What PicoQuant does

PicoQuant GmbH is a Berlin-based designer and manufacturer of photonic components and scientific instrumentation, founded in 1996 and operating as a privately held German Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH). The company specializes in time-resolved optical measurement technologies, with proprietary capabilities in Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC), fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), and single-photon detection systems, achieving timing precision down to picoseconds. Its product portfolio is organized across five interlocking categories: microscope systems (Solira, Luminosa, LSM Upgrade Kit), spectrometer systems (FluoTime 300, FluoTime 250, Micro-Photoluminescence Upgrade), multichannel TCSPC and time-tagging electronics (HydraHarp 500, PicoHarp 330, MultiHarp 160), pulsed lasers and drivers (Prima, LDH-I Series, VisUV), photon-counting detectors (PMA Hybrid Series, PMA Series, PDA-23 SPAD array), and analysis software (NovaFLIM, UniHarp, EasyTau 2). The hardware-software stack is designed to function as an integrated measurement chain — pulsed laser excitation, single-photon detection, TCSPC-based timing electronics, and analysis software — for use in life sciences, materials science, quantum optics, and metrology.

The company serves a customer base concentrated in academic research and government-funded laboratories worldwide, with named users including Nobel laureate W. E. Moerner (Stanford), Professors at LMU Munich, ETH Zurich, UC, University of Münster, and University of Jena, and a startup customer (PixelPhotonics) for quantum optics development. PicoQuant's technologies are cited in over 10,000 published scientific papers, indicating broad academic adoption across four primary research segments: life science (FLIM, single-molecule spectroscopy), materials science (TRPL, 2D materials characterization), quantum optics (single-photon detection, antibunching, quantum communication), and metrology (LiDAR, satellite laser ranging).

The business model is built on one-time hardware sales of high-end, custom-configured scientific instruments supplemented by software licensing (NovaFLIM, EasyTau 2, with UniHarp provided free with compatible hardware). Pricing is handled through direct quotation rather than published lists, reflecting the customized nature of each system. PicoQuant distributes via direct technical sales representatives in 20+ countries, a network of international distributors, and a wholly-owned North American subsidiary (PicoQuant Photonics North America Inc.) serving the US and Canada. Customer acquisition is event-driven — through major photonics conferences (Photonics West, Single Photon Workshop, PhotoIUPAC, SMLMS), educational workshops, and content marketing — reflecting a high-touch, consultative enterprise sales motion appropriate for specialized scientific instrumentation.

Name

PicoQuant

Legal name

PicoQuant GmbH

Website

https://picoquant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PicoQuant GmbH, founded 1996 in Berlin, designs and manufactures photonic measurement instrumentation — microscopes, spectrometers, TCSPC electronics, pulsed lasers, photon detectors, and analysis software — serving academic and government research laboratories in life sciences, materials science, quantum optics, and metrology worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Photonics Instrumentation

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL), Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Time-correlated single photon counting
• Fluorescence lifetime imaging
• Picosecond pulsed lasers
• Single photon detection
• Time-resolved photoluminescence

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scientific Instrumentation Hardware: Sale of high-precision photonic measurement equipment including spectrometer systems, microscope systems, photon counting detectors, pulsed lasers, and TCSPC electronics. These are specialized scientific instruments with prices typically determined through direct consultation given the customization requirements for research applications.
2. Software Products: Revenue from specialized analysis software including NovaFLIM for fluorescence lifetime imaging and EasyTau 2 for spectroscopy data analysis. Some software like UniHarp is provided free with compatible hardware. Software licensing appears to be bundled with hardware purchases or available as separate licenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PicoQuant manufactures photonic components and scientific instruments for time-resolved optical measurements, including time-resolved photoluminescence microscopes, photoluminescence spectrometers, multichannel time tagging and TCSPC electronics, picosecond pulsed lasers, single-photon counting detectors, and complementary data acquisition and analysis software. The integrated product stack (laser to detector to electronics to software) supports fluorescence lifetime imaging, single-molecule spectroscopy, quantum optics, and metrology applications in academic, government, and industrial research laboratories worldwide.

Product overview

PicoQuant develops photonic components and instruments for precise measurements across scientific applications. The portfolio includes microscope systems (Solira, Luminosa, LSM Upgrade Kit), spectrometer systems (FluoTime 300, FluoTime 250, Micro-Photoluminescence Upgrade), time tagging and TCSPC electronics (HydraHarp 500, PicoHarp 330, MultiHarp 160), pulsed lasers (Prima, LDH-I Series, VisUV), photon counting detectors (PMA Hybrid Series, PMA Series, PDA-23), and software (NovaFLIM, UniHarp, EasyTau 2). The products work together as an integrated workflow system where pulsed lasers provide excitation, photon detectors capture signals, TCSPC electronics enable precise time-resolved measurements, and software handles data acquisition and analysis, supporting applications in life science, materials science, quantum optics, and metrology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solira Upright time-resolved photoluminescence microscope with motorized sample stage for TRPL imaging and material characterization, enabling multiple methods for precise and efficient analysis. Designed for materials science researchers needing spatially resolved TRPL measurements.
• Luminosa Single photon counting confocal fluorescence microscope designed for quantitative time-resolved and single-molecule imaging, supporting quantitative functional imaging from individual molecules to cells and tissues. Intended for life science research laboratories.
• FluoTime 300 Flexible, sensitive, and precise steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectrometer across the UV to NIR range and time scales from picoseconds to milliseconds. Built for advanced spectroscopy applications in materials and life science research.
• FluoTime 250 Modular lifetime spectrometer designed for flexible fluorescence and photoluminescence measurements in both materials and life science research. Suitable for routine and teaching laboratory use.
• HydraHarp 500 Multichannel TCSPC and time tagging unit optimized for superconducting nanowire detectors in large-scale quantum communication and computing experiments requiring precise multichannel timing. Targeted at quantum optics research labs.
• PicoHarp 330 Flexible, high-precision time tagging and TCSPC unit for materials science and quantum sensing applications requiring picosecond-level timing resolution.
• MultiHarp 160 Multichannel time tagging and TCSPC unit with extension modules for scaling photonic quantum computing and detector characterization setups while maintaining performance, flexibility, and high data throughput. Designed for quantum optics and detector characterization labs.
• Prima Compact 3-color picosecond laser delivering flexible ns to ms excitation with cost-effective multicolor performance and trigger, gate, and sync interfaces for time-resolved spectroscopy and microscopy.
• LDH-I Series Smart picosecond laser diode heads covering UV-A to NIR, providing flexible power, pulse width, and diode type options for time-resolved techniques. Compatible with the Taiko PDL M1 driver for calibrated excitation in time-resolved spectroscopy.
• VisUV High-power UV-visible picosecond laser module providing clean short pulses and stable timing across key UV and visible wavelengths, including deep UV lines as well as 488 nm and 532 nm, for spectroscopy and microscopy.
• PMA Hybrid Series Hybrid photomultiplier detector assembly for single-photon counting and TCSPC measurements with wide dynamic range and excellent timing precision in the UV and visible even at the highest count rates.
• PMA Series Photomultiplier detector assemblies for single-photon counting and time-resolved measurements, capturing weak signals over large areas with maximum dynamic range and enhanced low-light sensitivity in a compact detector design.
• PDA-23 Cooled 23-pixel SPAD detector array with low dark counts and precise time tagging for spatially resolved single-photon detection in advanced experiments.
• NovaFLIM Advanced FLIM analysis software for fast, accurate interpretation of fluorescence lifetime imaging data acquired with PicoQuant microscope and detector systems.
• UniHarp Intuitive free software solution for real-time, high-precision photon data acquisition, visualization, and initial data analysis with synchronized multi-device workflows and Photon Number Resolution (PNR) capabilities.
• EasyTau 2 Advanced software for time-resolved fluorescence acquisition and analysis used with PicoQuest spectrometer systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used in over 10,000 published scientific papers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Becker & Hickl: Berlin-based manufacturer of TCSPC electronics, single-photon detectors, and FLIM modules. Directly competes with PicoQuant's HydraHarp, PicoHarp, and MultiHarp lines in time-correlated single photon counting for fluorescence and quantum research.
• ID Quantique: Swiss specialist in single-photon detection and quantum optics instrumentation, including superconducting nanowire detectors and time-tagging electronics. Comparable to PicoQuant's HydraHarp 500 and PMA detector lines for quantum communication and sensing.
• Edinburgh Instruments: UK manufacturer of fluorescence lifetime spectrometers (FLS1000), picosecond pulsed lasers, and single-photon counting detectors. Direct overlap with PicoQuant's FluoTime spectrometer systems and pulsed laser portfolio in materials and life science research.
• Toptica Photonics: German manufacturer of diode and ultrafast lasers for quantum optics, biophotonics, and materials research. Overlaps with PicoQuant's Prima, LDH-I, and VisUV picosecond laser lines in addressing research-grade pulsed excitation.

Broad incumbents

• Hamamatsu Photonics: Japanese photonics giant manufacturing photomultiplier tubes, SPAD arrays, and pulsed diode lasers overlapping with PicoQuant's PMA and PDA-23 detector lines and LDH laser heads, while serving a much broader photonics market.
• Thorlabs: US photonics equipment supplier offering spectrometers, lasers, photon-counting detectors, and microscopy components. Overlaps with PicoQuant's spectrometer and detector product lines while serving a far broader catalog of optics and photonics customers.
• HORIBA Scientific: Division of Horiba Ltd offering steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence/photoluminescence spectrometers (FluoroMax, iHR). Competes with PicoQuant's FluoTime 300 and FluoTime 250 in academic and industrial spectroscopy markets.
• Excelitas Technologies: North American photonics manufacturer offering single-photon counting modules (SPCM), hybrid photodetectors, and pulsed lasers. Direct overlap with PicoQuant's PMA Hybrid Series detectors and pulsed laser offerings for quantum and life science research.

Emerging players

• Swabian Instruments: Stuttgart-based startup offering high-resolution time-tagging and TCSPC units (Time Tagger, Time Tagger Ultra) targeting quantum optics and photonics research. Direct competitor to PicoQuant's TCSPC electronics with a younger, more software-centric product line.
• ISS (Innovative Solutions in Spectroscopy): US-based manufacturer of frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime instruments for biomedical and materials research. Competes with PicoQuant's time-domain FLIM and time-resolved spectroscopy systems in the fluorescence lifetime imaging market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/picoquant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/picoquant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about PicoQuant