Nanosurf

What Nanosurf does

Nanosurf AG, founded in 1997 in Liestal, Switzerland, designs, manufactures, and sells atomic force microscopy (AFM) instruments and operates as a subsidiary within the Lab14 Group, a diversified network of eight high-tech companies serving nano- and microfabrication and surface analysis markets. The company's portfolio spans four product tiers: research AFMs (DriveAFM flagship, FlexAFM mid-range, CoreAFM compact), industrial AFMs (Alphacen 300 Drive and Flex for semiconductor and QC), integratable systems (LensAFM, Nanite, Flex-Mount), and entry-level units (NaioAFM, NaioSTM), supplemented by add-on modules including FluidFM (via Cytosurge partnership), Scanning Microwave Microscopy, and PicoBalance (co-developed with ETH Zürich).

The core technology platform combines proprietary AFM methods including WaveMode (the first commercial photothermal off-resonance tapping mode, launched February 2022), CleanDrive cantilever excitation, and a Python-based control interface, supporting 30+ measurement modes across the product range. Hardware pricing ranges from entry-level units at a few thousand USD to Alphacen industrial systems exceeding $500,000, with configurations customized for sub-Angstrom roughness metrology, large/heavy sample handling up to 300mm/45kg, and PLC-integrated factory automation for cleanroom semiconductor QA.

Nanosurf operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct sales and service offices in Switzerland, Germany, the UK, the US (East and West Coast), China, and Singapore with a distributor network covering more than 30 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, MEA, and Oceania. Revenue is generated primarily through instrument hardware sales, with secondary streams from accessories, consumables, software subscriptions, service contracts, and bespoke industrial engineering projects. Customers include leading semiconductor corporations, prestigious research universities, and national laboratories, with sales and support delivered by PhD-level AFM specialists.

Name

Nanosurf

Legal name

Nanosurf AG

Website

https://nanosurf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nanosurf AG, founded 1997 in Liestal, Switzerland, designs and manufactures atomic force microscopes (AFMs) for academic research, semiconductor metrology, industrial quality control, and OEM integrators, distributed globally through direct offices in six countries and a 30+ country partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Metrology & Dimensional Measurement (CMMs, laser trackers, gauges, surface/roughness) (IMAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Atomic force microscopy
• Scanning probe microscopes
• Nanoscale surface imaging
• Surface roughness metrology
• Industrial AFM systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Liestal

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AFM Instruments: Sale of atomic force microscopes across various product tiers: entry-level (NaioAFM, CoreAFM), mid-range research (FlexAFM, DriveAFM), industrial solutions (Alphacen series), and integratable systems (LensAFM, Nanite, Flex-Mount)
2. Accessories and Consumables: Cantilevers, probes, and other AFM accessories including specialized options like diamond probes (AD-450-AS) for specific applications
3. Software Licenses: AFM control software (Studio) and data analysis software (MountainsSPIP integration), with Python interface capabilities
4. Service and Support: Customer service, troubleshooting, support tickets, warranty, user training, and maintenance contracts
5. Custom Industrial Solutions: Bespoke AFM system design and development for unique industrial requirements, leveraging decades of engineering expertise

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nanosurf designs, manufactures, and sells atomic force microscope (AFM) instruments for nanoscale surface characterization, imaging, and measurement. Its portfolio spans entry-level educational systems, mid-range and high-end research AFMs, industrial metrology systems for semiconductor and quality-control use, and integrable AFM components for OEM customization. Revenue is generated through instrument sales, accessories, software, service contracts, and bespoke industrial solutions.

Product overview

Nanosurf provides a comprehensive portfolio of atomic force microscopy (AFM) instruments spanning research, industrial, integratable, and entry-level categories. The research line includes DriveAFM (flagship high-performance), FlexAFM (mid-range versatile), and CoreAFM (compact affordable), all supporting 30+ measurement modes including WaveMode (photothermal off-resonance tapping). The industrial line features Alphacen 300 Drive and Alphacen 300 Flex for semiconductor and quality control applications, with bespoke solutions available. Integratable options include LensAFM, Nanite, and Flex-Mount for combining with existing setups. Entry-level offerings include NaioAFM and NaioSTM for education and basic research. Add-on modules include FluidFM (via Cytosurge partnership), Scanning Microwave Microscopy, and PicoBalance (for live cell mass monitoring). The portfolio is anchored by Nanosurf's proprietary Python interface for instrument control and data processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DriveAFM: The ultimate tool for nanoscale research from biological molecules to advanced new materials, and flagship AFM by Nanosurf that offers fast, intuitive performance without compromise.
• FlexAFM
• CoreAFM
• NaioAFM
• NaioSTM
• Alphacen 300 Drive
• Nanite
• LensAFM
• WaveMode
• FluidFM

Quantifiable outcome

• WaveMode enables 15x faster imaging than piezo-based off-resonance modes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• LAB14 GmbHcoreOthers · 3 March 2026German corporate network uniting eight high-tech companies focused on nanofabrication, microfabrication, and surface analysis. LAB14 joined MIT.nano Consortium providing equipment including VPG 300 DI maskless stepper and EnviroMETROS XPS tool for MIT.nano cleanroom.
• CytosurgeflagshipTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing and successful partnership establishing FluidFM system solutions, resulting in more than 40 publications generated by 30+ systems in leading universities globally. This premium partnership provides the best possible FluidFM experience to end-users with Nanosurf AFM.
• European Soft Matter Infrastructure (EUSMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEUSMI provides European soft-matter researchers with open-access infrastructure. As one of the 15 partners, Nanosurf provides transnational access to a Flex-ANA system in Langen, Germany - an automated solution for AFM-based nanomechanical analysis.
• ETH ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on PicoBalance product development for cell mass monitoring under physiological conditions. ETH lab worked with Nanosurf to develop this commercial product now part of the Drive product family.
• Nanoinitiative Bayern (Cluster Nanotechnologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor objective is continuous development of nanotechnology competence network for efficient transfer of R&D results into marketable products and promotion of cooperations for concrete projects. Nanosurf is involved in cluster activities.
• NFP4CryoEM (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject with TU Delft concerning advances in cryo-electron microscopy. Uses AFM to make better samples by directly extracting specific components from cells and preparing them for research.
• InnosuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Innovation Promotion Agency. Nanosurf involved in several Innosuisse projects (formerly CTI/KTI) in cooperation with partners including ETH, EPFL, and University of Basel.
• Lab14 GroupflagshipOthersNanosurf is part of Lab14 Group, a group of successful high-tech companies providing advanced manufacturing solutions with complementary products and services for nano- and microfabrication and surface analysis applications.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bruker: Bruker is a leading direct competitor in the AFM market through its Dimension, Icon, and Resolve AFM product families, serving the same academic, materials science, and life science customer base with overlapping tip-scanning and sample-scanning architectures.
• Oxford Instruments: Oxford Instruments manufactures the Cypher AFM series, one of the highest-resolution AFMs in the market, competing head-to-head with Nanosurf's DriveAFM in materials and life science research at leading universities and national labs.
• Park Systems: Park Systems produces the NX-series AFMs and is a direct competitor to Nanosurf, particularly in academic research and industrial metrology applications; Park's AFM leadership shares headcount and management experience with Nanosurf via the same PhD-level scientific sales talent pool.
• Hitachi High-Tech: Hitachi High-Tech supplies AFM systems, including the AFM5300E and related nanoscale measurement instruments, directly competing with Nanosurf in materials science and semiconductor research customers globally.

Emerging players

• Renishaw: Renishaw offers combined Raman-AFM systems and high-precision scientific instrumentation, competing with Nanosurf in correlative microscopy and materials characterization use cases, particularly where researchers want simultaneous chemical and nanoscale topographical data.
• WITec (Oxford Instruments WITec): WITec specializes in correlative Raman and scanning probe microscopy, providing adjacent nanoscale chemical imaging capability that overlaps with Nanosurf's life science and materials research use cases, including integrated AFM modes.

Broad incumbents

• Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Carl Zeiss offers a broad microscopy portfolio including optical, electron, and ion-beam systems; while not a direct AFM specialist, Zeiss competes for materials science and life science imaging budgets and increasingly bundles AFM-style surface analysis into integrated workflows.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher's Analytical Instruments segment encompasses electron microscopes, spectrometers, and surface analysis tools, competing with Nanosurf for industrial QC and semiconductor metrology budgets at large enterprise customers.
• KLA Corporation: KLA dominates semiconductor process control and metrology; while focused on optical and e-beam inspection, KLA represents a broad incumbent whose wafer-level metrology ambitions overlap with Nanosurf's Alphacen 300 industrial offerings in fab environments.

Others

• Leica Microsystems (Danaher): Leica provides high-end optical microscopy used alongside Nanosurf's LensAFM integratable AFMs; the two are complementary in correlative workflows, with Leica's distribution and customer base in life sciences serving as an adjacent ecosystem for Nanosurf integration sales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nanosurfafm
• Facebookfacebook.com/Nanosurf.AG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanosurf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Nanosurf