Lumencor
Lumencor is a privately held, founder-led manufacturer of solid-state light engines (LEDs, luminescent light pipes, lasers) and imaging subsystems for fluorescence microscopy, bioanalytical instruments, clinical diagnostics, and semiconductor inspection, serving academic core facilities, OEMs, and diagnostic laboratories worldwide from Beaverton, Oregon.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersBeaverton, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lumencor does
Lumencor is a privately held, founder-controlled manufacturer of solid-state illumination products headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. Founded in 2005 by Claudia B. Jaffe, Ph.D. (President and CEO) and Steven M. Jaffe, Ph.D. (COO), the company designs and builds light engines that integrate LEDs, proprietary luminescent light pipes, and lasers into modular, configurable illuminators for fluorescence microscopy, bioanalytical instrumentation, clinical diagnostics, advanced materials inspection, and semiconductor process equipment. The product portfolio spans the CELESTA and ZIVA laser-based light engines, the SOLA white-light family, the AURA, SPECTRA, SPECTRA X, MAGMA, and RETRA color-selective engines, and the CORE Optical Train, TARGA Imager, and VOLTA Scanner subsystems, supported by dichroic filters, light delivery accessories, dosimetry tools, and the BeRST voltage-sensitive dye reagent.
Lumencor sells primarily via direct enterprise quote requests, supported by a global distributor network, and through custom OEM design-and-manufacturing engagements with microscope and bioanalytical instrument makers. Its light engines are co-optimized with major platforms from Nikon, Leica, Olympus, Zeiss, Yokogawa, and CrestOptics, and integrate with software environments including MicroManager, Olympus cellSens, and NIS Elements. The company operates an ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 certified manufacturing facility in Beaverton with international regulatory compliance (CE, RoHS, REACH, KC Mark, RCM, CB/cNRTLus) and is an approved partner of the United Nations Environment Programme for its mercury-free lighting initiative. It also generates a secondary revenue stream through a certified pre-owned equipment channel offering units at up to 50% off MSLP with 12-month warranties.
The company is approaching 20 years of continuous operation without any recorded external funding rounds, suggesting durable self-funding. Its customer base spans academic core facilities (e.g., Johns Hopkins, UCSD Nikon Imaging Center, IMP Austria), OEM instrument manufacturers, clinical and diagnostic laboratories, and industrial inspection customers, with named enterprise customers including TissueGnostics GmbH and Cell Microsystems. The leadership team is small and founder-led, with directors covering Quality/Regulatory, IT, HR, and Commercial Operations, consistent with a focused, profitable mid-market scientific instruments business.
Lumencor firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lumencor
- Legal name
- Lumencor
- Website
- https://lumencor.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Lumencor is a privately held, founder-led manufacturer of solid-state light engines (LEDs, luminescent light pipes, lasers) and imaging subsystems for fluorescence microscopy, bioanalytical instruments, clinical diagnostics, and semiconductor inspection, serving academic core facilities, OEMs, and diagnostic laboratories worldwide from Beaverton, Oregon.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lumencor industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scientific Illumination Systems
- NAICS
- Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Machine Vision & Inspection Lighting (Ring lights, bar lights, backlights, strobed illumination) (IMAGAIAG), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)
Keywords
Where Lumencor is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beaverton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lumencor business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Light Engine Sales: Sale of solid-state illumination products including Light Engines (CELESTA, ZIVA, SOLA, AURA, SPECTRA, SPECTRA X, MAGMA, RETRA), Scanners (CORE, TARGA, VOLTA), and accessories
- Custom OEM Solutions: Tailored illumination solutions designed and manufactured for OEM customers integrating Lumencor technology into their instruments
- Reagents and Consumables: Sale of BeRST voltage sensitive dye and potentially other reagents for use with Lumencor instrumentation
- Certified Used Equipment: Sale of certified pre-owned light engines at up to 50% off MSLP, typically with less than 1000 hours of use and 12-month warranty
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Certified Used Light Engines |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Lumencor product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lumencor designs, manufactures, and sells solid-state Light Engines that integrate LEDs, proprietary luminescent light pipes, and lasers into modular, configurable illuminators for fluorescence microscopy, clinical diagnostics, advanced materials inspection, and semiconductor processes. The portfolio also includes scanning instruments (CORE Optical Train, TARGA Imager, VOLTA Scanner), the BeRST voltage-sensitive dye reagent, optical accessories, and custom OEM illumination solutions, with certified pre-owned equipment available for cost-sensitive buyers.
Product overview
Lumencor is a manufacturer of solid-state illumination products for microscopy and bioanalytical instrumentation. The product portfolio centers on Light Engines (solid-state light sources incorporating LEDs, light pipes, and lasers) and Scanners (automated imaging systems). Light Engines include CELESTA and ZIVA (laser-based), SOLA (white light), AURA, SPECTRA, SPECTRA X, MAGMA, and RETRA (color-selective), plus SOLETTE (limited edition). Scanners include CORE Optical Train, TARGA Imager, and VOLTA Scanner. Supporting products include BeRST voltage-sensitive dye, dichroic mirrors, filters, light delivery components, and dosimetry tools. The company also offers custom OEM solutions and certified used equipment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CELESTA Light Engine Laser-based solid-state Light Engine integrating 4-7 individually addressable solid-state lasers with high brightness and specialty beam shaping for controlled, consistent, homogeneous illumination. Designed for CrestOptics spinning disk systems, spatially resolved transcriptomics, and advanced imaging applications.
- ZIVA Light Engine Laser-based solid-state Light Engine integrating 4-7 individually addressable solid-state lasers with sophisticated control and monitoring systems. Specifically designed for Yokogawa CSU-W1 and CSU-X1 spinning disk confocal systems and super-resolution microscopy applications.
- SOLA Light Engine White light solid-state illumination engine replacing mercury and metal halide lamps for routine microscopy. The SOLA family includes the SOLETTE anniversary edition and delivers reliable performance as a mercury-free alternative.
- AURA Light Engine LED-based solid-state Light Engine with up to five independently controlled light sources offering flexible and adjustable configuration. Designed as an ideal imaging platform for manufacturers integrating modern solid-state illumination into microscopes and bioanalytical instruments.
- SPECTRA Light Engine Solid-state Light Engine with eight individually addressable sources (LEDs, proprietary luminescent light pipes, and lasers) delivering approximately half a watt of optical power. Outputs refined by bandpass filters merged into a common optical train for fluorescence microscopy.
- SPECTRA X Light Engine Tunable solid-state Light Engine with user-exchangeable bandpass filters installed in removable paddles. Offers broad spectral range, exceptional spectral flexibility, stability, and reproducibility in a compact turnkey illuminator for fluorescence microscopy.
- MAGMA Light Engine 21-channel color-selective solid-state Light Engine incorporating 21 individually selectable LED sources under microprocessor control, with spectral output from 350-1050nm. Multiple units can be operated as ethernet-connected ensembles for large-scale lighting installations.
- RETRA Light Engine 2-channel color-selective solid-state Light Engine with two individually controllable light sources and associated bandpass filters producing spectrally discrete outputs. RETRA FURA variant provides 340nm and 380nm outputs for fura-2 ratio calcium imaging.
- SOLETTE Light Engine Limited edition anniversary release within the SOLA white-light family, providing mercury-free, dependable solid-state illumination for routine microscopy applications.
- CORE Optical Train Illumination and detection module for automated spatially-resolved multicolor fluorescence excitation and detection. Streamlines development time and cost for new instruments, improving performance and delivering cost savings for end users and high-volume manufacturers.
- TARGA Imager High-throughput fluorescence imaging system combining a solid-state Light Engine, precision motion control, sCMOS camera, and dedicated computer. A highly integrated platform for efficient, fast data collection and analysis.
- VOLTA Scanner Fast optical ion-channel kinetic plate reader with sub-millisecond temporal resolution for 96 and 384 microwell plates. Dual-laser optical system performs stimulation and detection for pharmacological safety profiling and cardiac toxicity screening.
- BeRST Voltage Sensitive Dye Voltage-sensitive dye used with the VOLTA Scanner for transmembrane voltage detection. Enables continuous monitoring of fluorescence-detected transmembrane voltage patterns for cellular activity analysis and cardiac safety profiling.
- Custom OEM Lighting Solutions Tailored illumination solutions designed and manufactured for OEM customers integrating Lumencor light engine technology into their microscopes, bioanalytical instruments, and high-content screening systems.
- Certified Used Light Engines Certified pre-owned Lumencor Light Engines offered at up to 50% off manufacturers suggested list price (MSLP). Units have less than 1000 hours of use and include a 12-month warranty.
Quantifiable outcome
- Annual operating costs reduced to ~$20 vs ~$2100 for mercury arc lamps (99% savings)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Lumencor
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lumencor technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature5 records
Lumencor partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreLumencor is an approved partner with UNEP Chemicals Branch of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics. The partnership supports Lumencor's mercury-free lighting initiative, with UNEP confirming the company's commitment to eliminating mercury from microscopy illumination.
- CrestOpticscoreCELESTA Light Engines are optimized for CrestOptics spinning disk systems. Lumencor products are featured in scientific publications using CrestOptics equipment, indicating established integration and joint product optimization.
- YokogawacoreZIVA Light Engine specifically designed for Yokogawa CSU-W1 spinning disk confocal systems. Dedicated product page and data sheet available. Products marketed jointly for live cell imaging workshops.
- NikoncoreNikon BioImaging Centers depend on Lumencor for illumination. Products feature compatibility with Nikon Ti2 microscopes and critical epilluminators for Nikon systems. Multiple case studies reference Nikon imaging centers.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lumencor competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Japanese photonics conglomerate manufacturing light sources, detectors, cameras, and optoelectronic components for scientific and industrial applications. Overlaps with Lumencor's light source technology but operates at much broader scale across imaging, semiconductor, medical, and analytical instrument markets.
Direct peers
- Thorlabs: Broad-line photonics and optoelectronics supplier offering LED light sources for microscopy alongside lasers, optics, motion control, and fiber components. Thorlabs' overlapping microscopy illumination product portfolio and shared life sciences customer base make it a direct competitor with substantially broader scale.
- Excelitas Technologies: Manufacturer of solid-state light engines and arc lamp systems for fluorescence microscopy, life sciences, and industrial applications. Excelitas is explicitly named by Lumencor as a primary competitor in their 'Why buy vs Excelitas' marketing content, with overlapping product lines including multi-wavelength LED engines for microscopy.
- Sutter Instrument: US manufacturer of microscopy-related equipment including wavelength switchers, light sources, and micromanipulators. Serves overlapping life sciences research customers with adjacent illumination products, particularly in electrophysiology and advanced imaging core facilities.
- CoolLED: UK-based manufacturer of LED illumination systems specifically engineered for fluorescence microscopy. CoolLED competes directly with Lumencor's SOLA, AURA, and SPECTRA product lines and is explicitly named by Lumencor as a competitor in published comparison content.
- Cairn Research: UK-based manufacturer of optoelectronic illumination and detection systems for fluorescence microscopy. Direct competitor serving overlapping life sciences research customers with comparable solid-state light engine products, including multi-wavelength LED illuminators for microscope-based applications.
Emerging players
- Prizmatix: Israel-based specialist in high-power LED light sources for microscopy, optogenetics, and scientific applications. Smaller, niche competitor with partial overlap to Lumencor's offerings, particularly in optogenetics and neuroscience research segments.
- Mightex Systems: Canadian manufacturer of LED illumination systems, polygon scanners, and bioimaging equipment. Smaller competitor with overlapping product lines in microscopy illumination and OEM integration for life sciences instrumentation.
Others
- Chroma Technology: US manufacturer of optical filters and dichroic mirrors for fluorescence microscopy. Complementary rather than competitive with Lumencor's light engines, as Chroma filters are typically paired with solid-state illumination, including Lumencor's products, in integrated microscopy setups.
- Phoseon Technology: US manufacturer of UV LED solutions for industrial curing and semiconductor inspection applications. Adjacent to Lumencor's semiconductor inspection lighting segment but focused on UV curing and industrial processes rather than microscopy-grade scientific illumination.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lumencor social profiles
Digital presenceLumencor compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Lumencor financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lumencor leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Lumencor funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lumencor 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 Lumencor
What does Lumencor do?
Lumencor designs, manufactures, and sells solid-state Light Engines that integrate LEDs, proprietary luminescent light pipes, and lasers into modular, configurable illuminators for fluorescence microscopy, clinical diagnostics, advanced materials inspection, and semiconductor processes. The portfolio also includes scanning instruments (CORE Optical Train, TARGA Imager, VOLTA Scanner), the BeRST voltage-sensitive dye reagent, optical accessories, and custom OEM illumination solutions, with certified pre-owned equipment available for cost-sensitive buyers.
Is Lumencor a public or private company?
Lumencor is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lumencor founded?
Lumencor was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lumencor based?
Lumencor is headquartered in Beaverton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lumencor make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Light Engine Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom OEM Solutions, reagents and Consumables and certified Used Equipment.
Who are Lumencor's main competitors?
Hamamatsu Photonics is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Thorlabs, Excelitas Technologies, Sutter Instrument, CoolLED and Cairn Research. Emerging players are Prizmatix and Mightex Systems. Others are Chroma Technology and Phoseon Technology.
Does Lumencor have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lumencor.
What industry is Lumencor in?
Lumencor's product category is Scientific Illumination Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAL, Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL), with a secondary code of IMAGAIAG, Machine Vision & Inspection Lighting (Ring lights, bar lights, backlights, strobed illumination). Its NAICS code is 3351 and its SIC code is 3640.