subsequent Qiming Venture Partners-led round in March 2024.

Name

Emulate

Legal name

Emulate, Inc.

Website

https://emulatebio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Emulate, Inc. develops Organ-on-a-Chip microphysiological systems that replicate human organ function for preclinical drug development, toxicology, and disease modeling. The Boston-based company sells hardware platforms, consumable chips, and BioKit organ models to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microphysiological Systems / Organ-on-a-Chip Technology

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organoids & Organ-on-Chip (regenerative models) (HLAAAGAD), In Vitro Toxicology (Cell-based/Organ-on-chip) (HLAGAFAJ)

Keywords

• Organ-on-a-chip technology
• Microphysiological systems
• In vitro disease models
• Preclinical drug toxicity
• Human organ chips

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Organ-Chip Products: Sale of Organ-Chip consumables including BioKit models (Brain-Chip, Liver-Chip, Kidney-Chip, Duodenum Intestine-Chip, Colon Intestine-Chip), chip platforms (AVA Emulation System, Zoë-CM2 Culture Module), and chip consumables (Chip-S1, Chip-R1, Chip-A1, Chip-Array)
2. BioKit Models: Pre-validated, off-the-shelf organ models including pre-qualified human cells, Organ-Chip consumables, and validated protocols with guarantees on characterization and functionality
3. Research Services and Collaborations: Service studies for pharmaceutical companies and research collaborations for specific applications such as LNP toxicity screening and gene therapy vector testing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Emulate develops and sells Organ-on-a-Chip (Organ-Chip) microphysiological systems that recreate human organ structure and function in vitro using microfluidic chips with living human cells. Its product stack includes the AVA Emulation System and Zoë-CM2 Culture Module platforms, consumable chips (Chip-S1, Chip-R1, Chip-A1, Chip-Array), and a portfolio of 30+ validated organ models (Brain-Chip, Liver-Chip, Kidney-Chip, Lung-Chip, Intestine-Chips, Bone Marrow-Chip, Lymphoid Organ-Chip, Vagina-Chip) sold as pre-validated BioKits or Guided Models to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and government researchers.

Product overview

Emulate offers a platform-plus-consumables architecture centered on two Organ-Chip systems: the Zoë-CM2 Culture Module for versatile model development and target validation (up to 12 chips), and the AVA Emulation System for high-throughput experimentation (up to 96 samples). These platforms are used with a portfolio of Organ-Chip consumables including Chip-S1 (stretchable), Chip-R1 (rigid/low-absorption), Chip-A1 (accessible), and Chip-Array (high-throughput). The company's Organ Model portfolio spans BioKit Models (internally validated, off-the-shelf kits including Brain-Chip, Colon Intestine-Chip, Duodenum Intestine-Chip, Kidney-Chip, Liver-Chip) and Guided Models (with Emulate support: Lung-Chip, Bone Marrow-Chip, Lymphoid Organ-Chip, Vagina-Chip), addressing applications in drug discovery, toxicology, cancer research, gene therapy, immunology, infectious disease, microbiome, and neuroscience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AVA Emulation System: A high-throughput Organ-Chip platform that generates human-relevant data at scale, supporting up to 96 individual Organ-Chip samples per experiment.
• Zoë-CM2 Culture Module
• Brain-Chip
• Liver-Chip
• Lung-Chip
• Kidney-Chip
• Bone Marrow-Chip
• Lymphoid Organ-Chip
• Vagina-Chip

Products and services

• AVA Emulation System A high-throughput Organ-Chip platform that supports up to 96 independent Organ-Chip samples per run, combining microfluidic culture, environmental control, and automated real-time imaging in a single benchtop unit for pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic researchers.
• Zoë-CM2 Culture Module A versatile Organ-Chip system for model development and target validation, capable of culturing up to 12 chips with precise microenvironmental control including adjustable media flow rates and mechanical stretch parameters.
• Chip-S1 Stretchable Chip The pioneering Organ-Chip design made from clear flexible polymer that enables cyclic stretch to recreate mechanical forces cells experience during breathing or intestinal peristalsis.
• Chip-R1 Rigid Chip A low-drug-absorption thermoplastic chip designed to improve precision in ADME and toxicology applications by minimizing compound absorption into chip materials.
• Chip-A1 Accessible Chip Designed for modeling complex 3D tissues with direct access for applying topical or aerosolized drugs to the apical surface.
• Chip-Array Organ-Chip A revolutionary 12-in-1 Organ-Chip design combining 12 individual Organ-Chip samples into the footprint of a standard 96-well plate with multichannel pipette compatibility, enabling 8-fold scale-up in throughput on the AVA system.
• Brain-Chip A first-in-class isogenic model of the human neurovascular unit integrating five iPSC-derived cell types (neurons, astrocytes, microglia, pericytes, and proprietary brain microvascular endothelial cells) to study BBB transport and neuroinflammation for CNS drug development.
• Liver-Chip A validated preclinical human liver model with quad-culture architecture (hepatocytes, endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, and Stellate cells) featuring 3D multicellular architecture and vascular flow, accepted into FDA's ISTAND program for prediction of drug-induced liver injury.
• Kidney-Chip A co-culture human proximal tubule model enabling evaluation of drug candidate nephrotoxicity at clinically relevant concentrations with demonstrated transporter activity and 7-day functionality.
• Duodenum Intestine-Chip A primary organoid-based model of the human small intestine combining duodenal organoids with small intestine microvascular endothelial cells under mechanical forces that recreate intestinal peristalsis for drug absorption and drug-drug interaction studies.
• Lung-Chip A co-culture model of primary human lung epithelial and endothelial cells in a dynamic microenvironment supporting air-liquid interface, modeling lung physiology, disease, and drug candidate effects.
• Bone Marrow-Chip A vascularized human bone marrow model supporting differentiation and maturation of multiple blood cell lineages over four weeks, recapitulating bone marrow pathophysiology induced by drugs, radiation, or genetic mutations.
• Lymphoid Organ-Chip A model supporting formation of lymphoid follicles with functional germinal centers enabling recapitulation of human vaccine and adjuvant responses, including antigen-specific antibody generation and mRNA vaccine assessment.
• Vagina-Chip A human-relevant preclinical model of the vaginal epithelium reproducing the vaginal microenvironment with sustained barrier function, physiological acidic pH, hormonal responsiveness, and stable bacterial co-culture for host-microbiome interaction studies.
• Research Services and Collaborations Service studies and research collaborations for pharmaceutical and biotech customers covering specific applications such as LNP toxicity screening and gene therapy vector testing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% sensitivity and 100% specificity in predicting drug-induced liver injury, outperforming animal models
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• FUJIFILM Cellular DynamicsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Joint development partnership for Brain-Chip R1, a first-in-class isogenic model of the human neurovascular unit integrating FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics iPSC-derived cell products (iCell neurons, astrocytes, microglia, pericytes) with Emulate's proprietary brain microvascular endothelial cells.
• Wyss Institute at Harvard UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding research institution where pioneering Organ-Chip technology was developed by Donald Ingber's team. Ongoing collaboration on multiple organ models including Bone Marrow-Chip, Vagina-Chip, Colon Intestine-Chip, and Lymphoid Organ-Chip. Licensed technology from Harvard.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the AVATAR program for modeling human bone marrow in space. Organ Chips will be used aboard NASA's Artemis II mission to assess how deep space impacts astronaut health. Cross-functional collaboration between Emulate and Wyss Institute scientists.
• SLASminorOthersSociety for Laboratory Automation and Screening provides conference platform where Emulate received New Product Award 2026 and exhibits products to international audience of 7,600+ registrants from 47 countries.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CN Bio Innovations: CN Bio develops organ-on-chip and MPS platforms (e.g., PhysioMimix) for drug discovery and toxicology, directly competing with Emulate's Organ-Chip offering across liver, lung, and other organ models serving pharma R&D customers.
• TissUse: TissUse builds multi-organ-chip systems (Humimic) for preclinical testing and toxicity assessment, offering overlapping microphysiological platform technology to pharma and cosmetics customers comparable to Emulate's Organ-Chip portfolio.
• Mimetas: Mimetas provides OrganoPlate organ-on-chip platforms for high-throughput 3D tissue models used in toxicity, disease modeling, and drug screening, competing head-on with Emulate in microphysiological system offerings to pharma.
• InSphero: InSphero develops 3D in vitro models and organoids (liver, islet, tumor) for drug discovery and safety assessment, overlapping with Emulate's BioKit and liver-focused offerings in the preclinical human-relevant model market.
• Hesperos: Hesperos develops multi-organ human-on-a-chip systems (pumpless, serum-free) for toxicology and disease modeling, sharing Emulate's focus on human-relevant MPS for preclinical drug testing, particularly in chronic and rare disease applications.

Emerging players

• Axosim: Axosim builds nerve-on-a-chip platforms (MicroBrain) for neurotoxicity and disease modeling, intersecting with Emulate's CNS ambitions (e.g., Brain-Chip R1) as a niche player in the broader microphysiological systems space.
• Kirkstall: Kirkstall manufactures Quasi Vivo interconnected cell culture systems for organ-on-chip and 3D tissue applications, competing in the broader MPS tooling market with a different chamber-and-pump architecture than Emulate.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza: Lonza is a global CDMO and cell-manufacturing leader that offers primary cells, media, and increasingly in vitro / MPS services; as a broad incumbent, it can bundle alternative preclinical models alongside Emulate's offerings for pharma customers.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher provides cell culture, lab instruments, and increasingly organoid/MPS-related products across life sciences; its scale and distribution could either compete with or complement Emulate's platform depending on internal product strategy.

Others

• CytoPlex / Organome (Sartorius): Sartorius, through its cell analytics and lab solutions portfolio (including organoid-related acquisitions), offers adjacent tools for 3D cell models and could emerge as a competitor or partner for Emulate in human-relevant preclinical assays.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emulateinc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@emulateinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emulate-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/emulate
• Facebookfacebook.com/emulateinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors21 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emulate