Sense Biodetection
Sense Biodetection is a UK-based molecular diagnostics company founded in 2014 that develops rapid point-of-care nucleic-acid diagnostic tests for infectious disease detection, serving decentralized healthcare, clinical, and public health markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAbingdon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sense Biodetection does
Sense Biodetection is a UK-based molecular diagnostics company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Abingdon, United Kingdom. The company develops molecular diagnostic tests for infectious disease detection, targeting decentralized point-of-care and clinical testing settings where rapid, instrument-light nucleic-acid-based results can replace centralized laboratory workflows. Its product platform centers on proprietary molecular diagnostic technology intended to deliver laboratory-grade sensitivity without the need for complex instrumentation, addressing use cases in primary care, pharmacy, and public health.
The company has raised approximately $81 million cumulatively across multiple funding rounds from 2016 through November 2021, including a $50 million Series B in April 2021 and a $15 million Series B top-up in November 2021, both led by Koch Disruptive Technologies. Earlier-stage investors include Cambridge Innovation Capital, Earlybird Venture Capital, Mercia Asset Management, Innovate UK (grant funding), Angels in MedCity, and Oxford Investment Opportunity Network, reflecting a UK-rooted investor base with US strategic capital added at Series B. Leadership comprises CEO Harry Lamble and CFO Michael Jones, with a headcount of 11-50 employees consistent with a development-stage or early-commercialization-stage company.
Business model mechanics are not publicly disclosed in the available data: no pricing, distribution model, named customers, or revenue figures are reported. Based on the company's stage and funding trajectory, it is likely operating in a pre-revenue or early commercialization phase, channeling capital into product development, regulatory clearance (CE/UKCA and potentially FDA), and clinical validation rather than scaled sales. The company is venture-backed and private, with no IPO or acquisition event disclosed in the source material.
Sense Biodetection firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sense Biodetection
- Website
- https://sense-bio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sense Biodetection is a UK-based molecular diagnostics company founded in 2014 that develops rapid point-of-care nucleic-acid diagnostic tests for infectious disease detection, serving decentralized healthcare, clinical, and public health markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sense Biodetection industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Molecular Diagnostics
- NAICS
- In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multiplex & High-Throughput Diagnostics Platforms (microarrays, digital PCR, lab automation-enabled assays) (HLAAALAL)
Keywords
Where Sense Biodetection is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Abingdon
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Sense Biodetection business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Sense Biodetection product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sense Biodetection is a molecular diagnostics company that develops rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests aimed at decentralizing infectious disease detection. The company focuses on producing molecular diagnostic devices and tests that can deliver results outside traditional laboratory settings, targeting clinical and healthcare organizational buyers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Sense Biodetection
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Sense Biodetection technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sense Biodetection partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sense Biodetection competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sherlock Biosciences: A US-based molecular diagnostics company developing rapid, instrument-free tests using CRISPR and synthetic biology. It is a direct peer to Sense Biodetection in point-of-care molecular diagnostics, and is even featured alongside Sense in the OraSure Technologies ecosystem listing.
- LumiraDx: A point-of-care diagnostics company developing a portable molecular and immunoassay platform. LumiraDx is highly comparable to Sense Biodetection in targeting decentralised, near-patient molecular testing across infectious disease and other indications.
- Visby Medical: A privately-held molecular diagnostics company developing a rapid, instrument-free PCR test for infectious disease. Visby Medical is a closely comparable peer to Sense Biodetection in the rapid, decentralised molecular diagnostics niche.
Broad incumbents
- OraSure Technologies: A publicly-traded diagnostics company specialising in non-invasive sample collection and rapid infectious disease tests. OraSure is a broader incumbent in the rapid diagnostics space, with overlapping customer segments in infectious disease and decentralised testing.
- Cepheid (Danaher): A leading molecular diagnostics company within Danaher, best known for the GeneXpert system used in clinical and point-of-care settings. Cepheid represents the established scale player in molecular diagnostics that rapid, decentralised entrants like Sense Biodetection aim to compete with or complement.
- QuidelOrtho: A large in vitro diagnostics company with a broad rapid-testing portfolio including molecular assays. QuidelOrtho is a relevant broad incumbent competing in the same decentralised diagnostics market category.
- Mesa Labs: A diagnostics and life sciences tools company that has been acquisitive in molecular diagnostics (e.g., BioFire's parent lineage). Mesa is comparable as both a potential acquirer of and competitive force against growth-stage molecular diagnostics companies.
- Hologic: A global diagnostics and women's health company with a substantial molecular diagnostics franchise (Panther system, Aptima assays). Hologic is a broad incumbent that competes in the same molecular diagnostics category and is a plausible acquirer of niche players.
- Abbott Diagnostics: One of the largest in vitro diagnostics companies globally, with rapid molecular platforms (e.g., ID NOW). Abbott is a broad incumbent shaping decentralised molecular testing markets and serves as a benchmark for commercial scale in this space.
- BioFire Diagnostics (bioMérieux): A molecular diagnostics company within bioMérieux, known for the FilmArray syndromic panels. BioFire represents the established molecular diagnostics standard and competes in many of the same infectious disease indications Sense Biodetection targets.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Sense Biodetection social profiles
Digital presenceSense Biodetection financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sense Biodetection leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sense Biodetection funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sense Biodetection 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 Sense Biodetection
What does Sense Biodetection do?
Sense Biodetection is a molecular diagnostics company that develops rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests aimed at decentralizing infectious disease detection. The company focuses on producing molecular diagnostic devices and tests that can deliver results outside traditional laboratory settings, targeting clinical and healthcare organizational buyers.
When was Sense Biodetection founded?
Sense Biodetection was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sense Biodetection based?
Sense Biodetection is headquartered in Abingdon, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Sense Biodetection's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sherlock Biosciences, LumiraDx and Visby Medical. Broad incumbents are OraSure Technologies, Cepheid (Danaher), QuidelOrtho, Mesa Labs, Hologic, Abbott Diagnostics and BioFire Diagnostics (bioMérieux).
Does Sense Biodetection have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sense Biodetection.
What industry is Sense Biodetection in?
Sense Biodetection's product category is Molecular Diagnostics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAALAL, Multiplex & High-Throughput Diagnostics Platforms (microarrays, digital PCR, lab automation-enabled assays). Its NAICS code is 325413 and its SIC code is 2835.