IamFluidics
IamFluidics, a University of Twente spin-off, commercializes IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™, a patented chip-free jetting platform producing monodisperse microparticles for pharmaceutical, cell therapy, nutraceutical, and cosmetics applications with industrial-scale throughput.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersEnschede, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What IamFluidics does
IamFluidics B.V. is a Netherlands-based deep-technology company that commercializes IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™, a patented chip-free microencapsulation platform invented in the Physics of Fluids group at the University of Twente. Founded in 2018 as a spin-off by Dr. Tom Kamperman and Dr. Claas Willem Visser, the company's core method uses micrometer-sized liquid jets in mid-air to generate monodisperse microparticles, microcapsules, and microfibers with sizes from 30 µm to 3 mm at a coefficient of variation below 5%. The platform is positioned to combine microfluidic-level precision with industrial throughput (claimed at up to 1,000x faster than chip-based microfluidics) while operating with low shear and without toxic solvents, which the company states is gentle enough for live stem cells, probiotics, peptides, and oxidation-sensitive APIs. Manufacturing is conducted under ISO 9001:2015 certification (Kiwa) with ISO 13485 compliance at the pilot facility.
The company operates a platform-plus-products business model serving pharmaceutical, biotech, cell therapy, nutraceutical, and cosmetics customers. Product lines include DMC Dissolvable Microcarriers (alginate-based microcarriers coated with Rousselot collagen that fully dissolve in EDTA + TrypLE within 15 minutes, enabling claimed >90% cell recovery versus ~50% with conventional microcarriers), PDLLA microparticles (40 µm and 70 µm) for long-acting injectables, and the SlimBeads™ brand of plastic-free vegan nutraceutical capsules for weight management. Revenue is also generated through Microencapsulation as a Service engagements structured in four stages — feasibility assessment (€10,000 entry), design and optimization, functional validation, and commercialization via contract manufacturing or technology transfer — plus equipment sales of IamFluidics benchtop instrumentation to research institutions.
IamFluidics has disclosed funding of approximately €6.3 million in equity (€1M seed from Innovation Industries in December 2018 and €4M Series A in September 2022 led by Joost van Neck with Innovation Industries), supplemented by a €1.3M REACT-EU grant in March 2023, multiple EFRO and OP Oost subsidies, and an undisclosed Oost NL/Innovation Industries round in October 2024. Named customers and partners include Erasmus MC, Scinus Cell Expansion, Fraunhofer ISC TLZ-RT and IBMT, Corbion, University of Twente, and Rousselot (Darling Ingredients) as a co-development and co-distribution partner. The company established direct commercial leadership in Switzerland (CCO Pavel Abdulkin) and Boston (Strategic Business Partner Richard Gray) in October 2025, signaling a transition from technology-development phase to enterprise commercial scaling.
IamFluidics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IamFluidics
- Legal name
- IamFluidics B.V.
- Website
- https://iamfluidics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IamFluidics, a University of Twente spin-off, commercializes IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™, a patented chip-free jetting platform producing monodisperse microparticles for pharmaceutical, cell therapy, nutraceutical, and cosmetics applications with industrial-scale throughput.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IamFluidics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microencapsulation Materials & Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crystallization, Particle Engineering & Micronization Services (HLAGAHAJ)
Keywords
Where IamFluidics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Enschede
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
IamFluidics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales — Dissolvable Microcarriers: Sale of research-grade Dissolvable Microcarriers (1g and 10g packs) via the microparticles.shop e-commerce platform. GMP-compliant versions available by direct inquiry. Revenue from unit product sales to research institutions, biotech companies, and cell therapy developers.
- Microencapsulation as a Service (合同开发和制造服务): Four-stage service offering: Feasibility Assessment (€10,000), Design & Optimization, Functional Validation, and Commercialization (contract manufacturing or technology transfer). Enables customers to access the IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ platform without capital investment. Typical batch sizes range from 0–1 kg (R&D lab) to 1–100 kg (industrial pilot).
- Equipment Sales — IamFluidics Setup: Sale of IamFluidics benchtop setups (IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ instrumentation) to research institutions and industrial partners. The first IamFluidics setup was sold to the Thermal and Fluid Engineering department at the University of Twente for fundamental research and process development.
- Custom Microparticle Development & Co-Development: Custom bead design and formulation development partnerships with industry clients. Interdisciplinary scientific team engineers microparticles tailored to specific polymers, APIs, biologics, or cells of interest. Can lead to co-branded or exclusive product arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Feasibility Study — Entry-level microencapsulation service engagement |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Design & Optimization — Tailored microparticle development |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Commercialization — Scale-up and manufacturing or technology transfer |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Research-Grade Dissolvable Microcarriers — 1g and 10g packs |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
IamFluidics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IamFluidics develops and operates a proprietary IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ chip-free microencapsulation platform that produces monodisperse microparticles (30 µm to 3 mm) at industrial throughput. The company sells bioresorbable polymer microparticles (PDLLA) and alginate-based Dissolvable Microcarriers for cell culture, and offers contract microencapsulation services spanning feasibility studies, custom development, scale-up, and technology transfer.
Product overview
IamFluidics operates a platform-plus-products business model centered on its proprietary IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ technology, a chip-free microencapsulation platform that combines microfluidic-level precision with industrial-scale throughput (up to 1,000x faster than conventional chip-based microfluidics). The commercial product portfolio includes DMC Dissolvable Microcarriers (developed with Rousselot, available in 1g and 10g research-grade packs) for scalable adherent cell culture in bioreactors, PDLLA microparticles (40 µm and 70 µm) for controlled injectables, and SlimBeads™ for nutraceutical weight management applications. The company complements its product sales with microencapsulation-as-a-service offerings spanning feasibility studies, co-development, scale-up, and technology transfer, delivered through ISO 9001:2015 certified R&D and pilot facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™: Patented chip-free, high-throughput microencapsulation technology that combines microfluidic precision with industrial scalability using micrometer-sized liquid jets in mid-air to create uniform microparticles, microcapsules, and microfibers from 30µm to 3mm.
- SlimBeads™
- DMC Dissolvable Microcarriers
- ApiBead™
Products and services
- DMC Dissolvable Microcarriers - 1g Alginate-based microcarriers coated with denatured collagen (gelatin from Rousselot) for small-scale adherent cell culture studies and process development. Fully dissolves in EDTA + TrypLE within 15 minutes, enabling over 90% cell recovery.
- DMC Dissolvable Microcarriers - 10g Alginate-based microcarriers coated with denatured collagen (gelatin from Rousselot) for larger-scale adherent cell culture and bioreactor applications. Dissolves fully in standard reagents in 15 minutes for high-yield cell harvesting.
- PDLLA microparticles (40 µm) Bioresorbable poly-DL-lactic acid microparticles at 40 µm diameter for controlled injectables and drug delivery applications. Tight size distribution (CV below 5%) supports consistent drug release profiles.
- PDLLA microparticles (70 µm) Bioresorbable poly-DL-lactic acid microparticles at 70 µm diameter for controlled injectables and drug delivery applications. Tight size distribution enables predictable release kinetics.
- SlimBeads™ Plastic-free, vegan, biodegradable alginate-based nutraceutical microcapsules for weight management via ileal brake activation and endogenous GLP-1 release. Provides enteric protection with tunable intestinal release of actives.
- IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ Technology Platform Patented chip-free microencapsulation platform using micrometer-sized liquid jets in mid-air to produce uniform microparticles, microcapsules, and microfibers from 30 µm to 3 mm. Combines microfluidic-level precision (CV below 5%) with industrial throughput up to 1000x faster than chip-based microfluidics; solvent-free and gentle enough for live cells, peptides, and probiotics.
- Microencapsulation as a Service Contract microencapsulation services covering feasibility assessment, design and optimization, functional validation, and commercialization (contract manufacturing or technology transfer). Delivered through ISO 9001:2015 certified R&D labs (ISO-7 cleanroom, ML1 facility) for 0–1 kg batches and ISO 13485-compliant industrial pilot facility for 1–100 kg batches.
- IamFluidics Benchtop Equipment Setup Lab-scale, pilot-scale, and multi-ton IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ benchtop instrumentation sold to research institutions and industrial partners for in-house microencapsulation development and production.
Quantifiable outcome
- ≥1×10⁹ Mesenchymal Stem Cells produced within 14 days in a scalable bioreactor process
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use IamFluidics
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
IamFluidics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
IamFluidics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Rousselot (Darling Ingredients)coreCo-development and co-commercialization of Dissolvable Microcarriers (DMC) for adherent cell culture. IamFluidics contributes IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ production technology; Rousselot provides ultra-pure, endotoxin-controlled denatured collagen (gelatin) with full ISO 22442-2 traceability and viral inactivation validation. Product co-branded and distributed via Rousselot's biomedical commercial network. Rousselot has 130+ years of collagen expertise.
- Scinus Cell ExpansioncoreJoint validation of Dissolvable Microcarriers in the Osilaris™ bioreactor for scalable MSC expansion. Published application note demonstrating ≥1×10⁹ cells in 14 days. Scinus provides bioreactor platform; IamFluidics provides cell culture substrate. Partnership demonstrates DMC compatibility with industry-standard suspension bioreactor workflows.
- Fraunhofer ISC TLZ-RT and IBMTsupportingIndependent validation of Dissolvable Microcarrier performance. Conducted flow cytometry analysis confirming MSC phenotype preservation (≥95% CD73/CD90/CD105, ≤2% CD14/CD19/CD34/CD45) and trilineage differentiation potential post-harvest. Provides regulatory-grade validation data for customer adoption.
- Novel-TsupportingUniversity of Twente's startup incubator that facilitated IamFluidics' spin-off formation and early startup activities. Provides ongoing ecosystem networking support, including introductions to investors and partners. Supported the 2022 investment announcement communications.
- CorbioncoreCollaboration on controlled-release microparticle development using PLGA polymers for pharmaceutical applications. Corbion provides PLA and PLGA polymer expertise; IamFluidics provides IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ encapsulation platform. Case studies published on curcumin solubilization and long-acting release demonstrating 4+ weeks sustained delivery.
- Wageningen University & Research (WUR)coreResearch collaboration led by Dr. Meinou Corstens and Prof. Karin Schroën on SlimBeads™ nutraceutical product. WUR conducted clinical research demonstrating that oil-containing microcapsules can reduce food intake without changing product appearance or taste (ileal brake activation). REACT-EU funded joint project for plastic-free vegan weight management microcapsules.
- Aquamarijn Microfiltration B.V., Bether Encapsulates B.V., University of Twente (Consortium)supportingEFRO-funded consortium for in-air microfluidics upscaling project. Aquamarijn (Zutphen) and Bether Encapsulates (Groningen) collaborated with IamFluidics and University of Twente to develop monodisperse microdroplet production for industrial applications.
- University of TwentecoreSpin-off origin and ongoing academic partner. IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ technology invented in the Physics of Fluids group (Prof. Detlef Lohse, Dr. Claas Willem Visser) and Developmental BioEngineering group (Prof. Marcel Karperien, Dr. Tom Kamperman). Ongoing collaborations with Fluid Mechanics for Functional Materials, Leijten Laboratory, and Vascularization Lab at University of Twente for next-generation microbeads and tissue engineering applications.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IamFluidics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sphere Fluidics: Microfluidics company specializing in single-cell analysis, cell manipulation, and picodroplet-based workflows used in biologics discovery and cell therapy development. Comparable microfluidic platform serving overlapping biologics/pharma customers.
- Fluigent: Provider of microfluidic flow control instruments and droplet generation systems used in life sciences research and particle production. Directly comparable on the microfluidics instrumentation and fluid handling side.
- Syrris: Manufacturer of microfluidic systems for nano- and microparticle production, including flow chemistry and droplet generation platforms. Closely aligned with IamFluidics' equipment side; Richard Gray was also previously Commercial Director at Syrris.
- Particle Works: Microencapsulation specialist using microfluidic flow focusing to generate monodisperse droplets and particles, including alginate hydrogel microparticles. Highly comparable to IamFluidics' core offering; notably, IamFluidics' new CCO Pavel Abdulkin was previously Particle Works' CEO.
- Dolomite Microfluidics: Designs and manufactures microfluidic chips, instruments, and complete systems for particle generation, droplet microfluidics, and lab-on-a-chip research. Direct comparable in microfluidics equipment; IamFluidics' Strategic Business Partner Richard Gray was previously Commercial Director there.
Emerging players
- Curiox Biosystems: Microfluidics company focused on miniaturized cell processing and washing for cell therapy and immuno-oncology workflows using laminar flow technologies. Overlaps in microfluidic cell processing for cell therapy customers.
Broad incumbents
- Lonza: Global CDMO with extensive particle engineering and microencapsulation services for pharma (including former Bend Research capability). Overlaps with IamFluidics in pharma microencapsulation services and bioresorbable polymer particle production.
- Catalent: Major global CDMO offering softgel, controlled-release, and particle-based drug delivery services including PLGA-based long-acting injectables. Comparable on pharma drug delivery CDMO offerings, though much broader portfolio.
- Evonik: Specialty chemicals company with a Health Care division producing RESOMER bioresorbable PLA/PLGA polymers used in long-acting injectables and offering CDMO services for parenteral drug delivery. Comparable in bioresorbable polymer particle production for pharma.
- Blacktrace Holdings: Parent company of Dolomite Microfluidics and Syrris, providing a portfolio of microfluidic and particle generation technologies across multiple applications. Broader incumbent operating across the same microfluidic particle-production space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights4 records
Customer concentration
IamFluidics social profiles
Digital presenceIamFluidics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
IamFluidics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IamFluidics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
IamFluidics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IamFluidics 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 IamFluidics
What does IamFluidics do?
IamFluidics develops and operates a proprietary IN-AIR MICROFLUIDICS™ chip-free microencapsulation platform that produces monodisperse microparticles (30 µm to 3 mm) at industrial throughput. The company sells bioresorbable polymer microparticles (PDLLA) and alginate-based Dissolvable Microcarriers for cell culture, and offers contract microencapsulation services spanning feasibility studies, custom development, scale-up, and technology transfer.
Is IamFluidics a public or private company?
IamFluidics is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was IamFluidics founded?
IamFluidics was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IamFluidics based?
IamFluidics is headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does IamFluidics make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales — Dissolvable Microcarriers are the primary driver. The others are microencapsulation as a Service (合同开发和制造服务), equipment Sales — IamFluidics Setup and custom Microparticle Development & Co-Development.
Who are IamFluidics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sphere Fluidics, Fluigent, Syrris, Particle Works and Dolomite Microfluidics. Curiox Biosystems is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Lonza, Catalent, Evonik and Blacktrace Holdings.
Does IamFluidics have an API?
No public API is recorded for IamFluidics.
What industry is IamFluidics in?
IamFluidics's product category is Microencapsulation Materials & Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAHAJ, Crystallization, Particle Engineering & Micronization Services.