On-chip Biotechnologies
On-chip Biotechnologies is a Japanese bio-venture that develops and sells microfluidic chip-based cell sorters, droplet generators, and droplet selectors for high-throughput microbial and cellular screening, serving academic, government, and pharmaceutical research institutions worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What On-chip Biotechnologies does
On-chip Biotechnologies is a Japanese bio-venture company founded in 2013 (legal entity 株式会社オンチップ・バイオテクノロジーズ) and headquartered in Koganei, Tokyo, that develops and sells scientific instrumentation built on proprietary disposable microfluidic chip technology. The company's core product platform consists of three integrated instruments: the On-chip Sort microfluidic chip-based cell sorter/analyzer, the On-chip Droplet Generator for mass-producing 20-100 μm water-in-oil droplets, and the On-chip Droplet Selector, which the company describes as the world's only system enabling simultaneous analysis, separation, and single-well dispensing of water-in-oil droplets at approximately 1 million samples per hour. Differentiated features include oil-based sheathing (no competitor replicates this capability), gentle air-pressure sample handling, and a replaceable chip architecture that eliminates cross-contamination. The company serves academic and government research institutions (University of Tokyo, RIKEN, AIST, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Keio, Kyushu, Nagaoka, Harvard Medical School, NYU Langone, UBC, Glasgow), pharmaceutical enterprises (Astellas), and emerging food-industry customers (Yukijirushi Megmilk).
The business model combines hardware sales of capital equipment with recurring revenue from proprietary reagents and consumables, including the On-chip MiMe-Stain Green/Red staining reagents and specialty chips such as the 2-Compound Mix Chip. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; sales are conducted through direct inquiry with product demonstrations, supplemented by a capital and business partnership with As One Corporation for global distribution. Go-to-market emphasizes scientific community engagement via the annual DROPLET user conference series, academic conference exhibitions (BioJapan, Japanese Society for Bacteriology, FEMS, etc.), webinars, and a research grant program (the On-chip Biotechnologies Award). Strategic capital partnerships have been established with Tohoku University Venture Partners (2024, ¥200M for overseas expansion and micro-cultivation device development), As One Corporation (2023, global distribution), and Otsuka Electronics (2023, optical technology integration). The company is privately held with 11-50 employees, a US subsidiary (On-chip Biotechnologies USA Co. Ltd.), and an installed base of approximately 20 Droplet Selector units as of 2024.
On-chip Biotechnologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- On-chip Biotechnologies
- Legal name
- 株式会社オンチップ・バイオテクノロジーズ
- Website
- https://on-chip.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- On-chip Biotechnologies is a Japanese bio-venture that develops and sells microfluidic chip-based cell sorters, droplet generators, and droplet selectors for high-throughput microbial and cellular screening, serving academic, government, and pharmaceutical research institutions worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
On-chip Biotechnologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfluidic Scientific Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays) (HLAGAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biosensors & Lab-on-Chip (BioMEMS) (HDAHALAK), Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)
Keywords
Where On-chip Biotechnologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
On-chip Biotechnologies 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, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Scientific instrumentation hardware: Sale of microfluidic chip-based cell sorters, droplet generators, and droplet selectors as capital equipment to research institutions and companies.
- Reagents and consumables: Ongoing sales of specialized reagents, microfluidic chips, and consumables for droplet generation and analysis systems.
- Technical support and services: Product demonstrations, technical support, and after-sales service for instrumentation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Capital equipment for research institutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
On-chip Biotechnologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
On-chip Biotechnologies (オンチップ・バイオテクノロジーズ) designs, manufactures, and sells microfluidic chip-based scientific instruments for cell separation and droplet-based screening, including the On-chip Sort cell sorter, On-chip Droplet Generator/Selector, and the Droplet Generator S. The instruments use disposable microfluidic chips with air pressure control and optional multi-laser detection, and are paired with reagents and consumables (such as On-chip MiMe-Stain) for use in life-science research and industrial R&D.
Product overview
On-chip Biotechnologies is a Japanese biotech venture company that develops and sells innovative instruments using proprietary microfluidic chip technology. The core product portfolio consists of three main devices: (1) On-chip Sort - a cell sorter/analyzer achieving contamination-free and damage-free separation; (2) On-chip Droplet Generator - for producing water-in-oil droplets to encapsulate microorganisms/cells; and (3) On-chip Droplet Selector - for analyzing, separating, and single-dispensing droplets. These products work together as an integrated system for high-throughput microbial/cellular screening, with the Droplet Generator creating droplets, the Droplet Selector enabling 1000x faster processing than conventional methods, and the On-chip Sort providing cell analysis and sorting capabilities. The company also offers related reagents, consumables, and specialty chips.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- On-chip Droplet Selector: World's only device enabling analysis, separation, and single-droplet dispensing of water-in-oil droplets, enabling one-million sample processing in approximately one hour for cell and microorganism screening.
- On-chip Droplet Generator
- On-chip Sort
Products and services
- On-chip Sort Microfluidic chip-based cell sorter with disposable chip cartridges for gentle, high-throughput single-cell sorting of microbial and mammalian cells, used by university, public research and pharma/biotech labs.
- On-chip Droplet Generator Microfluidic instrument that generates uniform water-in-oil droplets for use in single-cell analysis, droplet-based screening and related assays.
- On-chip Droplet Selector Microfluidic instrument for selecting specific droplets within the On-chip platform, extending the company's droplet-based screening workflow.
- Droplet Generator S Next-generation microfluidic droplet generator instrument for producing water-in-oil droplets in On-chip workflows, including a 2-Compound Mix Chip option.
- 2-Compound Mix Chip Disposable microfluidic chip used with the Droplet Generator S to mix two compounds in droplet workflows for screening and assay preparation.
- Reagents and Consumables (incl. On-chip MiMe-Stain Green/Red and Organoid Culture Kit) Reagents and consumables for use with On-chip instruments, including On-chip MiMe-Stain Green/Red microbial staining reagents and an On-chip Organoid Culture Kit, for microbial and cell-based assays.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1 million samples processed per hour versus traditional 10,000 sample limit
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use On-chip Biotechnologies
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
On-chip Biotechnologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
On-chip Biotechnologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Yukijirushi Megmilk (雪印メグミルク)majorThree-way joint research with bitBiome to build high-throughput screening systems for beneficial food microorganisms, utilizing microfluidic droplet technology for the food industry.
- bitBiomemajorThree-way joint research with Yukijirushi Megmilk to develop high-throughput screening platform for food-related beneficial microorganisms using droplet technology.
- Otsuka Electronics (大塚電子)coreCapital and business alliance for combining Otsuka Electronics' optical technology with On-chip's microfluidic technology to develop innovative products for the biotechnology field, contributing to the bioeconomy society.
- As One Corporation (アズワン)coreCapital and business partnership for global sales expansion of On-chip products. As One Corporation is a leading life science distributor with international sales network covering 85% of sales currently in Japan.
- Keio University (慶應義塾大学)majorJoint research collaboration with Professor Matsumoto's laboratory on gut microbiome research using droplet technology for single-cell cultivation and metabolic analysis of intestinal bacteria.
- Nagaoka University of Technology (長岡技術科学大学)majorCollaboration with Professor Ogasawara on million-scale microorganism screening for discovering useful microorganisms for applications in agriculture, energy, and environmental remediation.
- Kyushu University (九州大学)majorJoint research with Professor Kamiya on enzyme-based hydrogel droplet technology for gentle cell encapsulation, cultivation, and recovery applications.
- RIKEN BioResource Research Center (理化学研究所)majorCollaboration with the Plant-Microbe Symbiosis Research Team on discovering beneficial microorganisms for sustainable agriculture using droplet-based high-throughput screening.
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases (国立感染症研究所)majorResearch collaboration using droplet technology for efficient isolation and cultivation of pathogenic bacteria including Mycobacterium ulcerans causing Buruli ulcer.
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (産業技術総合研究所)majorCollaboration on developing and applying droplet technology for microbial screening, with expertise sharing from researcher Noda in biomedicine applications.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
On-chip Biotechnologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sphere Fluidics: UK-based microfluidic picodroplet technology company offering Cyto-Mine, a single-cell analysis and sorting platform using similar water-in-oil droplet encapsulation technology. Most direct head-to-head competitor in the droplet-based single-cell screening category On-chip sells into.
- Sony Biotechnology: Sony's life-science arm selling bench-top cell sorters (SH800, MA900 Multi-Application Sorter) that directly compete with On-chip Sort. Comparable microfluidic/jet-in-air sorter architectures targeting the same academic and biotech research customers.
- Dolomite Bio (Blacktrace): UK microfluidic specialist offering Nadia and Nadia Innovate droplet-based single-cell encapsulation and screening instruments. Competes head-to-head with On-chip Droplet Generator/Selector in microbial and mammalian single-cell workflows.
Broad incumbents
- Becton Dickinson (BD) Biosciences: Global leader in flow cytometry and cell sorting (BD FACSAria, BD FACSDiscover, BD CellView ImageStream). Larger incumbent serving the same research and pharma customers; On-chip Sort and Droplet Selector compete against BD's installed base of high-throughput sorters and droplet assays.
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher): Sells CytoFLEX S and Astrios EQ cell sorters plus the Biomek laboratory automation platform. Major incumbent in cell sorting and high-throughput screening with a global service network and reagent ecosystem that overlaps with On-chip's target customers.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Major life-science tools company offering the QX200 Droplet Digital PCR (droplet-partitioning) system and Bio-Plex flow cytometry platforms. Directly comparable droplet-based technology and competes for analytical-instrument budget at research institutions using On-chip Droplet Selector.
- Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm): Developer of microfluidic single-cell and mass cytometry platforms (Hyperion, CyTOF, Biomark HD). Same microfluidic-architecture heritage as On-chip and overlapping use cases in immunology, cell biology, and high-content screening.
Emerging players
- Cytek Biosciences: Maker of the Aurora and Northern Lights spectral flow cytometers gaining rapid academic market share. Competes with On-chip Sort in multi-color cell analysis with similar laser configurations (Aurora handles 40+ markers versus On-chip's 6-color, multi-laser system).
- 10x Genomics: Sells the Chromium platform for droplet-based single-cell sequencing and multi-omics. Overlaps with On-chip Droplet Generator in microfluidic droplet generation, though 10x focuses on sequencing read-out rather than sorting/dispensing.
- Apogee Flow Systems: UK specialist in flow cytometry of nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles (Apogee A50-MICRO). Comparable instrument technology to On-chip for small-particle analysis and an alternative path for customers who would otherwise consider On-chip Sort for delicate particles.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
On-chip Biotechnologies social profiles
Digital presenceOn-chip Biotechnologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
On-chip Biotechnologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
On-chip Biotechnologies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
On-chip Biotechnologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
On-chip Biotechnologies 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 On-chip Biotechnologies
What does On-chip Biotechnologies do?
On-chip Biotechnologies (オンチップ・バイオテクノロジーズ) designs, manufactures, and sells microfluidic chip-based scientific instruments for cell separation and droplet-based screening, including the On-chip Sort cell sorter, On-chip Droplet Generator/Selector, and the Droplet Generator S. The instruments use disposable microfluidic chips with air pressure control and optional multi-laser detection, and are paired with reagents and consumables (such as On-chip MiMe-Stain) for use in life-science research and industrial R&D.
Is On-chip Biotechnologies a public or private company?
On-chip Biotechnologies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was On-chip Biotechnologies founded?
On-chip Biotechnologies was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is On-chip Biotechnologies based?
On-chip Biotechnologies is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does On-chip Biotechnologies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Scientific instrumentation hardware is the primary driver. The others are reagents and consumables and technical support and services.
Who are On-chip Biotechnologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sphere Fluidics, Sony Biotechnology and Dolomite Bio (Blacktrace). Broad incumbents are Becton Dickinson (BD) Biosciences, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher), Bio-Rad Laboratories and Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm). Emerging players are Cytek Biosciences, 10x Genomics and Apogee Flow Systems.
Does On-chip Biotechnologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for On-chip Biotechnologies.
What industry is On-chip Biotechnologies in?
On-chip Biotechnologies's product category is Microfluidic Scientific Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAF, Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays), with a secondary code of HDAHALAK, Biosensors & Lab-on-Chip (BioMEMS). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.