Berkeley Lights
Berkeley Lights, now Bruker Cellular Analysis following its 2022 acquisition by Bruker, provides optofluidic and proteomic barcoding instruments and consumables for live single-cell functional analysis, serving academic, biopharmaceutical, and contract research customers in antibody discovery, cell line development, and T cell profiling.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersEmeryville, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Berkeley Lights does
Berkeley Lights, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, developed an optofluidic platform that combined microfluidics and optics to perform live, function-first single-cell analysis. After its acquisition by Bruker in 2022, the business was rebranded as Bruker Cellular Analysis and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the publicly traded scientific instruments company (NASDAQ: BRKR). The company sells two integrated product suites: the Optofluidic Suite, anchored by the Beacon family of instruments (Beacon Discovery, Beacon Quest, Beacon Optofluidic System, Beacon Select, and Culture Station) for antibody discovery, T cell profiling, and cell line development; and the Proteomic Barcoding Suite (IsoLight and IsoSpark systems, with CodePlex and Meteor workflows and IsoSpeak software) for multiplexed single-cell cytokine, chemokine, and phosphoprotein profiling. Supporting kits (Antibody Discovery Kit, Cell Line Development Kit, T Cell Profiling Kit) and chips (Single-Cell Secretome, Single-Cell Signaling) drive recurring consumables use on installed instruments.
The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining capital equipment sales, recurring consumables and kits, software licenses (Cell Analysis Suite, IsoSpeak), and a subscription-style Technology Access Program that broadens access to the Beacon Discovery platform without requiring full instrument purchase. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales targeting academic and translational research labs, biopharmaceutical companies developing biologics and cell therapies, and contract research organizations; customers cited include the Medical College of Wisconsin, Mycenax, and Abveris, with stated outcomes including compressed cell line development timelines and reduced therapeutic timelines by over a year. Marketing is multi-channel, leveraging publications, webinars, conferences, customer spotlights, and virtual product tours. Following the Bruker acquisition, the unit was integrated alongside the prior Berkeley Lights acquisition of IsoPlexis, expanding its single-cell proteomics footprint. The company is not currently public; its former NASDAQ listing as BLI has been delisted as part of the going-private transaction.
Berkeley Lights firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Berkeley Lights
- Legal name
- Bruker Cellular Analysis
- Website
- https://berkeleylights.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Berkeley Lights, now Bruker Cellular Analysis following its 2022 acquisition by Bruker, provides optofluidic and proteomic barcoding instruments and consumables for live single-cell functional analysis, serving academic, biopharmaceutical, and contract research customers in antibody discovery, cell line development, and T cell profiling.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Berkeley Lights industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Single-Cell Analysis Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Discovery Platforms (target ID/validation, functional profiling) (HLAAAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Services (HLAGANAC), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Bioinformatics, Multi-Omics Data Analysis & Interpretation Services (HLAGANAI), Cell-Based & Potency Assays (Bioassays) (HLAGADAH)
Keywords
Where Berkeley Lights is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Emeryville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Berkeley Lights business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Optofluidic Instruments: Sale of Beacon series instruments including Beacon Discovery, Beacon Optofluidic System, Beacon Select, Beacon Quest, and Culture Station for single-cell functional analysis
- Proteomic Barcoding Instruments: Sale of IsoLight and IsoSpark systems for single-cell proteomic analysis
- Kits & Solutions: Specialized consumables including Antibody Discovery Kit, Cell Line Development Kit, T Cell Profiling Kit, Single-Cell Secretome, Single-Cell Signaling chips, and proteomics solutions
- Software Licenses: Cell Analysis Suite Software and IsoSpeak Software for data analysis
- Technology Access Program: Flexible access model allowing labs to use Beacon technology without full instrument purchase
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Direct instrument purchase for full platform ownership |
| Subscription | Annual | Technology Access Program for flexible access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Berkeley Lights product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Berkeley Lights develops and sells optofluidic instruments (Beacon Discovery, Beacon Quest, Beacon Optofluidic System, Beacon Select, Culture Station) and proteomic barcoding systems (IsoLight, IsoSpark) that perform live, function-first single-cell analysis for antibody discovery, T cell profiling, cell line development, and predictive disease/therapeutic efficacy research. The hardware is paired with kits (Antibody Discovery, Cell Line Development, T Cell Profiling), chip-based solutions (Single-Cell Secretome, Single-Cell Signaling, CodePlex, Meteor), and software (Cell Analysis Suite, IsoSpeak) for end-to-end single-cell workflows. Customers include academic, translational, biotech, biopharmaceutical, and contract research organizations.
Product overview
Bruker Cellular Analysis (formerly Berkeley Lights) offers two integrated product suites for live single cell and proteomic analysis. The Optofluidic Product Suite (Beacon Discovery™, Beacon Quest™, Beacon® Optofluidic System, Beacon Select™, Culture Station™) provides live single-cell functional analysis enabling antibody discovery, T cell profiling, and cell line development. The Proteomic Barcoding Suite (IsoLight, IsoSpark) captures highly multiplexed cytokine, chemokine, and phosphoprotein signatures from single cells for disease progression and therapeutic efficacy prediction. Supporting kits (Antibody Discovery, Cell Line Development, T Cell Profiling) and software (Cell Analysis Suite, IsoSpeak) complete the platform. Research applications span cancer immunology, cell and gene therapy, infectious disease, inflammation/neurology, and oncology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beacon Discovery™ Optofluidic System A compact benchtop optofluidic system that enables function-first, live single-cell research for academic, translational, and biotech laboratories, performing high-throughput single-cell screening and analysis.
- Beacon Quest™ System An optofluidic instrument for live single-cell functional analysis that interrogates cells with high precision and multi-parameter readouts.
- Beacon® Optofluidic System Flagship optofluidic platform for functionally profiling live single cells to discover therapeutic antibodies, interrogate T cells, and develop cell lines with high quality and productivity.
- Beacon Select™ System for Cell Line Development A specialized optofluidic system optimized for cell line development workflows, compressing development timelines while maintaining high-quality, productive clones.
- Culture Station™ System An instrument that supports cell culture workflows within the optofluidic ecosystem, enabling automated cell handling and analysis.
- IsoLight System A proteomic barcoding instrument for capturing highly multiplexed cytokine, chemokine, and phosphoprotein signatures from single cells to predict disease progression and therapeutic efficacy.
- IsoSpark System A proteomic barcoding instrument providing walkaway proteomics capabilities for high-throughput single-cell proteomic analysis.
- Technology Access Program A program providing access to Beacon Discovery technology for researchers who prefer not to purchase the instrument outright, enabling broader adoption of live single-cell analysis.
- Antibody Discovery Kit A specialized kit enabling function-first, high-throughput single B cell screening for antibody discovery campaigns.
- Cell Line Development Kit A kit providing reagents and protocols for compressed, automated cell line development workflows on Beacon platforms.
- T Cell Profiling Kit A kit for interrogating T cell function to discover effective TCR/CAR sequences and recover cells of interest for multi-omic insights.
- Cell Analysis Suite Software Optofluidic software suite for data acquisition, analysis, and visualization from Beacon instrument systems.
- IsoSpeak Software Proteomic barcoding software for analyzing and visualizing high-dimensional single-cell proteomic data.
- Single-Cell Secretome A chip product for capturing and analyzing secreted proteins from individual single cells, enabling functional characterization at the single-cell level.
- Single-Cell Signaling A chip product for analyzing intracellular signaling pathways and phosphoprotein signatures from single cells.
- CodePlex: Walkaway Proteomics A walkaway proteomics solution enabling automated, high-throughput proteomic analysis with minimal manual intervention.
- Meteor: Quantitative Bulk Proteomics A solution for fully quantitative, high-throughput bulk proteomics analysis across multiple samples.
Quantifiable outcome
- Compressed cell line development timelines while maintaining high quality and productivity
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Berkeley Lights
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Berkeley Lights technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
Berkeley Lights partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Berkeley Lights competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 10x Genomics: Leading single-cell analysis platform (Chromium for genomics, Visium/Xenium for spatial) directly competing with Beacon in single-cell workflows for antibody discovery, cell therapy, and translational research.
- Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm): Developer of mass cytometry (CyTOF) and microfluidic single-cell platforms (Hyperion, Biomark) that compete directly with Berkeley Lights' optofluidic and proteomic barcoding workflows.
- Cytek Biosciences: Spectral flow cytometry provider (Aurora, Northern Lights) offering high-parameter single-cell analysis that overlaps with Berkeley Lights' multi-parameter functional profiling applications in immunology and oncology.
Broad incumbents
- BD Biosciences (Becton Dickinson): Major life sciences tools incumbent offering FACS cell sorters and the FACSDiscover B8 platform combining spectral flow with image-enabled sorting, addressing similar single-cell analysis workflows for academic and biopharma customers.
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher): Flow cytometry and cell sorting franchise (CytoFLEX, Astrios) within Danaher's life sciences portfolio, providing alternative single-cell analysis instrumentation to the same biopharma and academic end users.
- Sony Biotechnology: High-end cell sorter and flow cytometry provider (MA900, SH800) competing in single-cell instrumentation, particularly for cell therapy and immunology research workflows.
- Sartorius: Bioprocessing and cell line development tools provider (including CellCelector and Incucyte) that competes in upstream biopharma workflows — particularly cell line development, which overlaps with Beacon Select's positioning.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Diversified life sciences tools giant offering flow cytometry, single-cell genomics reagents, and analytics across biopharma and academic customers — overlapping with Berkeley Lights on instrumentation, kits, and software.
Emerging players
- Mission Bio: Single-cell multi-omics platform (Tapestri) focused on genomics and proteogenomics, particularly for oncology and cell therapy applications — partially overlapping with Berkeley Lights' cell therapy and proteomic barcoding workflows.
Others
- Bio-Techne: Reagents and assay developer (including proteomics, single-cell kits such as RNAscope) supplying adjacent consumables and tools used by many of the same biopharma and academic customers, but not a direct instrumentation competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Berkeley Lights social profiles
Digital presenceBerkeley Lights financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Berkeley Lights leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Berkeley Lights funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds19 records
Investors15 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Berkeley Lights M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Berkeley Lights
What does Berkeley Lights do?
Berkeley Lights develops and sells optofluidic instruments (Beacon Discovery, Beacon Quest, Beacon Optofluidic System, Beacon Select, Culture Station) and proteomic barcoding systems (IsoLight, IsoSpark) that perform live, function-first single-cell analysis for antibody discovery, T cell profiling, cell line development, and predictive disease/therapeutic efficacy research. The hardware is paired with kits (Antibody Discovery, Cell Line Development, T Cell Profiling), chip-based solutions (Single-Cell Secretome, Single-Cell Signaling, CodePlex, Meteor), and software (Cell Analysis Suite, IsoSpeak) for end-to-end single-cell workflows. Customers include academic, translational, biotech, biopharmaceutical, and contract research organizations.
Is Berkeley Lights a public or private company?
Berkeley Lights is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Berkeley Lights founded?
Berkeley Lights was founded in 2011. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Berkeley Lights based?
Berkeley Lights is headquartered in Emeryville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Berkeley Lights make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Optofluidic Instruments are the primary driver. The others are proteomic Barcoding Instruments, kits & Solutions, software Licenses and technology Access Program.
Who are Berkeley Lights's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 10x Genomics, Standard BioTools (formerly Fluidigm) and Cytek Biosciences. Broad incumbents are BD Biosciences (Becton Dickinson), Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher), Sony Biotechnology, Sartorius and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Mission Bio is listed as an emerging player. Bio-Techne is listed as an others.
Does Berkeley Lights have an API?
No public API is recorded for Berkeley Lights.
What industry is Berkeley Lights in?
Berkeley Lights's product category is Single-Cell Analysis Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAF, Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Discovery Platforms (target ID/validation, functional profiling), with a secondary code of HLAGANAC, Single-Cell & Spatial Omics Services. Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.