What Cytena does

CYTENA GmbH is a Freiburg, Germany-based lab automation company specializing in microfluidics-based single-cell dispensing technology. Founded as part of the BICO bioconvergence group, the company designs and manufactures a portfolio of high-precision instruments including the UP.SIGHT, F.SIGHT 2.0, C.SIGHT 2.0, B.SIGHT, and F.SIGHT OMICS single-cell dispensers, the C.STATION fully automated cell line development workstation, C.WASH and C.WASH PLUS microplate washers, CELLCYTE X live cell imaging, I.DOT liquid handlers, and C.NEST/S.NEST/C.BIRD microbioreactors. The underlying technology combines disposable microfluidic cartridges, acoustophoresis-based cell focusing, dual-channel optical microscopy (brightfield and fluorescence), and real-time image analysis to deliver >97% single-cell isolation efficiency, >99.999% probability of monoclonality, and processing times of approximately two minutes per 96-well plate and eight minutes per 384-well plate. C.STUDIO software unifies the workflow with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance and regulator-ready monoclonality documentation for IND/BLA submissions.

CYTENA serves biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing therapeutic antibodies, viral vectors, and cell therapies, alongside contract development and manufacturing organizations, academic institutions, and government research facilities. The disclosed installed base exceeds 1,000 customers and includes marquee pharma names (Amgen, Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, Roche-adjacent peers, Takeda, Novo Nordisk, BMS, Bayer, Gilead, Biogen, Teva, CSL), the CDMO Lonza, and academic institutions (Harvard, MIT, Stanford). Revenue is generated through four streams: instrument hardware sales, recurring consumables and reagents (EASY.ON cartridges, F.QUANT kits, C.LIVE reagents), one-time and subscription software licenses (C.STUDIO), and managed service contracts with onsite support. Pricing is quote-based with no public tiers, consistent with enterprise consultative selling. Distribution combines direct field sales with regional offices and distributor channels across Europe, the UK, the USA, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan.

Name

Cytena

Legal name

CYTENA GmbH

Website

https://cytena.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CYTENA GmbH is a Freiburg, Germany-based lab automation company that builds microfluidics-based single-cell dispensers, automated cell line development workstations, and consumables for biopharmaceutical companies, CDMOs, and academic research institutions. Operating as a subsidiary of BICO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lab Automation Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cell Culture & Bioprocess Lab Equipment (Bioreactors, Single-Use Systems, Controllers) (HLAGAIAG)

Keywords

• Single-cell dispensing
• Lab automation instruments
• Microfluidics biotechnology
• Cell line development
• Biopharmaceutical automation equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lab Automation Instruments: CYTENA generates revenue primarily through selling high-precision lab automation instruments including single-cell dispensers, automated cell line development platforms, microplate washers and dispensers, and live cell imaging systems. Hardware sales form the core revenue stream with instruments like UP.SIGHT, F.SIGHT, C.SIGHT, B.SIGHT, C.STATION, C.WASH, and CELLCYTE X.
2. Consumables and Reagents: Recurring revenue from disposable EASY.ON dispensing cartridges, F.QUANT reagent kits, C.LIVE reagents, and other consumables required for instrument operation.
3. Software Licenses: C.STUDIO analysis software for clone-centric campaign management, data visualization, and regulatory compliance documentation. Software supports FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.
4. Service Contracts and Support: Service contracts providing technical support, application support, and maintenance. Onsite service available in Europe, UK, USA, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CYTENA manufactures and sells high-precision lab automation instruments based on patented microfluidic single-cell dispensing technology for cell line development, gene therapy, and cell therapy applications. The portfolio includes single-cell dispensers, automated cell line development workstations, microplate washers, live cell imaging systems, and supporting consumables and software for biopharmaceutical companies, biotechs, CDMOs, and academic institutions.

Product overview

CYTENA offers a comprehensive portfolio of high-precision lab automation instruments centered on single-cell dispensing technology for cell line development, gene therapy, and cell therapy applications. The core product line includes five single-cell dispensers (UP.SIGHT, F.SIGHT 2.0, C.SIGHT 2.0, B.SIGHT, F.SIGHT OMICS) that utilize patented microfluidic technology for gentle cell isolation into 96- or 384-well plates. Supporting products include C.STATION for fully automated end-to-end cell line development, C.WASH/C.WASH PLUS for automated microplate washing, CELLCYTE X for live cell imaging, I.DOT liquid handlers, and C.NEST/S.NEST/C.BIRD microbioreactors. The ecosystem is unified by C.STUDIO analysis software which centralizes dispensing images, growth tracking, AI-powered cell counting, and titer data for regulatory submissions. Consumables include EASY.ON dispensing cartridges and F.QUANT titer assay reagents. All instruments are engineered in Germany with a focus on GMP-compatible workflows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UP.SIGHT: Single-cell dispenser and imager with double assurance of clonality for cell line development
• F.SIGHT
• C.SIGHT
• B.SIGHT
• F.SIGHT OMICS
• C.STATION
• C.WASH
• CELLCYTE X
• I.DOT

Products and services

• UP.SIGHT Flagship all-in-one single-cell dispenser and plate imager with double assurance of monoclonality for mammalian cell line development workflows. Features AI-powered cell counting, confluency tracking, and optional F.QUANT titer measurement.
• F.SIGHT 2.0 Single-cell dispenser with dual-camera fluorescence sorting system for rapid dispensing of fluorescent and unlabeled mammalian cells, featuring Cell Focusing technology for alignment of cells in the dispensing cartridge.
• C.SIGHT 2.0 Single-cell dispenser optimized for rapid dispensing of unlabeled mammalian cells based on morphology.
• B.SIGHT Microbial single-cell isolation platform for high-throughput dispensing of bacteria (0.5-20 µm) and yeast designed for microbiome research, strain development, and single-cell genomics with compatibility for anaerobic conditions.
• F.SIGHT OMICS Single-cell dispenser purpose-built for single-cell omics workflows with Automated Offset Correction (AOC) for precise dispensing into PCR plates, enabling downstream miniaturization for NGS library preparation.
• C.STATION First fully automated workstation for stable cell line development (CLD) integrating single-cell cloning, imaging, advanced cell culture, and clone-centric data management. Available in BSL-1 and BSL-2 configurations for mAb, viral vector, and iPSC-derived cell line production.
• C.WASH Automated non-contact microplate washer using centrifugal force for liquid removal and dispensing with ultra-low residual volume (<0.1 µl) and SiLA2 compatibility for integration into automated workflows.
• C.WASH PLUS Enhanced microplate washer and dispenser with 12 liquid input channels, 3 dispensing pressure levels, and full SiLA2 compatibility for high-throughput laboratory automation.
• CELLCYTE X Live cell imaging and analysis solution for real-time monitoring of cell kinetics and behavior.
• I.DOT Liquid handler utilizing contact-free dispensing technology for precise low-volume liquid handling.
• C.STUDIO Clone-centric cell line development campaign management software that centralizes dispensing images, growth tracking images, AI-powered VCD data, and titer measurements, generating regulator-ready monoclonality reports for IND/BLA submissions.
• F.QUANT Titer assay quantification reagent for rapid measurement of antibodies, Fc-fusion proteins, and Fab fragments used with UP.SIGHT and C.STATION for clone productivity screening.
• EASY.ON Dispensing Cartridge Single-use microfluidic cartridge for single-cell dispensers that eliminates cross-contamination risk. Available in 20 µm (B.SIGHT) and 40 µm (other dispensers) nozzle sizes.
• C.NEST High-throughput microplate-based agitation system for cell culture, part of CYTENA BPS microbioreactor product line.
• S.NEST Microbioreactor system for high-throughput cell culture applications.
• C.BIRD Microplate agitation culture system for microbioreactor applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• >99.999% probability of monoclonality
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BICOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCYTENA is proud to be a part of BICO, the world's leading bioconvergence company, which leverages the synergies of its premier companies in engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced genomics and biosciences to create the future of health. BICO envisions a future where drug development is faster, safer and less expensive.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sartorius: Sartorius is a bioprocessing incumbent offering bioreactors, cell line development platforms, and lab automation. Its scale, installed base in biopharma manufacturing, and ownership of Cellenion make it a broad incumbent competing across CYTENA's core and adjacent markets.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher is a broad life sciences incumbent offering cell line development services, instruments, and reagents. Its scale, global footprint, and ability to bundle instruments with consumables make it a strategic threat to CYTENA across enterprise pharma accounts.
• Molecular Devices: Molecular Devices (a Danaher company) provides high-content imaging, microplate readers, and lab automation for cell biology and biopharma. It competes with CYTENA in live cell imaging (CELLCYTE X) and broader CLD workflow instrumentation.
• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Beckman Coulter Life Sciences offers a broad portfolio of flow cytometry, cell sorting, and lab automation instruments used in cell line development. Its broader portfolio and global service network make it a broad incumbent competitor to CYTENA's dispensing instruments.
• Eppendorf: Eppendorf is a broad lab equipment incumbent offering bioreactors, liquid handling, and cell culture consumables. Its bioprocess equipment portfolio overlaps with CYTENA's microbioreactor and CLD workstation offerings for academic and industrial customers.

Direct peers

• Tecan: Tecan is a direct competitor in automated liquid handling, microplate readers, and cell biology lab automation. Its Fluent and Freedom EVO platforms compete with CYTENA's C.STATION and dispenser portfolio across biopharma and academic customers.
• Hamilton Company: Hamilton is a direct competitor in laboratory liquid handling robotics and automated workstations. Both companies sell precision lab automation instruments used in cell line development and high-throughput workflows, competing head-to-head for CLD and screening budgets.
• Cellenion: Cellenion (a Scienion/Danaher affiliate) offers single-cell dispensing technology (cellenONE) for similar cell line development and single-cell omics applications, making it one of the closest direct competitors in CYTENA's core niche.

Emerging players

• Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm): Standard BioTools offers single-cell genomics and mass cytometry instruments that intersect with CYTENA's F.SIGHT OMICS line. It competes at the intersection of single-cell biology and high-content screening, with overlapping academic and translational research customers.

Others

• BICO Group: BICO is the parent company of CYTENA and operates other bioconvergence subsidiaries (e.g., CELLINK, Discover Echo). It is thematically related as the strategic parent and an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cytena
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9lqOzUXDrcfThgjS5EdydQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CYTENA1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cytena
• Instagraminstagram.com/cytena

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cytena