Nuclera
Nuclera provides the eProtein Discovery benchtop system, combining digital microfluidics and cell-free protein synthesis to deliver multiplex protein screening and assay-ready proteins in 48 hours. It serves biopharma, ag-biotech, CROs, and academic researchers with instruments, consumables, and antibody screening services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nuclera does
Nuclera is a Cambridge, UK-based biotechnology company that has developed eProtein Discovery, a benchtop multiplex protein screening system integrating digital microfluidics (electrowetting-on-dielectric) with cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS). Founded in 2013 by Michael Chen, Jiahao Huang, and Gordon Herling-McInroy at the University of Cambridge, the company acquired E Ink's digital microfluidics unit in 2021 to consolidate the core IP that underpins its platform. The system automates nanoliter-scale protein expression, on-cartridge fluorescence quantification, and purification across up to 192 datapoints per 24-hour run, delivering assay-ready proteins in 48 hours and addressing difficult-to-express targets including membrane proteins, GPCRs, and challenging soluble proteins. An AlphaFold2-integrated cloud software module supports AI-guided protein variant design.
Nuclera monetizes through a razor-and-blade model consisting of instrument sales (the eProtein Discovery benchtop system), recurring consumables (single-use digital microfluidic cartridges and proprietary reagent suites), and a recently launched fee-for-service Antibody Screening offering priced at approximately $100 per antibody variant with 14-business-day turnaround. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales (engaging pharma and biotech R&D leaders), an emerging distributor network across APAC and the Middle East, and a service channel for AI/ML-driven antibody discovery teams that lack instrument access. Named customers span biopharma (AstraZeneca, AbbVie), ag-biotech (Bayer Crop Science, Syngenta), CROs (Domainex), and academic institutions (Harvard CMI, Imperial College London, National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University).
The company has raised approximately $145M in total funding across seed, Series A, multiple Series B tranches, a $75M Series C in 2024 led by Elevage Medical Technologies, and a $12M Series C extension in January 2026, with E Ink remaining its largest strategic shareholder. Recent strategic priorities include commercial scaling of the antibody workflow, geographic expansion into APAC and the Middle East, and partnerships with Cytiva and leadXpro to extend the platform into integrated bioprocessing and AI-guided structure-based drug design.
Nuclera firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nuclera
- Legal name
- Nuclera
- Website
- https://nuclera.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nuclera provides the eProtein Discovery benchtop system, combining digital microfluidics and cell-free protein synthesis to deliver multiplex protein screening and assay-ready proteins in 48 hours. It serves biopharma, ag-biotech, CROs, and academic researchers with instruments, consumables, and antibody screening services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nuclera industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Protein Expression Systems
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Library & Diversity Generation Platforms (display libraries, DNA-encoded libraries for biologics, variant libraries) (HLAAAIAL)
Keywords
Where Nuclera is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nuclera business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- eProtein Discovery System (Instrument): Sale of the eProtein Discovery benchtop instrument, which orchestrates the multiplex protein screening workflow with automated digital microfluidics. The instrument is sold directly to pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, academic institutions, and CROs.
- Consumables (Cartridges and Reagents): Recurring revenue from single-use consumable cartridges (digital microfluidic cartridges) and reagent suites for DNA preparation, protein expression screening, purifiability assessment, and off-cartridge scale-up. Cartridges are single-use; reagents are replenished per run.
- Antibody Screening Services: Fee-for-service antibody screening packages. The 96-Plex Triage Screen (~14 business days turnaround) includes DNA synthesis, binary expression/binding screening, and SPR on 5 focused binders at ~$100 per antibody. Extended SPR profiling at ~$200 per antibody adds 2-3 business days.
- Protein Expression and Purification Services: Expression and purification services using the eProtein Discovery platform, enabling researchers to access the technology without purchasing the system outright.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 96-Plex Triage Screen: ~$100 per antibody variant, delivering binding data in ~14 business days |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Extended SPR Profiling: ~$200 per antibody variant, adds 2-3 business days to timeline |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Nuclera product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nuclera develops the eProtein Discovery system, a benchtop multiplex protein screening platform that combines digital microfluidics with cell-free protein synthesis. The system enables rapid expression, screening, and purification of proteins in approximately 48 hours, targeting antibody discovery, membrane protein research, and other protein engineering applications for pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- eProtein Discovery™: The company's flagship desktop protein screening system combining digital microfluidics with cell-free protein synthesis for rapid multiplex protein expression and characterization.
- eProtein Discovery Antibody Services
Quantifiable outcome
- From DNA to assay-ready protein in 48 hours
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Nuclera
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nuclera technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature9 records
Nuclera partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- leadXprocoreScientific partnership announced February 2026 to accelerate structure-based drug design for complex membrane proteins. Integrates Nuclera's eProtein Discovery cell-free protein synthesis technology with leadXpro's AI/ML-driven construct design and structural characterization expertise. Creates an AI-guided, iterative, end-to-end workflow linking in silico design with rapid experimental multiplex screening. The partnership will inform future integration of AI/ML capabilities into Nuclera's product portfolio.
- CytivacoreCollaboration announced in 2025 focused on accelerating protein production, purification, and characterization for drug research and development. The companies demonstrated the ability to produce and analyze key proteins within five days, significantly faster than traditional methods.
- Imperial College LondonsupportingIndependent experts from Imperial College London serve as evaluators for the Innovate UK grant-funded projects supporting eProtein Discovery platform development. Dr Konstantinos Beis at Imperial has also independently tested and validated the eProtein Discovery system for membrane protein quality.
- Diamond Light SourcesupportingIndependent experts from Diamond Light Source serve as evaluators for Innovate UK grant-funded projects supporting eProtein Discovery platform development and manufacturing capabilities.
- E InkcoreNuclera acquired E Ink's digital microfluidics unit in May 2021, including intellectual property, equipment, and scientists. E Ink became Nuclera's largest strategic shareholder as part of the transaction, consolidating IP in the biotechnology sector and establishing Nuclera's US subsidiary in Boston, MA.
- DomainexsupportingDomainex installed the eProtein Discovery System as the first CRO implementation, demonstrating the system's capability for CRO platform integration.
- Show Chung Ho / YFY AcademysupportingShow Chung Ho (President of YFY Academy and Founder of E Ink Holdings) purchased and donated eProtein Discovery systems to National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University, representing Nuclera's first commercial sales in Asia.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nuclera competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences tools leader offering the Gibco ExpiCHO and Expi293 protein expression systems alongside ÄKTA purification systems. Thermo Fisher dominates protein production workflow tooling for pharma and biotech with deep installed bases, making it the primary competitive incumbent for Nuclera's eProtein Discovery platform.
- Cytiva: Global bioprocessing leader offering protein purification and chromatography systems (ÄKTA) plus cell line development tools. Cytiva is both a Nuclera collaboration partner (May 2025) and a partial competitor in the protein production workflow, with comparable enterprise pharma accounts and complementary product portfolios.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Life sciences research and clinical diagnostics company offering NGC chromatography systems, BioLogic protein purification, and droplet-based digital biology tools. Bio-Rad's protein expression and purification product lines serve overlapping pharma and academic customers as Nuclera.
- Promega Corporation: Major provider of protein analysis, purification, and expression reagents including the HaloTag and TNT cell-free protein synthesis systems. Promega's TnT coupled transcription/translation kits are a competing cell-free expression option used by overlapping academic and biotech customers.
Direct peers
- Twist Bioscience: DNA synthesis platform company providing synthetic genes, antibody libraries, and oligo pools that serve as critical inputs for protein engineering workflows. Twist's high-throughput DNA synthesis powers AI-driven antibody discovery pipelines that consume Nuclera's screening services, making it both an upstream enabler and a workflow-adjacent peer.
- AbCellera Biologics: AI-driven antibody discovery platform operating end-to-end from target identification to preclinical candidates. AbCellera addresses the same AI antibody discovery bottleneck Nuclera targets and serves overlapping pharma customers, though with a therapeutic development focus rather than a screening tools offering.
- Sutro Biopharma: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering cell-free protein synthesis (XpressCF) for therapeutic antibody and cytokine manufacturing. Sutro's proprietary cell-free expression platform is the closest direct technical comparator to Nuclera's CFPS technology, though focused on internal therapeutic production rather than platform sales.
- Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm): Life sciences tools company specializing in microfluidics-based mass cytometry (CyTOF) and genomics (Biomark HD) systems. Standard BioTools shares Nuclera's microfluidics heritage and life sciences research customer base, though focuses on single-cell analysis rather than protein expression.
Emerging players
- Ginkgo Bioworks: Synthetic biology platform offering cell engineering and protein production services at scale across pharma, agriculture, and industrial biotech. Ginkgo's Codebase of engineered organisms and high-throughput screening capabilities partially overlap with Nuclera's protein prototyping value proposition for biotech R&D customers.
- PhenomeX (formerly Berkeley Lights): Life sciences tools company offering the Beacon optofluidic platform for single-cell screening and antibody discovery workflows. PhenomeX addresses similar antibody discovery and cell biology applications as Nuclera through an alternative microfluidic architecture, serving overlapping biotech customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nuclera social profiles
Digital presenceNuclera financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nuclera leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Nuclera subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Nuclera funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors15 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nuclera M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nuclera
What does Nuclera do?
Nuclera develops the eProtein Discovery system, a benchtop multiplex protein screening platform that combines digital microfluidics with cell-free protein synthesis. The system enables rapid expression, screening, and purification of proteins in approximately 48 hours, targeting antibody discovery, membrane protein research, and other protein engineering applications for pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers.
Is Nuclera a public or private company?
Nuclera is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nuclera founded?
Nuclera was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nuclera based?
Nuclera is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Nuclera make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. eProtein Discovery System (Instrument) is the primary driver. The others are consumables (Cartridges and Reagents), antibody Screening Services and protein Expression and Purification Services.
Who are Nuclera's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cytiva, Bio-Rad Laboratories and Promega Corporation. Direct peers are Twist Bioscience, AbCellera Biologics, Sutro Biopharma and Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm). Emerging players are Ginkgo Bioworks and PhenomeX (formerly Berkeley Lights).
Does Nuclera have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nuclera.
What industry is Nuclera in?
Nuclera's product category is Protein Expression Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAE, AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAL, Library & Diversity Generation Platforms (display libraries, DNA-encoded libraries for biologics, variant libraries). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2835.