LumaCyte
LumaCyte is a private Charlottesville, Virginia-based biotechnology instrumentation company that sells the Radiance® Laser Force Cytology platform — a label-free, real-time single-cell analyzer — to biopharmaceutical manufacturers, cell and gene therapy developers, vaccine producers, and research institutions for bioprocess monitoring and quality control.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersKeswick, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What LumaCyte does
LumaCyte, Inc. is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based private biotechnology instrumentation company founded in 2012 that develops and commercializes a label-free, real-time single-cell analysis platform built on its proprietary Laser Force Cytology (LFC) technology. LFC measures intrinsic biophysical and biochemical properties of individual cells — including optical force, deformability, eccentricity, size, and velocity — within a microfluidic channel, eliminating the need for antibody or genetic labeling. The flagship product is the Radiance® instrument, complemented by Illuminate™ control and analysis software, ReportR™ cloud-based SaaS for automated analysis and standardized reporting, and a Fluids Subscription Plan (FSP) for recurring reagent and consumable supply. The platform is positioned for real-time bioprocess monitoring, in-process quality control, and predictive analytics across cell and gene therapy manufacturing, viral vector production, vaccine development, and biologics production.
LumaCyte sells primarily to biopharmaceutical companies, cell and gene therapy manufacturers, CDMOs, vaccine developers, and government/research institutions including NIST and ATCC. Revenue is generated through a mix of instrument hardware sales, recurring software subscriptions (Illuminate, ReportR), consumables via FSP, and professional services including bioassay development, biostatistical predictive modeling, and the LFC Training Academy. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the Request a Quote workflow solicits quantity (1–2, 3–5, or 6+ units), desired delivery quarter in 2026, and therapeutic area. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales, with industry conferences (ISCT, Phacilitate Advanced Therapies Week, CASSS WCBP) serving as key lead-generation channels.
Strategically, LumaCyte has shifted from a research-instrument posture to a regulated-analytics posture, evidenced by ISO 16921-2:2026 standard inclusion (March 2026), inclusion in ATCC's Certificate of Analysis for viral infectivity measurement (June 2025), and an FDA invitation to train cell and gene therapy reviewers on the Radiance platform. The company is backed by a September 2023 Series B led by Malvern Panalytical, with a board seat granted to the investor, and is led by co-founder and CEO/CSO Sean Hart, a former U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientist, alongside President and Chief Business Officer Renee A. Hart.
LumaCyte firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LumaCyte
- Legal name
- LumaCyte, Inc.
- Website
- https://lumacyte.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LumaCyte is a private Charlottesville, Virginia-based biotechnology instrumentation company that sells the Radiance® Laser Force Cytology platform — a label-free, real-time single-cell analyzer — to biopharmaceutical manufacturers, cell and gene therapy developers, vaccine producers, and research institutions for bioprocess monitoring and quality control.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LumaCyte industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Single-Cell Analysis Instrumentation
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cell Culture & Bioprocess Lab Equipment (Bioreactors, Single-Use Systems, Controllers) (HLAGAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Discovery Platforms (target ID/validation, functional profiling) (HLAAAIAF)
Keywords
Where LumaCyte is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Keswick
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LumaCyte business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Radiance Instrument Sales: LumaCyte sells its Radiance hardware platform, a real-time label-free single-cell analyzer. The instrument is targeted at biopharmaceutical companies, cell and gene therapy manufacturers, and vaccine developers for use in R&D, process development, and QC workflows. Sales are quote-driven, with enterprise field sales engagement.
- Software Subscriptions (ReportR & Illuminate): SaaS software products including ReportR (cloud-based automated analysis and reporting) and Illuminate (instrument control and data analysis). These likely operate on a subscription model integrated with the Radiance hardware platform.
- Services & Support: LumaCyte offers product support, bioassay and bioprocessing services, technical training (LFC Training Academy), and lab services including biostatistical predictive modeling. Professional services are offered alongside instrument sales.
- Fluids Subscription Plan (FSP): Referenced in the contact sales form as a product of interest, suggesting a recurring consumables or reagent subscription offering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based pricing for Radiance instrument, software, and services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
LumaCyte product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LumaCyte develops and manufactures the Radiance instrument, a label-free single-cell analysis platform built on proprietary Laser Force Cytology (LFC) technology that measures intrinsic cellular properties (mass, density, deformability) in real time without stains or labels. The instrument is sold to biopharmaceutical manufacturers and is bundled with the Illuminate data-analysis software, the ReportR cloud-based reporting/automation SaaS, and a Fluids Subscription Plan for consumables, enabling applications in cell and gene therapy analytics, viral vector quantification, vaccine development, and biologics bioprocess monitoring.
Product overview
LumaCyte offers a unified platform centered on its Laser Force Cytology (LFC) technology, combining hardware and software products for real-time, label-free single-cell analysis. The core Radiance® instrument serves as the central platform for measuring cellular properties through optical force, complemented by two software modules: Illuminate™ for instrument control and data visualization, and ReportR™ for automated cloud-based analysis and standardized reporting. A Fluids Subscription Plan provides ongoing reagent and consumable support. Together, these products enable real-time bioprocess monitoring, quality control, and predictive analytics across cell therapy, gene therapy, vaccine development, and biomanufacturing workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Radiance®: Real-time cell analyzer instrument based on Laser Force Cytology technology for label-free single-cell analysis
- Illuminate™
- ReportR™
- Laser Force Cytology™ (LFC™)
Products and services
- Radiance Label-free, real-time single-cell analysis instrument using proprietary Laser Force Cytology (LFC) to measure intrinsic cellular properties (mass, density, deformation) without stains or labels. Sold to biopharma manufacturers, cell and gene therapy developers, vaccine manufacturers, and biologics producers for in-process and release analytics.
- Illuminate Data acquisition and analysis software for the Radiance platform that automates single-cell measurement workflows and applies multivariate analytics to cellular datasets.
- ReportR Cloud-based SaaS reporting and automation platform for Radiance, enabling standardized report generation, automated workflows, and remote instrument/process monitoring across enterprise sites.
- Fluids Subscription Plan Subscription-based consumables program that delivers the proprietary fluids and consumables required to run Radiance instruments on a recurring basis.
- Bioassay Services Contract bioassay services in which LumaCyte runs customer samples on its Radiance platform, delivering label-free single-cell analytics for applications such as cell therapy characterization and viral vector quantification.
- Bioprocessing Services Contract bioprocessing services that apply Radiance-based analytics to support customer bioprocess development, monitoring, and optimization in cell therapy, vaccine, and biologics manufacturing.
- Training Services Training services that onboard customer scientists and operators on Radiance instrument operation, Illuminate/ReportR workflows, and LFC-based assay execution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Approximately 400-800x faster viral infectivity results (5-10 minutes vs. 72 hours for endpoint dilution assays)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use LumaCyte
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LumaCyte technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
LumaCyte partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and significant.
- ATCCcoreLumaCyte's Radiance platform is being used by ATCC to characterize its Human Adenovirus Type 5 Reference Material, demonstrating practical application of LumaCyte's ISO-recognized analytical method. This inclusion in ATCC's reference material portfolio validates the technology for viral vector quality control.
- CatalentsignificantCatalent collaborated with LumaCyte on a FierceBio Gene Therapy White Paper featuring Laser Force Cytology technology for gene therapy applications, demonstrating integration of LumaCyte's analytics into Catalent's gene therapy manufacturing workflows.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)significantNIST researchers (Sumona Sarkar, PhD, Biomedical Engineer) collaborated with LumaCyte to present research at ISCT 2024 demonstrating novel and fit-for-purpose methods for cell viability monitoring using Radiance. The collaboration showcases the predictive power of LumaCyte's label-free, real-time platform for process optimization and cell fitness insights.
- Thermo Fisher ScientificsignificantThermo Fisher Scientific and LumaCyte collaborated on peer-reviewed research published in Vaccine journal demonstrating how Radiance offers researchers the ability to rapidly analyze viral vaccines to speed development and production. The study showed LFC delivers approximately 400-800x faster viral infectivity results than conventional methods.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LumaCyte competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- 10x Genomics: 10x Genomics offers single-cell analysis platforms (Chromium, Xenium) primarily for genomics and spatial omics rather than bioprocess analytics. Comparable as a single-cell analysis instrumentation leader, though its application focus (discovery vs. bioprocess) differs materially from LumaCyte's.
Broad incumbents
- Sartorius: Sartorius is a global leader in bioprocess equipment and PAT solutions, with strong relationships in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. As LumaCyte's Radiance becomes embedded in bioprocess workflows, it competes for the same PAT budget that Sartorius serves with its broader analytics and sensor portfolio.
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher): Beckman Coulter is a dominant incumbent in flow cytometry (CytoFLEX, CytoFLEX S) and analytical centrifugation with deep penetration in cell therapy and bioprocess QC labs. LumaCyte competes against the installed base and method-stickiness of Beckman Coulter's platforms.
- BD Biosciences: BD Biosciences is one of the largest flow cytometry and cell sorting providers (FACSDiscover S8, FACSChorus) with broad adoption across biopharma, cell therapy, and immunology. The flagship BD FACSDiscover cell sorter with CellView image technology is the most direct large-instrument competitor to LumaCyte's approach.
- Repligen: Repligen provides bioprocess analytics (CTech FlowVPE, SoloVPE, Spectrum) and process monitoring instruments used in gene therapy and biologics manufacturing. Comparable as an established PAT analytics provider whose customers overlap with LumaCyte's target segments.
- Cytiva: Cytiva (Danaher) provides bioprocess and analytical solutions including cell counting, imaging, and process monitoring tools across cell therapy and vaccine manufacturing. Comparable as a broad incumbent in bioprocess analytics serving the same end customers as LumaCyte.
- Sony Biotechnology: Sony Biotechnology (MA900, SH800 cell sorters) is an established provider of high-speed cell sorting instruments used extensively in cell therapy manufacturing and biopharma research. A relevant incumbent benchmark for cell analysis instrumentation serving cell therapy and immunology customers.
Direct peers
- Cytek Biosciences: Cytek is a direct peer in cell analysis instrumentation, providing spectral flow cytometry platforms (Northern Lights, Aurora) used in immunology, cell therapy, and bioprocess workflows. Competes for the same biopharma and research budgets with comparable single-cell analysis use cases.
- Bruker Cellular Analysis (formerly Berkeley Lights): Bruker Cellular Analysis (acquired Berkeley Lights in 2023) offers the Beacon platform for single-cell functional analysis using optofluidic technology. Directly comparable as a label-free / non-label single-cell analysis instrument targeting antibody discovery, cell therapy development, and bioprocess analytics.
- NanoCellect Biomedical: NanoCellect provides microfluidic flow cytometry and cell sorting instruments (WOLF Cell Sorter, N1 Single-Cell Dispenser) for cell therapy and bioprocess applications. Closely comparable as a smaller, microfluidic-based single-cell analysis company serving similar cell therapy and gene therapy developer customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LumaCyte social profiles
Digital presenceLumaCyte financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LumaCyte leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
LumaCyte funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LumaCyte 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 LumaCyte
What does LumaCyte do?
LumaCyte develops and manufactures the Radiance instrument, a label-free single-cell analysis platform built on proprietary Laser Force Cytology (LFC) technology that measures intrinsic cellular properties (mass, density, deformability) in real time without stains or labels. The instrument is sold to biopharmaceutical manufacturers and is bundled with the Illuminate data-analysis software, the ReportR cloud-based reporting/automation SaaS, and a Fluids Subscription Plan for consumables, enabling applications in cell and gene therapy analytics, viral vector quantification, vaccine development, and biologics bioprocess monitoring.
Is LumaCyte a public or private company?
LumaCyte is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was LumaCyte founded?
LumaCyte was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LumaCyte based?
LumaCyte is headquartered in Keswick, United States, in the North America region.
How does LumaCyte make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Radiance Instrument Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Subscriptions (ReportR & Illuminate), services & Support and fluids Subscription Plan (FSP).
Who are LumaCyte's main competitors?
10x Genomics is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Sartorius, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher), BD Biosciences, Repligen, Cytiva and Sony Biotechnology. Direct peers are Cytek Biosciences, Bruker Cellular Analysis (formerly Berkeley Lights) and NanoCellect Biomedical.
Does LumaCyte have an API?
No public API is recorded for LumaCyte.
What industry is LumaCyte in?
LumaCyte's product category is Single-Cell Analysis Instrumentation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAG, Cell Culture & Bioprocess Lab Equipment (Bioreactors, Single-Use Systems, Controllers), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAF, Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Discovery Platforms (target ID/validation, functional profiling). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.