ONI
ONI is an Oxford University spin-out (founded 2016) that develops desktop super-resolution microscopes (Nanoimager, Aplo Scope, Aplo Flow) achieving 20nm single-molecule resolution, paired with cloud analysis software (CODI) and consumable kits for academic researchers, biotech, and pharma studying EVs, LNPs, and cell biology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersOxford, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ONI does
ONI is a privately held life-sciences instrumentation company, founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford, that designs and manufactures desktop super-resolution microscopes based on single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). Its core platform technology integrates multiple modalities — dSTORM, PALM, DNA-PAINT, Single Particle Tracking (SPT), and smFRET — into compact benchtop instruments (Nanoimager, the newer Aplo Scope launched January 2025, and the Aplo Flow automated sample-preparation platform), delivering 20nm resolution imaging of individual molecules in living and fixed cells. Around the hardware, ONI has built a layered software stack including the NimOS acquisition software, the CODI cloud-based collaborative analysis platform (114k+ uploaded datasets), and domain-specific analysis tools such as AutoEV and EVP2 Axis, supported by application-specific reagent kits (EV Profiler 2, Discovery Kits for dSTORM, LNP Profiler).
The company's revenue model combines capital-equipment sales (microscopes and Aplo Flow), recurring consumables (kits with ~2-month shelf life supporting EV and LNP workflows), and subscription-based cloud software (CODI), supplemented by professional services including grants assistance and Live from the Lab virtual training. Pricing is quote-based rather than list-price. ONI serves academic and research institutions, biotechnology companies, and pharmaceutical companies across four primary vertical segments: academic research, biotech, pharma, and applied life science researchers working in extracellular vesicles, lipid nanoparticles, cell therapy, neuroscience, virology, and immuno-oncology. The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cellular Immunotherapies is a named research partner using the Nanoimager for CAR-T biomarker work.
ONI sells through a hybrid direct-sales and distributor model, with a regional sales force in the US and UK and authorized distributors across Italy (Alfatest srl) and nine Asia-Pacific markets (Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, India), many operated through DKSH. The company has placed over 120 instruments across 25+ countries, empowering more than 650 scientists, with research outputs documented in 450+ scientific publications. It employs 101-250 people across its Oxford headquarters and San Diego North America headquarters (established August 2022) and has raised $75 million in a Series B round led by ARCH Venture Partners and Casdin Capital in January 2022.
ONI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ONI
- Legal name
- ONI
- Website
- https://oni.bio
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- ONI is an Oxford University spin-out (founded 2016) that develops desktop super-resolution microscopes (Nanoimager, Aplo Scope, Aplo Flow) achieving 20nm single-molecule resolution, paired with cloud analysis software (CODI) and consumable kits for academic researchers, biotech, and pharma studying EVs, LNPs, and cell biology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ONI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scientific Microscopy Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)
Keywords
Where ONI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oxford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ONI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware - Microscopes: Sale of Nanoimager and Aplo Scope desktop super-resolution microscopy platforms. One-time capital equipment purchase with accompanying software (NimOS).
- Aplo Flow Platform: Sale of automated sample preparation platform with programmable fluidics for end-to-end SMLM solutions.
- CODI Cloud Platform: Cloud-based analysis platform subscription for image acquisition, collaborative analysis, and data storage. NimOS software bundled with microscope purchases.
- Application Kits (EV Profiler 2, LNP Profiler): Consumable reagent kits for specific applications including EV profiling and LNP characterization. Replenishable products with 2-month shelf life.
- Discovery Kits (dSTORM): Sample preparation kits for super-resolution imaging. Modular workflow reagents including fixatives, buffers, and antibodies. Minimum 2-month shelf life.
- Professional Services - Grants Assistance: Grants assistance program helping researchers secure funding for ONI products. May include application support and consulting.
- Virtual Training Services: Live from the Lab virtual training sessions on EV Imaging, LNP Imaging, and DNA-PAINT Imaging for customer education and adoption.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
ONI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ONI designs, manufactures, and sells desktop super-resolution single-molecule microscopy platforms (Nanoimager and Aplo Scope) that achieve 20nm resolution, together with an automated sample preparation system (Aplo Flow), a cloud-based collaborative analysis platform (CODI), and application-specific reagent kits for extracellular vesicle profiling, lipid nanoparticle characterization, and cellular imaging. The offering is sold as an integrated end-to-end ecosystem to academic and industry life science researchers.
Product overview
ONI offers a comprehensive super-resolution microscopy portfolio consisting of hardware platforms (Aplo Scope, Nanoimager, Aplo Flow), software (CODI cloud platform, NimOS acquisition software, AutoEV analysis software), and application-specific kits (EV Profiler 2, Discovery Kit, LNP PREP). The ecosystem is designed as an integrated platform where microscopes work with automated sample preparation, cloud-based analysis, and specialized reagent kits to provide end-to-end solutions for extracellular vesicle research, lipid nanoparticle characterization, and single-molecule cellular imaging. The company was founded in 2016 as an Oxford University spin-out and has placed over 120 Nanoimagers worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nanoimager Compact benchtop super-resolution microscope supporting dSTORM, PALM, PAINT, Single-Particle Tracking, smFRET, TIRF, HILO, and epifluorescence imaging modalities with 20nm resolution, for academic and industry researchers in cell biology, neuroscience, and molecular imaging.
- Aplo Scope Desktop super-resolution microscope combining high-power SMLM imaging with low-power live cell imaging across a fully homogeneous field of view, with 5-color imaging capabilities and maximal spectral discrimination, for advanced single-molecule and live cell research.
- Aplo Flow Application-specific and customizable sample preparation platform with a fully automated liquid handler providing end-to-end SMLM workflows, compatible with EV Profiler 2 and LNP PREP kits.
- CODI (Collaborative Discovery) Cloud-based collaborative analysis platform for super-resolution microscopy data offering clustering analysis, single-molecule filtering, EV profiling, and dataset sharing with configurable privacy settings.
- EV Profiler 2 Reagent kit for visualization and phenotyping of extracellular vesicles using dSTORM on Aplo Scope and Nanoimager, featuring Pan-EV stain, Tetraspanin Trio, and up to 3-color biomarker detection at single-EV level.
- Discovery Kit (dSTORM in cells) Modular workflow kit for immunofluorescent labeling in cultured cells for dSTORM imaging, including fixatives, blocking buffers, fluorescently-labeled F(ab')2 secondary antibodies, and dSTORM imaging buffer for detection of extra and intracellular proteins at 20nm resolution.
- EVP2 Axis Free, open-source analysis tool for extracellular vesicle data across multiple datasets, generating standardized and custom plots for EV counts, biomarker positivity, and population-level analysis.
- AutoEV EV-optimized super-resolution acquisition and analysis software providing one-click system calibration, automatic 4-lane acquisition, real-time analysis, and custom 1-page EV report generation for EV Profiler 2 workflows.
- LNP PREP Automation system for lipid nanoparticle characterization combining programmable fluidics and super-resolution microscopy on the Aplo Flow platform.
- LNP Profiler Kit with AutoLNP Application kit for lipid nanoparticle characterization using super-resolution microscopy with automated analysis capabilities for the AutoLNP workflow.
- EV Sample Characterization Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 20nm resolution - 10x improvement over traditional diffraction-limited microscopy
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ONI
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ONI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability2 records
Feature10 records
ONI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Massive PhotonicscoreSuccessful collaboration bringing DNA-PAINT technology to the Nanoimager platform. Massive Photonics provides specialized reagents including 'massive sdAb-2-plex' kit for DNA-PAINT imaging enabling enhanced multiplexing capabilities.
- University of PennsylvaniaflagshipResearch collaboration with the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and Abramson Cancer Center to identify predictive CAR-T biomarkers using ONI's Super-resolution Nanoimager. Dr. Marco Ruella leads the research team focusing on mechanisms of resistance to CAR-T therapy and development of next-generation CAR-T treatments. ONI's technology enables 20nm resolution visualization of single molecule interactions in living cells.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ONI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Nanolive: Nanolive offers label-free, non-invasive live cell imaging (4D holotomography, CX-A) and competes for cell biology imaging budgets adjacent to ONI's live-cell SMLM use cases. Nanolive's distinct technology targets complementary rather than identical use cases.
- CytoViva: CytoViva specializes in high-resolution dark-field and hyperspectral imaging for nanoparticle and EV characterization, overlapping with ONI's EV Profiler and LNP Profiler application kits. Both serve nanomedicine and EV research markets.
Broad incumbents
- JEOL: JEOL is a long-standing electron microscopy and scientific instruments manufacturer that competes in advanced imaging for life sciences. While primarily known for EM, JEOL's optical/SEM/atomic resolution products serve overlapping academic and pharma imaging core customers as ONI.
- Molecular Devices (Danaher): Molecular Devices (part of Danaher) offers high-content imaging and plate-reader systems used in cell biology and drug discovery. Its ImageXpress and related platforms compete for cell biology imaging budgets and overlap with ONI's live-cell and cell-phenotyping applications.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Life Sciences): Thermo Fisher's Life Sciences Solutions division (including EVOS, Attune, and protein/antibody consumables) competes for academic and biotech research budgets adjacent to ONI's offerings, with dominant global distribution in research labs.
Direct peers
- Abbelight: Abbelight provides super-resolution microscopy systems (SAFe 180, NEO) for live-cell single-molecule imaging, directly competing with ONI's Nanoimager and Aplo Scope. Both target cell biology and neuroscience applications with SMLM technology.
- Leica Microsystems (Danaher): Leica's STELLARIS STED and TauSTED platforms, plus its Lightning and DLS offerings, compete with ONI in super-resolution microscopy. As part of Danaher, Leica benefits from a massive life sciences sales channel and competes on integrated workflows (microscope + reagents + software).
- Nikon Instruments (N-STORM / N-SIM): Nikon offers N-STORM (SMLM) and N-SIM (structured illumination) super-resolution systems directly competing with ONI's dSTORM and PALM capabilities. Nikon's Ti2-E inverted microscope platform serves the same academic and pharma imaging core customers.
- Carl Zeiss Microscopy (ZEISS Elyra): ZEISS Elyra 7 (PALM, dSTORM, SIM) is a leading super-resolution microscope family from a global microscopy incumbent. ZEISS competes head-to-head with ONI for academic core facilities and pharma imaging, with deep service networks and bundled software.
- Bruker (Luxendo / Vutara): Bruker acquired Luxendo (light-sheet) and offers the Vutara super-resolution microscope, a single-molecule localization platform competing directly with ONI's Nanoimager and Aplo Scope for academic and biotech imaging core facilities. Both companies target similar SMLM use cases including single-particle tracking and live-cell super-resolution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ONI social profiles
Digital presenceONI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ONI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
ONI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ONI 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 ONI
What does ONI do?
ONI designs, manufactures, and sells desktop super-resolution single-molecule microscopy platforms (Nanoimager and Aplo Scope) that achieve 20nm resolution, together with an automated sample preparation system (Aplo Flow), a cloud-based collaborative analysis platform (CODI), and application-specific reagent kits for extracellular vesicle profiling, lipid nanoparticle characterization, and cellular imaging. The offering is sold as an integrated end-to-end ecosystem to academic and industry life science researchers.
Is ONI a public or private company?
ONI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was ONI founded?
ONI was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ONI based?
ONI is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ONI make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Hardware - Microscopes are the primary driver. The others are aplo Flow Platform, CODI Cloud Platform, application Kits (EV Profiler 2, LNP Profiler), discovery Kits (dSTORM), professional Services - Grants Assistance and virtual Training Services.
Who are ONI's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Nanolive and CytoViva. Broad incumbents are JEOL, Molecular Devices (Danaher) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (Life Sciences). Direct peers are Abbelight, Leica Microsystems (Danaher), Nikon Instruments (N-STORM / N-SIM), Carl Zeiss Microscopy (ZEISS Elyra) and Bruker (Luxendo / Vutara).
Does ONI have an API?
No public API is recorded for ONI.
What industry is ONI in?
ONI's product category is Scientific Microscopy Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAE, Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments, with a secondary code of HLAGAJAO, AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization. Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.