What ColVisTec does

ColVisTec AG, founded in 2009 and headquartered in the Adlershof science and technology park in Berlin, Germany, develops and sells inline spectroscopic process monitoring systems for industrial manufacturing. The company's product portfolio comprises three proprietary spectrometer families—InSpectro X (UV/Vis), InSpectro NIR, and InSpectro R (Raman)—each paired with a line of fiber optic probes (RPMP, TPMP, Color Probe, a combined UV/Vis+NIR probe, and a Raman probe) engineered to withstand extrusion conditions of up to 400°C and 250 bar. The flagship GiANT platform integrates all three spectroscopy techniques on a single cGMP-compliant unit for pharmaceutical continuous manufacturing. The instrumentation is complemented by a software stack (CVTtrend, ReTA with the proprietary RPET13 convolution model, SpecViewer, RedLog, and an RTM tracer add-on) that converts raw spectral data into CIE-L*a*b* color values, residence time distribution metrics, batch reports, and OPC UA/Modbus integrations for MES, SCADA, and DCS environments.

The company serves enterprise manufacturers across plastics and polymers, pharmaceuticals (PAT for hot melt extrusion), chemicals, paints and coatings, and plastics recycling. Revenue is generated through direct hardware sales of spectrometers and probes, software licensing, and professional services including training and ongoing support, all priced through quote-based enterprise sales from Berlin. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales combined with strategic co-marketing relationships with process machinery OEMs (Leistritz Extrusionstechnik, KraussMaffei), channel partnerships with GIMAC and Xplore Instruments, and active participation as exhibitor and speaker at major industry events including K Show, Fakuma, PLAST, MD&M West, SPE conferences, and the Compounding World Expo. ColVisTec has received co-funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 program for the IMPAX project (grant agreement No 726788) since 2016 and operates with 11–50 employees.

The company is led by CEO Jan H. Johnsen (INSEAD MBA, NHH MSc) and governed by a board chaired by Jens Alder with Fuat Eker as Director of Sales, Marketing, and Customization (25 years in industrial spectroscopy, with the firm since founding) and Dr. Andreas Berghaus as Director of Engineering & Technology (PhD from TU Berlin). ColVisTec is registered as a German Aktiengesellschaft with no parent company, no external private equity or venture capital ownership, and no disclosed revenue, with the EU grant being the only non-operating funding event on record.

Name

ColVisTec

Legal name

ColVisTec AG

Website

https://colvistec.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ColVisTec AG, founded in 2009 in Berlin, develops inline UV/Vis, NIR, and Raman spectroscopic systems with proprietary probes and software for real-time process monitoring in pharmaceutical, polymer, chemical, paint, and plastics recycling manufacturing, sold through direct enterprise sales and OEM partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Adlershof

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Inline Spectrometer Hardware: Sale of inline spectroscopic monitoring systems including InSpectro X (UV/Vis), InSpectro NIR, and InSpectro R (Raman) spectrometers designed for industrial environments with prices varying by configuration and specifications.
2. Fiber Optic Probes and Accessories: Sale of specialized fiber optic probes including RPMP, TPMP, Color Probe, Combined Probe, and Raman probes along with calibration accessories.
3. Software Solutions: Licensed and optional software including CVTtrend (inline monitoring), ReTA (residence time analysis), SpecViewer (spectral analysis), and RedLog (offline analysis).
4. Training and Customer Support: Full menu of training options to secure smooth transition from offline measurement to fully automated inline solutions, plus ongoing customer support services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ColVisTec develops and sells inline spectroscopic systems (UV/Vis, NIR, and Raman spectrometers) together with specialized fiber optic probes, an integrated 3-in-1 PAT platform, and supporting software for real-time monitoring and control of industrial extrusion processes. Solutions are deployed in plastics, pharmaceutical, chemical, paint, recycling, and food manufacturing to deliver 100% inline product analysis, automated color and quality control, residence time analysis, and Industry 4.0 integration via OPC UA/Modbus.

Product overview

ColVisTec offers a comprehensive portfolio of inline spectroscopic solutions for industrial process monitoring, control, and quality analysis. The core product line includes three spectrometer types: InSpectro X (UV/Vis), InSpectro NIR (Near-Infrared), and InSpectro R (Raman), each designed for specific analytical applications. These are complemented by a family of fiber optic probes (RPMP, TPMP, Color Probe, Combined Probe, and Raman Probe) engineered to withstand harsh industrial conditions. The GiANT platform integrates all three spectroscopy techniques on a single cGMP-compliant platform for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Software offerings include CVTtrend for inline color monitoring, ReTA for residence time analysis, SpecViewer for spectral analysis, RedLog for post-process data review, and an RTM add-on for tracer studies. This integrated hardware-software approach enables real-time quality control, automated process control, and regulatory compliance across polymer extrusion, pharmaceutical, chemical, coating, and recycling industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• InSpectro X Inline UV/Vis spectrophotometer system for real-time color monitoring and process control in polymer extrusion lines, covering 380-780 nm in reflection or 220-820 nm in transmission at 1 nm resolution, with up to 4 channels and 10 ms measurement time, designed for harsh extruder environments up to 400°C and 250 bar.
• InSpectro NIR Inline near-infrared spectrophotometer for moisture, impurity, and chemical composition analysis with blend uniformity monitoring, operating in the 1000-2500 nm range with an InGaAs linear array (512 pixels) and configurable slit sizes (25-500 μm), aimed at polymer, chemical, and pharmaceutical extrusion processes.
• InSpectro R Inline Raman spectrometer for molecular fingerprinting and quality control in industrial environments, featuring a 785 nm laser, 788-1067 nm detection range, 0.34 nm FWHM resolution, and a NEMA 4X/IP66 stainless steel enclosure with thermoelectric cooling for dust and vibration resistance.
• GiANT 3-in-1 Platform Integrated Process Analytical Technology (PAT) system combining UV/Vis, NIR, and Raman spectroscopy on a single cGMP-compliant platform for pharmaceutical continuous manufacturing, controlled from one user terminal and built for hot melt extrusion, API monitoring, and drug product quality analysis.
• Fiber Optic Probes (RPMP, TPMP, Color, Combined, Raman) Specialized family of fiber optic probes for inline spectroscopy, including the Reflection Polymer Melt Probe (RPMP) for opaque melts, Transmission Polymer Melt Probe (TPMP) for transparent media, Color Probe (CP) for liquids/suspensions/powders, 2-in-1 Combined UV/Vis+NIR probe, and Raman inline probe, all with standard ½"-20 UNF mounting threads and sapphire or quartz windows rated for industrial conditions up to 400°C and 250 bar.
• CVTtrend Software Integrated inline process monitoring software that converts raw full-spectrum data from InSpectro spectrometers into CIE-L*a*b* color values and other quality metrics, monitors product color and quality continuously, detects deviations with alarm thresholds, and integrates via OPC UA, Modbus, and analog/digital I/O for MES/SCADA and Industry 4.0 workflows.
• ReTA (Residence Time Analysis) Software Residence Time Analysis software that converts tracer concentration data from inline spectroscopy into quantitative metrics including mean residence time, RTD standard deviation, dead time, mixing rate, skewness, percentile times, and Bodenstein number, supporting screw configuration, scale-up, and formulation comparisons.
• SpecViewer Software Dedicated spectral analysis tool for examining complete spectral sequences from InSpectro X or NIR systems, supporting both live tracking and offline analysis with spectrum history visualization, recalibration of entire datasets, and export in multiple formats.
• RedLog Software Post-process analysis software for CVTtrend log files, enabling reopening, reviewing, comparing, and documenting past production runs with batch validation statistics, 2D/3D visualizations, and Excel-exportable batch reports.
• Training and Customer Support Services Full menu of training options and ongoing customer support services to secure a smooth transition from offline measurement to fully automated inline spectroscopy solutions, delivered by ColVisTec and through partner programs such as the Leistritz Extrusion Academy PRO, KraussMaffei Process Engineering School, and SKZ-led events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Color measurement interval reduced to 500ms with RTD measurements taking only minutes compared to days for traditional chromatography methods
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, significant and supporting.

• GIMACmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Co-exhibitor partnership for trade show presence. Joint booth at PLAST 2025 in Milan (Hall 13, Booths 25/26) and MD&M West in Anaheim (Booth 1601). GIMAC represents ColVisTec technology at these events to reach broader customer base.
• Xplore InstrumentsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Joint booth presence at PRSE 2026 in Amsterdam (Booth A126) where Xplore Instruments showcases ColVisTec inline spectroscopy solutions alongside their own instrumentation for polymer testing and analysis.
• Leistritz Extrusionstechnik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Long-standing strategic collaboration with Leistritz, a leading twin-screw extruder manufacturer. Joint development of case studies on residence time distribution and screw configuration optimization. Co-hosting of the Leistritz Extrusion Academy PRO training program where ColVisTec serves as speaker, providing technical education on inline spectroscopy for extrusion processes.
• KraussMaffeicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on the Process Engineering School educational program where ColVisTec provides lectures on inline process monitoring using spectroscopic methods. Participation in live demonstrations at TecDays events. Joint presence at trade shows demonstrating integrated solutions.
• SKZ (Süddeutsches Kunststoff Zentrum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative research partnership on RecyColor (automated color control for recycling) and RecyQuant (foreign polymer detection in recycled plastics) projects. SKZ provides facilities for cost-neutral trials allowing companies to experience the technology. Joint participation in SKZ Networking Day and Compounding Conference events.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on advanced solutions for high-quality circular plastics. VTT researchers use ColVisTec inline UV/Vis and NIR spectrometers in extrusion applications and present findings at PRSE conferences. Joint publication of research results demonstrating technology capabilities.
• Academic PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of academic partners including DeMonfort University, FHNW, Hochschule Reutlingen, TU Braunschweig, University of Exeter, and Uni Dortmund. These partnerships support research and development activities and provide access to academic expertise in spectroscopy and polymer science.
• Industry PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroader ecosystem of industry partners including ENTEX, IKK, PETEC, and MeltPrep. These partners represent various segments of the plastics and polymer processing industry ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Endress+Hauser: Endress+Hauser supplies process analytical instrumentation including inline NIR and Raman analyzers (e.g., Memosens, RaPort) for chemical, pharmaceutical and polymer process monitoring, overlapping with ColVisTec's pharma, polymer and chemical go-to-markets.
• MKS Instruments: MKS' Process Insights business (formerly Spectra products) provides inline spectrometers and process analytical technology for semiconductor, polymer and industrial customers. Competes with ColVisTec for inline spectroscopy deployments in extrusion and adjacent process industries.
• Bruker Optics: Bruker's Optics division sells FT-NIR, Raman and process spectroscopy hardware for inline and at-line industrial quality monitoring. Direct competitor to ColVisTec's InSpectro X/NIR/R product line in extrusion and chemical applications.
• ABB Measurement & Analytics: ABB's Measurement & Analytics business offers inline NIR, FTIR and UV spectrometers for continuous process monitoring across petrochemical, polymer and chemical plants — direct competition to ColVisTec in extrusion and chemical QA applications.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher is a broad analytical instrumentation incumbent spanning NIR, Raman, FTIR and chromatography tools across pharma, chemicals and materials. Serves some of ColVisTec's polymer and pharma customers with at-line and process spectroscopy offerings at significantly larger scale.
• Agilent Technologies: Agilent supplies broad analytical spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chromatography products used in pharma, chemical and materials laboratories with growing online/process offerings. Overlaps with ColVisTec via pharmaceutical PAT and chemical manufacturing spectroscopy.
• PerkinElmer: PerkinElmer provides a broad portfolio of FTIR, NIR, UV/Vis and chromatography instruments used across pharma, chemical and food analytics — overlapping with ColVisTec's pharma PAT and chemical application areas at a much larger scale.
• Yokogawa Electric: Yokogawa's process analytical business sells inline NIR, UV and laser-based analyzers for petrochemical, polymer and chemical plant automation. Competes with ColVisTec in extrusion and continuous process quality monitoring solutions.

Emerging players

• Hellma Analytics: Hellma produces process probes, flow cells and optical components used as interfaces for inline UV/Vis, NIR and Raman spectrometers in industrial process environments. Comparable to ColVisTec's RPMP, TPMP, Color Probe and combined probe accessory line.
• Tornado Spectral Systems: Tornado specialises in high-performance inline Raman analyzers for pharmaceutical and chemical process monitoring. Competes with ColVisTec's InSpectro R and the GiANT pharma platform offering on Raman-based PAT solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColVisTec
• Facebookfacebook.com/colvistec

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 ColVisTec