CellFE
CellFE is a private Alameda, California biotech that develops microfluidics-based, non-viral gene-delivery instruments (Ryva Mechanoporation System) and single-use consumables for cell therapy developers manufacturing CAR-T, HSC, and iPSC-based therapies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAlameda, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CellFE does
CellFE is a privately held, venture-backed biotechnology company headquartered in Alameda, California, developing microfluidics-based instrumentation for non-viral gene delivery in cell therapy manufacturing. The company's core technology, branded as the Ryva Mechanoporation System (formerly Infinity MTx), uses a proprietary Volume Exchange for Convective Transfection (VECT) approach in which cells flow through microfluidic channels under chevron-shaped ridges, undergoing rapid compression and re-expansion that drives payload delivery in less than 10 milliseconds. CellFE claims >90% cell viability, payload delivery capability above 10 kb, and 1-2 day manufacturing processes across T cell, HSC, and iPSC workflows, with scalability from 1 million to billions of cells achieved by parallelizing channels.
The product platform consists of three commercial offerings: the Ryva Mechanoporation System benchtop instrument, Ryva PUPs single-use consumable processing units (recurring revenue), and the T-Rest kit launched in January 2025 for resting T cell CAR-T workflows. A High Volume Cyva System for clinical-scale manufacturing is in development through a partnership with CDMO Made Scientific. The company holds seven granted US patents plus international patents in China and Japan. Revenue is generated through direct enterprise sales of capital instruments and recurring consumables to pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers developing CAR-T, HSC, and iPSC-based therapies.
CellFE has raised approximately $22 million in a September 2023 Series A led by M Ventures (Merck KGaA's corporate venture arm), supplemented by $3.6 million in seed funding (2020) and a $1.19 million CIRM award (January 2025), for total disclosed funding of roughly $26.8 million. The company employs 11-50 staff, distributes primarily through direct sales and conference engagement (ISCT, ASGCT, BIO, Advanced Therapies Week), and has signed strategic collaborations with Made Scientific, DKFZ/TcellTech, and NIIMBL-funded consortia including Georgia Tech, Celgene, Merck, and the University of Iowa.
CellFE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CellFE
- Legal name
- CellFE, Inc.
- Website
- https://cellfebiotech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CellFE is a private Alameda, California biotech that develops microfluidics-based, non-viral gene-delivery instruments (Ryva Mechanoporation System) and single-use consumables for cell therapy developers manufacturing CAR-T, HSC, and iPSC-based therapies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CellFE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cell Therapy Manufacturing Equipment
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)
Keywords
Where CellFE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alameda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CellFE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ryva System Instruments: Sale of benchtop instruments for microfluidic cell engineering. The Ryva Mechanoporation System is a compact device that can be used in biological safety cabinets or on laboratory benches.
- Ryva PUPs (Processing Units): Recurring sales of single-use consumable processing units. Each PUP contains eight single-use processing units and is designed for one-time use in the Ryva instrument.
- T-Rest Kit: First-in-class resting T cell kit for CAR-T cell therapy manufacturing workflows. Sold as a product for cell therapy manufacturers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
CellFE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CellFE develops and sells a microfluidics-based, non-viral cell engineering platform for cell therapy manufacturing. The flagship Ryva Mechanoporation System is a benchtop instrument that uses rapid cellular compression via microfluidic channels with chevron-shaped ridges to deliver gene-editing payloads (including payloads above 10 kb) into T cells, HSCs, and iPSCs. The platform is sold together with single-use consumable Ryva PUPs and complementary workflow kits such as T-Rest for resting T cell CAR-T manufacturing.
Product overview
CellFE offers a microfluidics-based cell engineering platform centered on the Ryva™ Mechanoporation System, a benchtop instrument that uses non-viral gene delivery technology for cell therapy manufacturing. The platform includes Ryva™ PUPs (single-use processing unit consumables) and the T-Rest resting T cell kit for specialized CAR-T workflows. The technology, originally branded as Infinity MTx, leverages rapid cellular compression through microfluidic channels to enable complex genome editing with superior cell health and scalability from millions to billions of cells. Key capabilities include >90% viability, delivery of payloads >10kb, 1-2 day manufacturing processes, and no requirement for viral vectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ryva™ System: Benchtop instrument utilizing microfluidics-based technology for gene-editing payload delivery
- Ryva™ PUPs
- T-Rest
- Infinity MTx System
Products and services
- Ryva Mechanoporation System Benchtop instrument utilizing novel microfluidics-based mechanoporation technology to deliver a wide range of gene-engineering payload types and sizes into cells. Features small footprint suitable for biological safety cabinets, processing in under 10 milliseconds, intuitive software, up to 8 samples per run, and barcode reader plus NFC tag for run history analysis. Sold to pharmaceutical and biotechnology cell therapy developers and manufacturers.
- Ryva PUPs (Processing Units) Single-use microfluidic processing units designed for use with the Ryva Mechanoporation System. Each PUP contains eight single-use processing units with capacity up to 2 x 10^6 cells per unit, providing a recurring consumable revenue stream tied to cell therapy manufacturing volumes.
- T-Rest (Resting T Cell Kit) First-in-class cell manufacturing transfection media product designed for resting (quiescent) T cell workflows. Enables efficient editing of resting T cells while preserving stem cell memory for more durable CAR-T cell treatments and reducing risk of chromosomal abnormalities in non-dividing cells.
- High Volume Cyva System High-volume version of the Cyva system designed for clinical-scale non-viral gene editing of activated and resting T cell therapies, supporting scalable manufacturing workflows beyond research scale.
Quantifiable outcome
- >90% cell viability with superior cell health and functionality
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use CellFE
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CellFE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
CellFE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Made ScientificcoreStrategic collaboration to generate pilot data on the CellFE High Volume Cyva System for T cell therapies. Made Scientific, a cell therapy CDMO, will conduct pilot-scale studies using CellFE's technology. The partnership aims to validate clinical-scale performance for both activated and resting T cell therapy manufacturing workflows, combining non-viral and viral gene editing approaches.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) / TcellTechcoreStrategic collaboration combining CellFE's Ryva Mechanoporation System with TcellTech's nanoSMAR gene expression DNA vector platform. Aims to advance personalized cell therapy development by addressing challenges in efficient DNA delivery and maintaining cell viability. Early results demonstrate strong compatibility with promising outcomes in generating stable cell lines expressing CARs or TCRs.
- Mike RicecoreLife science tools veteran appointed to Board of Directors. Previously served as Chairman & CEO at BioLife Solutions. Brings experience in scaling up life sciences tool businesses and deep expertise in CGT space.
- Georgia Tech Research CorporationcoreNIIMBL-funded project collaboration focused on scalable microfluidics for delivery of large transgenes to therapeutic cells. Project involves T-cells and iPSCs for cell therapy manufacturing, aiming to provide the first non-viral platform for transgene transfection from bench to final product using a single protocol.
- Celgene CorporationminorParticipant in NIIMBL-funded project (Project Call 2.2) for scalable microfluidics research. Contributing to development of non-viral platform for transgene transfection in cell product manufacturing.
- Merck & Co., Inc.minorParticipant in NIIMBL-funded project (Project Call 2.2) for scalable microfluidics research. Contributing to development of GMP-compliant, scalable microfluidic method for transgene delivery.
- University of IowaminorParticipant in NIIMBL-funded project for scalable microfluidics research. Part of consortium developing non-viral platform for cell therapy manufacturing.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CellFE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MaxCyte: MaxCyte is the dominant supplier of flow electroporation technology for non-viral gene delivery in cell therapy development, used by leading CAR-T developers including CRISPR Therapeutics. Directly competes with CellFE's mechanoporation platform as the primary alternative for ex-viral payload delivery into T cells, HSCs, and iPSCs.
- Celetrix: Celetrix provides electroporation systems specifically tuned for primary and difficult-to-transfect cells including T cells, HSCs, and iPSCs. Competitor in the same gene-delivery tool category as CellFE, with overlapping target customers in cell therapy development.
Emerging players
- Kytopen: Kytopen develops a Flowfect microfluidic platform for continuous, non-viral cell engineering with a similar design philosophy to CellFE's mechanoporation approach. Both target the same limitation of electroporation (cell stress) using microfluidic-based delivery, making Kytopen a direct emerging competitor.
- Porton Biologics / Portal Biotechnologies: Portal Biotechnologies develops its own non-viral delivery platform for engineered cell therapy manufacturing, positioning it as an emerging competitor in the same microfluidic/physical delivery category as CellFE.
Broad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Cell Therapy Systems): Through its Cell Therapy Systems business (including the CTS Rotea counterflow centrifugation system), Thermo Fisher is a broad incumbent in cell therapy manufacturing tools serving the same developers targeted by CellFE. CellFE competes for share within a wider portfolio customer base.
- Miltenyi Biotec: Miltenyi Biotec offers a comprehensive suite of cell therapy manufacturing platforms, reagents, and instruments (CliniMACS, MACS, electroporation). Serves the same cell therapy developers as CellFE with a broader tools portfolio rather than specialization in delivery technology.
- Lonza: Lonza is a leading CDMO and process development partner for cell and gene therapy developers. While it doesn't directly compete with CellFE's delivery instrument, its process services touch overlapping buyer personas and could either partner with or compete for cell therapy developer budgets.
- BioLife Solutions: BioLife Solutions is a public CGT tools company specializing in biopreservation and cell processing consumables (CryoStor, ViaCell, ThawSTAR). Its board connection (Mike Rice is now on CellFE's board) and overlapping customer base create thematic peer comparability in CGT tools.
- Cytiva: Cytiva (Danaher) provides bioprocessing and cell therapy manufacturing equipment and consumables, including cell processing instrumentation. Adjacent competitor to CellFE in cell therapy manufacturing tooling across upstream and downstream workflows.
Others
- Akadeum Life Sciences: Akadeum provides buoyancy-based cell separation technology used in cell therapy manufacturing workflows. While not directly competing with CellFE's delivery platform, it serves adjacent process steps within the same cell therapy developer buyer personas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CellFE social profiles
Digital presenceCellFE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CellFE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CellFE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CellFE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CellFE
What does CellFE do?
CellFE develops and sells a microfluidics-based, non-viral cell engineering platform for cell therapy manufacturing. The flagship Ryva Mechanoporation System is a benchtop instrument that uses rapid cellular compression via microfluidic channels with chevron-shaped ridges to deliver gene-editing payloads (including payloads above 10 kb) into T cells, HSCs, and iPSCs. The platform is sold together with single-use consumable Ryva PUPs and complementary workflow kits such as T-Rest for resting T cell CAR-T manufacturing.
Is CellFE a public or private company?
CellFE is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was CellFE founded?
CellFE was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CellFE based?
CellFE is headquartered in Alameda, United States, in the North America region.
How does CellFE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ryva System Instruments are the primary driver. The others are ryva PUPs (Processing Units) and T-Rest Kit.
Who are CellFE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MaxCyte and Celetrix. Emerging players are Kytopen and Porton Biologics / Portal Biotechnologies. Broad incumbents are Thermo Fisher Scientific (Cell Therapy Systems), Miltenyi Biotec, Lonza, BioLife Solutions and Cytiva. Akadeum Life Sciences is listed as an others.
Does CellFE have an API?
No public API is recorded for CellFE.
What industry is CellFE in?
CellFE's product category is Cell Therapy Manufacturing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAABAL, Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3845.