Exum Instruments

What Exum Instruments does

Exum Instruments, Inc. is a privately held Delaware corporation founded in 2017 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a secondary office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company develops and manufactures Massbox, the world's first desktop instrument based on Laser Ablation Laser Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS). Massbox uses a proprietary dual-laser architecture in which one laser ablates material from a solid sample and a second laser ionizes neutral particles under vacuum, achieving near-100% ion transport efficiency compared to roughly 1% in conventional instruments. The platform performs simultaneous quantitative elemental analysis, spatial mapping, and depth profiling across the full periodic table from lithium to uranium, with detection limits of approximately 10 parts per billion for most elements.

The product is sold as a desktop instrument measuring 106cm x 68cm x 59cm that runs on standard 110V power with no gas cylinders or fume hoods. Quoted pricing is quote-based with an all-inclusive one-year service and support warranty and continued software upgrades thereafter; the Next Generation Massbox launched in February 2026 added an airlock system with sub-one-minute vacuum pump-down, a bottom-loading sample holder accommodating up to 90mm x 90mm substrates, and a direct-injection TOF for higher sensitivity. Optional Dragonfly 3D visualization software is resold by Exum as an add-on, and an optional cloud-based server enables team data sharing. Operating costs are stated as 35-60% below comparable high-resolution techniques with cost per sample roughly 10x lower and instrument power consumption under 300W.

Exum's go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with a global channel network. Effective June 2025, Thermo Fisher Scientific holds exclusive distribution rights for Europe and China, while seven regional distributors cover North America (Rave Scientific), Canada (Edge Scientific), Australia (AXT), Brazil (SENS), South Korea (WOOWON TECHNOLOGY), Indonesia (PT Lab Sistematika), and the GCC region (Integrated Scientific Solutions). Sales is demo-driven: customer samples are tested at Exum's Denver facility, followed by in-person or virtual results review. Customer concentrations span advanced manufacturers (Elementum 3D), government and national laboratories (Los Alamos, SLAC, LIFT), and university research institutions (Oregon State, Ohio State, Worcester Polytechnic Institute). The company has raised at least $11.36M in disclosed venture funding, led by EIC Rose Rock's $6M Series A in May 2023, with manufacturing scaled through a partnership with Owens Design in Fremont, California and additional capacity in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Name

Exum Instruments

Legal name

Exum Instruments Inc.

Website

https://exuminstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Exum Instruments builds Massbox, the world's first desktop LALI-TOF-MS instrument, delivering quantitative elemental analysis from lithium to uranium for battery researchers, metallurgists, geoscientists, advanced manufacturers, national laboratories, and university researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Massbox Instrument Sales: Sale of the Massbox analytical instrument - a desktop LALI-TOF-MS mass spectrometer. The company manufactures and sells the complete instrument system including hardware, integrated software, and touch-screen computer. All instruments include an all-inclusive 1-year warranty for instrument service and support, with continued software upgrades thereafter.
2. Software and Cloud Services: The Massbox is equipped with a touch-screen computer on which all data are loaded and stored. Customers can optionally connect the instrument to a cloud-based server to share data with their team, representing potential recurring software/service revenue.
3. Analytical Testing Services: The company offers demonstration services where customer samples are analyzed at Exum's Denver office, potentially including fee-based characterization services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Exum Instruments develops and manufactures Massbox, the world's first desktop instrument combining Laser Ablation Laser Ionization (LALI) with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOF-MS) for solid material characterization. The instrument delivers quantitative elemental analysis, micron-scale mapping, and nanoscale depth profiling across the full periodic table from lithium to uranium. It is sold to materials scientists, battery researchers, mining operators, advanced manufacturers, national laboratories, and universities.

Product overview

Exum Instruments offers Massbox, the world's first desktop instrument providing Laser Ablation Laser Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS). The product line includes the core Massbox platform and the Next Generation Massbox featuring enhanced hardware components. An optional Dragonfly 3D visualization integration is available as an add-on through their official reseller partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Massbox: The world's first desktop instrument providing Laser Ablation Laser Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) offering unprecedented ease of use, speed, and analytical capabilities.

Products and services

• Massbox Desktop mass spectrometer combining Laser Ablation Laser Ionization (LALI) with Time-of-Flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, delivering simultaneous quantitative analysis, elemental mapping, and depth profiling for solid materials from lithium to uranium. Sold to materials scientists, battery researchers, mining operators, advanced manufacturers, national laboratories, and universities. Includes an all-inclusive 1-year warranty for instrument service and support with continued software upgrades thereafter.
• Next Generation Massbox Advanced version of the Massbox LALI-TOF-MS platform featuring an airlock system for sub-one-minute pump-down, bottom-loading sample holder for variable sample sizes, and direct-injection TOF for improved ion transport efficiency and sensitivity. Each analysis removes only picograms of material, making the system nearly non-destructive.
• Dragonfly 3D Visualization Software (resold) 3D visualization software from Dragonfly resold by Exum Instruments to enable customers to visualize rich chemical datasets acquired by Massbox in 3D for advanced materials characterization applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Detection limits approximately 10 parts per billion (ppb) for most elements, well below industry standards and approximately three orders of magnitude lower than XRF and LIBS
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Thermo Fisher ScientificcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 June 2025Global distribution partnership where Thermo Fisher manages sales, distribution, and customer support for Massbox exclusively in Europe and China. This collaboration combines Exum's technology with Thermo Fisher's extensive distribution network to ensure broader access for researchers and manufacturers.
• DragonflymajorTechnology or Integration · 26 February 2025Partnership with Dragonfly for 3D visualization software integration. Dragonfly allows customers to take rich chemical datasets from Massbox and visualize them in 3D. Exum is an official reseller of Dragonfly software, offering seamless integration between Massbox analysis and Dragonfly visualization.
• Owens DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partnership with Owens Design, based in Fremont, CA, to bring Massbox to customers on an accelerated schedule while ensuring highest quality standards. Owens Design helps scale Massbox production to meet growing customer demand.
• Rave ScientificmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS-based distributor managing sales, distribution, and account management for university and battery industry customers.
• Edge ScientificmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian reseller offering comprehensive range of advanced scientific equipment and services to Canadian researchers and industrial facilities.
• AXTmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralia's leading supplier of high technology scientific equipment for academic and industrial applications, maintaining position at cutting edge of technology.
• SENSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrazil-based distributor providing state-of-the-art technology in mass spectrometry since 1985, now including Massbox in integrated portfolio.
• WOOWON TECHNOLOGYminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean representative and distributor for major foreign equipment suppliers including Exum, with highly experienced sales and service teams.
• PT Lab SistematikaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndonesian leader in providing high end technology analytical instruments, managing distribution, training, and service of Massbox.
• Integrated Scientific Solutions (ISS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDubai-based turn-key solutions provider enabling next level scientific technologies, representing Massbox across GCC countries.
• LIFTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIFT (Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute) partnered with Exum to acquire Massbox for use in their metrology lab. LIFT connects industry, academia, and government to accelerate advanced materials development and manufacturing adoption.
• Volta FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest network of battery professionals producing publications, networking opportunities, and industry resources to foster collaboration and innovation in the battery industry.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HORIBA Scientific: Offers ICP-OES, Raman, and elemental-analysis instrumentation serving materials science, mining, and battery research. Overlaps with Exum's customer segments and use cases.
• Agilent Technologies: Major manufacturer of ICP-MS (7900), MP-AES, and atomic spectroscopy instruments serving battery, mining, and advanced manufacturing customers. Direct overlap with Exum's target use cases and customer segments.
• Shimadzu: Major analytical-instrument manufacturer producing ICP-MS, ICP-OES, and chromatography-MS systems for materials and life-science labs. Competes broadly for trace-element-analysis procurement budgets.
• Bruker: Produces time-of-flight mass spectrometers (Bruker TOF-MS) and a wide range of analytical instruments for materials and life-science research. Closely aligned to Exum's TOF-MS architecture and customer base in academic and industrial labs.
• PerkinElmer: Manufactures ICP-MS (NexION) and atomic spectroscopy instruments widely used in battery materials, environmental, and food/industrial QA labs. Competes for the same trace-element-analysis budgets as Exum.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global analytical-instrument leader offering ICP-MS (iCAP), GC-MS, and a broad portfolio of elemental-analysis tools. Also Exum's exclusive distribution partner in Europe and China, making it the most directly relevant incumbent despite operating at far greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Analytik Jena: Manufactures ICP-MS (PlasmaQuant) and elemental-analysis instruments for research and industrial QA. A direct niche competitor in trace-element mass spectrometry.
• Rigaku: Provides XRF, XRD, and analytical instruments for materials characterization in battery, mining, and advanced manufacturing. Targets similar workflow pain points with complementary rather than identical techniques.
• SPECTRO Analytical Instruments (AMETEK): Specializes in ICP-OES and XRF instruments for elemental analysis in metals, mining, and battery applications. A focused specialist in the same product category Exum serves with Massbox.

Emerging players

• TOFWERK: Specialist in time-of-flight mass spectrometry instrumentation for research and industrial applications. An early equity partner of Exum and a natural adjacent competitor in the TOF-MS niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/exuminstruments
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@exuminstruments
• Facebookfacebook.com/exuminstruments
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exum-instruments-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/exuminstruments/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors13 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Exum Instruments