ISS
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersChampaign, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
ISS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ISS
- Legal name
- ISS, Inc.
- Website
- https://iss.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ISS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scientific Instrumentation
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)
Keywords
Where ISS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Champaign
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
ISS 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
- Scientific Instrumentation Hardware: Sale of fluorescence spectrofluorometers, confocal microscopes, and tissue oximetry instruments including time-resolved laser scanning confocal microscopes, FLIM systems, and FCS equipment
- Software Licenses: Vinci multidimensional fluorescence spectroscopy software, DATAN analysis software distributed exclusively in the USA
- Accessories and Consumables: Light sources (LEDs, laser diodes), detectors, sample compartments, fiber optics, and various accessories for fluorescence instruments
- Service and Support: Technical support, installation, training, warranty services, and post-warranty maintenance programs extending coverage on instruments
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
ISS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ISS develops and manufactures sensitive scientific instrumentation for fluorescence and biomedical research and clinical applications. The fluorescence division produces time-resolved laser scanning confocal microscopes, spectrofluorometers, and FLIM/FCS systems. The biomedical division produces near-infrared tissue oximeters and functional brain imaging systems. All instruments are paired with proprietary Vinci acquisition and analysis software.
Product overview
ISS develops and manufactures fluorescence and biomedical instruments for research and clinical applications. The fluorescence division includes time-resolved laser scanning confocal microscopes (Alba, Q2, PL1), spectrofluorometers (ChronosBH, ChronosFD, ChronosDFD, K2, PC1), and associated upgrade modules (LSM Upgrades for FLIM/FCS, FastFLIM, SpectralFLIM, AlbaSTED, T-PMT). The biomedical division offers tissue oximetry products (OxiplexTS, OxiplexTS200) and brain imaging systems (Imagent, MetaOx). All instruments are controlled via Vinci software, which integrates with DATAN analysis software. ISS has led fluorescence instrumentation innovation since 1984, with products installed worldwide in universities, research institutions, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fluorescence Foundation: The non-profit educational branch of ISS that organizes events promoting and cultivating applications of fluorescence techniques in life sciences and material sciences.
Products and services
- Time-Resolved Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopes
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 150 publications have been generated by OxiplexTS in past years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ISS
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ISS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
ISS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Innovendia ConsultingcoreInnovendia Consulting was founded by Dr. Michael Steinwand to represent ISS in Europe. The new alliance strengthens customer support in Europe and increases collaborations in cell biology research. The ISS Europe office in Owingen, Germany serves customers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France.
- Orient KOJI Ltd (东方科捷科技有限公司)coreChinese distributor with offices in Tianjin (North) and Shanghai (South). Provides sales, support and service for ISS products in China.
- Peak Science Technology Co.minorBeijing-based distributor for ISS products in China.
- Soliton LasercoreGerman distributor representing ISS in Austria and Switzerland with office in Gilching.
- Elliot Scientific LtdminorUK-based distributor serving scientific instrumentation market including ISS products.
- Shanghai Psytech Electronics Technology Co. Ltd.minorChinese distributor specifically handling the Imagent product line for functional brain imaging.
- Dichbio Technology Co., Ltd.minorChinese distributor handling MetaOx and OxiplexTS products with offices in Guangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing.
- University of Illinois Laboratory for Fluorescence DynamicscoreLong-standing academic partnership with Prof. Enrico Gratton and collaborators for development of fluorescence technology. The technique for OxiplexTS originated from research at this laboratory.
- Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical SchoolcoreCollaboration with Prof. Maria Angela Franceschini on MetaOx development for cerebral oxygen metabolism monitoring in infants.
- University of PennsylvaniacoreCollaboration with Prof. Arjun Yodh on MetaOx technology combining FDNIRS and DCS for neonatal brain injury monitoring.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
ISS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Becker & Hickl GmbH: Becker & Hickl is a direct peer to ISS, specializing in TCSPC (Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting) electronics, FLIM upgrade modules, and detectors used alongside ISS's ChronosBH spectrometer. They are tightly coupled through co-developed systems and compete in the same fluorescence lifetime instrumentation niche.
- PicoQuant: PicoQuant develops pulsed diode lasers, TCSPC electronics, and fluorescence lifetime spectrometers that directly overlap with ISS's spectrofluorometer and FLIM product lines, serving the same biophysics, photochemistry, and single-molecule spectroscopy customer base.
- Edinburgh Instruments: Edinburgh Instruments manufactures steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectrometers (FLS1000) that compete directly with ISS's ChronosBH, ChronosFD, and K2 phase fluorometers for photophysics and materials science research customers.
Broad incumbents
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Hamamatsu is a broad incumbent in photonics, producing detectors, light sources, cameras, and fluorescence imaging components used across ISS's product portfolio. While not a direct FLIM competitor, its dominance in PMTs and detectors makes it both a supplier and adjacent competitor in fluorescence instrumentation.
- HORIBA Scientific: HORIBA Scientific offers a broad portfolio of fluorescence spectrometers, microscopy systems, and analytical instruments that overlap with ISS's spectrofluorometer and confocal microscopy lines, particularly in life science and materials research applications.
- Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Zeiss is a broad incumbent in advanced confocal and super-resolution microscopy (LSM 980, Elyra), competing with ISS's Alba, Q2, and AlbaSTED products in life science imaging labs that ISS also targets with FLIM/FCS upgrade kits.
- Leica Microsystems: Leica Microsystems (Danaher) produces STED and confocal microscopes (STELLARIS, TCS SP8) that compete with ISS's AlbaSTED super-resolution module and confocal systems, and serves the same academic and pharma imaging customer base.
- Nikon Instruments (Nikon Healthcare): Nikon offers confocal and multiphoton microscopy systems that overlap with ISS's Alba, Q2, and time-resolved confocal platforms for advanced fluorescence imaging research in cell biology and neuroscience.
- Bruker Nano Surfaces & Metrology: Bruker's fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy instruments (e.g., Vutara, Opterra) compete with ISS in advanced fluorescence imaging and biophysical research, and its broader life-science footprint overlaps with ISS's biomedical imaging line.
Emerging players
- ISS (Innovations in Fluorescence) - medical device comparables: Nonin Medical (non-invasive pulse oximetry and tissue oximetry) is an emerging player comparable to ISS's OxiplexTS and OxiplexTS200 product lines, both serving clinical and research markets with near-infrared optical monitoring technologies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ISS social profiles
Digital presenceISS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
ISS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ISS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
ISS subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
ISS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ISS 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 ISS
What does ISS do?
ISS develops and manufactures sensitive scientific instrumentation for fluorescence and biomedical research and clinical applications. The fluorescence division produces time-resolved laser scanning confocal microscopes, spectrofluorometers, and FLIM/FCS systems. The biomedical division produces near-infrared tissue oximeters and functional brain imaging systems. All instruments are paired with proprietary Vinci acquisition and analysis software.
Is ISS a public or private company?
ISS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ISS founded?
ISS was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ISS based?
ISS is headquartered in Champaign, United States, in the North America region.
How does ISS make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Scientific Instrumentation Hardware is the primary driver. The others are software Licenses, accessories and Consumables and service and Support.
Who are ISS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Becker & Hickl GmbH, PicoQuant and Edinburgh Instruments. Broad incumbents are Hamamatsu Photonics, HORIBA Scientific, Carl Zeiss Microscopy, Leica Microsystems, Nikon Instruments (Nikon Healthcare) and Bruker Nano Surfaces & Metrology. ISS (Innovations in Fluorescence) - medical device comparables is listed as an emerging player.
Does ISS have an API?
No public API is recorded for ISS.
What industry is ISS in?
ISS's product category is Scientific Instrumentation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAE, Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments, with a secondary code of HLAGAIAB, Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments. Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.