What 4Dcell does

4Dcell is a private French biotechnology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Montreuil (Paris area), operating as one of the first European TechBio companies to pioneer New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for drug testing. The company develops bioengineered microenvironments for 2D and 3D in vitro cell culture, combining proprietary scaffolds, hydrogels, and microstructured substrates to create physiologically relevant organoid and tissue models. Its product architecture is anchored on the Organ-in-a-well Platform, which encompasses the SmartHeart 3D cardiac assay (featuring hiPSC-derived cardiomyocyte tissue rings with reported 30% ejection fraction and 25% contraction strain), the SmartSphero organoid-maker, and a suite of modular SmartTechnologies (SmartContractility, SmartPattern, SmartConfinement, SmartChannel, SmartGel, SmartPillar) that extend functionality into micropatterning, mechanical confinement, migration assays, and peptide hydrogels. The portfolio also includes ready-to-use tissue models for heart, muscle, neurons, liver, kidney, cancer, immune system, and wound healing applications, supported by AI-driven imaging analysis for cardiac readouts.

The company serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery and preclinical safety/toxicity testing, with named enterprise customers including Sanofi, Bayer, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Servier, and Cytokinetics. Revenue is generated through sales of platform products and consumables (starter packs of 20 or 50 units, multiwell plates in 24/96/384-well formats, custom photomasks, fabrication kits) on a quote-based pricing model, supplemented by custom services, contract research, and technical training. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with channel partners (Tebubio for Europe, Primetech for Japan) and an e-commerce channel for SMB and academic customers. The company operates with 1–10 employees and is led by co-founders Cyril Cerveau (CEO) and Maël Le Berre (President), with a scientific co-development partnership with INSERM (Prof. Jean Sébastien Hulot) underpinning the SmartHeart platform.

Name

4Dcell

Legal name

4DCELL

Website

https://4dcell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

4Dcell is a French biotech that develops proprietary 2D and 3D in vitro organoid and tissue models (SmartHeart, SmartSphero, SmartPattern platforms) for pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug discovery and preclinical toxicology testing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

In Vitro Cell Culture Technology Platforms

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organoids & Organ-on-Chip (regenerative models) (HLAAAGAD), 3D Bioprinting & Biofabrication (HLAAAGAC), AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)

Keywords

• In vitro cell culture
• Organoid technology platforms
• Cardiac toxicity assays
• Drug discovery tools
• Biomedical research products

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreuil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Products and Consumables: 4Dcell generates revenue primarily through the sale of its technology platforms, including SmartHeart, SmartSphero, SmartPattern, SmartConfinement, SmartChannel, and SmartGel product lines. These include starter packs (20 or 50 units), various plate formats (24-well, 96-well, 384-well), and consumable kits.
2. Custom Products and Services: Revenue from customized photomasks, custom micropattern designs, and specialized fabrication kits tailored to specific customer research requirements. The company also offers consultation and support services.
3. Professional Services: Technical support, training, and application assistance for customers implementing 4Dcell's technologies. Payment terms include 30 days for registered companies and prepaid orders for private customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

4Dcell develops and sells bioengineered microenvironments for 2D and 3D in vitro cell culture, including proprietary scaffolds, hydrogels, and microstructured substrates that create physiologically relevant organoid and tissue models for drug discovery and toxicology testing. The company's flagship SmartHeart platform combines hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with AI-driven imaging analysis to deliver functional cardiac organoid assays with 9 rings per well for high-resolution readouts. The portfolio spans SmartTechnologies (SmartSphero, SmartPattern, SmartConfinement, SmartChannel, SmartGel, SmartPillar), ready-to-use tissue models, micropatterning consumables, fabrication kits, and supporting services for pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and CRO customers.

Product overview

4Dcell provides an Organ-in-a-well Platform offering 2D and 3D in vitro models for drug discovery and toxicology. The portfolio is organized around the SmartHeart platform (the core 3D cardiac assay combining hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with AI-driven analysis), the SmartSphero organoid-maker technology (hydrogel-based microwells for spheroid formation), and a suite of SmartTechnologies (SmartContractility, SmartPattern, SmartConfinement, SmartChannel, SmartGel, SmartPillar) that function as modular tools enabling specific capabilities within the platforms. The company also offers a range of organ/tissue models (Heart, Muscle, Neurons, Liver, Kidney, Cancer, Immune System, Wound Healing), micropatterning products (coverslips, dishes, multiwell plates, fabrication kits), microchannel products (dishes and fabrication kits), and supporting services. This modular architecture allows researchers to select specific technologies for their experimental needs while maintaining integration within the broader platform ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartHeart: 3D cardiac assay platform enabling self-assembly and maturation of functional cardiac organoids based on hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, combining precisely tuned hydrogels, customizable microtopographies, and AI-driven imaging analysis.
• SmartSphero
• SmartPattern
• SmartConfinement
• SmartChannel
• SmartGel
• SmartPillar
• Organ-in-a-well

Products and services

• SmartHeart Platform 3D cardiac assay platform enabling self-assembly and maturation of functional cardiac organoids based on hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, with 9 rings per well for high-resolution imaging and readouts including contractility, electrophysiology, and drug responses. Combines proprietary hydrogel microwells with AI-driven imaging analysis for pharmaceutical and biotech drug discovery applications.
• SmartSphero Technology Organoid-maker technology using hydrogel-based microwells with an anchoring point at the bottom to form functional and reproducible spheroids without loss during medium exchange, enabling uniform high-quality spheroid formation at the push of a button for researchers.
• SmartContractility Technology for self-assembly of cell aggregates with a ring shape that facilitates contractility force measurements for cardiac and muscle research applications.
• SmartPattern Micropatterning system using deep UV photolithography to create static or switchable adhesive patterns on glass substrates, allowing geometric control of cells for cell normalization and standardized assays on coverslips, dishes, and multiwell plates.
• SmartConfinement Cell confinement technology providing homogenous confinement of cells between two parallel planes to a defined micrometer height with sub-micrometer resolution, enabling biomimetic cell culture conditions that reproduce in vivo confinement.
• SmartChannel PDMS microchannel technology for cell migration studies, available as ready-to-use dishes or fabrication kits, with microchannels ranging from 3 to 1000 micrometers width, adapted to single cell or collective migration and compatible with high-resolution live microscopy.
• SmartGel Lyophilized peptide gels that mimic the behavior of body tissues and organs, allowing control over stiffness and biological functionalization to enable both 2D and 3D cell culture applications.
• SmartPillar Micropillar system anchored onto a glass slide for controlling cell culture height, used in conjunction with SmartConfinement to adjust pillar height from 3 to 20 micrometers.
• Accessories & Devices Supporting laboratory equipment including Micropatterning Station (box plus UV Printer), Micropatterning Box, Masker for improved mask-slide contact, and Plasma Cleaner for chip bonding.
• Micropatterned Coverslips 24mm round micropatterned coverslips ready for cell culture experiments, with covalent anti-adhesive coating stable for months at room temperature.
• Micropatterned Dishes 35mm glass bottom petri dishes printed with micropatterns, ready-to-use for direct cell plating and observation.
• Micropatterned Multiwell Plates 96 or 384 well SBS-format plates with micropatterned glass bottoms for standardized, robot-ready cell assays with high-resolution imaging compatibility.
• Micropatterning Fabrication Kit Complete kit for manufacturing custom adhesive micropatterns on glass slides using deep UV photolithography, including consumables for 100 slides.
• Micropatterning Photomask Quartz photomask with chromium coating for deep UV micropatterning, featuring 10-100 micrometer patterns with 1 micrometer resolution and 0.25 micrometer accuracy.
• Dynamic Micropatterned Coverslips Dynamic micropatterned coverslips using bioorthogonal click chemistry allowing switchable adhesive regions to induce cell migration, for wound healing assays.
• SmartChannel Dishes 35mm glass bottom dishes with pre-bonded PDMS microchannels, ready for cell loading and high-quality live imaging.
• SmartChannel Microfabrication Kit Kit for manufacturing 100 PDMS microchannel chips including molds, elastomer precursors, glass bottom dishes, and plasma cleaner for surface activation.
• Contract Research and Custom Assay Development Services Services supporting drug discovery and toxicology workflows including custom photomasks, custom micropattern designs, specialized fabrication kits, technical support, training, and application assistance tailored to specific customer research requirements.
• Heart 3D Model 3D cardiac tissue model using hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts in a 3:1 ratio, forming beating cardiac tissue rings with ejection fractions reaching 30% and contraction strains of 25%.
• Heart 2D Model 2D cardiac model using micropatterned substrates for standardized cardiac assays on planar surfaces.
• Muscle Model Skeletal muscle tissue model for studying muscle cell differentiation and contractility.
• Neurons Model Neural tissue model for studying neuronal differentiation and function.
• Liver Model Hepatic tissue model for liver toxicity and metabolism studies.
• Kidney Model Renal tissue model for nephrotoxicity assessment.
• Cancer Model Cancer cell model for tumor biology and anti-cancer drug screening studies.
• Immune System Model Immune cell model for immunological response and immunotherapy research.
• Wound Healing Model Dynamic wound healing assay model for studying cell migration, proliferation, and contractility during tissue repair.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ejection fractions reaching 30% and contraction strains of 25% after 7 days in culture for cardiac tissues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TebubiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 November 20254Dcell partnered with Tebubio to distribute SmartSphero organoid technology to researchers across Europe. This partnership expands 4Dcell's reach in the European market through Tebubio's established distribution network.
• PrimetechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimetech is the distributor for 4Dcell products in the Japanese market, enabling local sales, support, and distribution logistics for Japanese customers.
• INSERMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner4Dcell collaborated with Prof. Jean Sébastien Hulot at INSERM to develop the SmartHeart platform, combining their commercial technology expertise with academic research capabilities to create an advanced cardiac organoid system.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• InSphero: InSphero provides 3D in vitro spheroid and organoid models for drug discovery and toxicology, overlapping directly with 4Dcell's SmartSphero and tissue model portfolio and serving the same pharma/biotech R&D buyers.
• Mimetas: Mimetas develops organ-on-chip and microfluidic 3D cell culture platforms (e.g., OrganoPlate) for preclinical drug testing, directly comparable to 4Dcell's microphysiological and organoid systems aimed at pharma discovery workflows.
• CN Bio: CN Bio offers organ-on-chip platforms (PhysioMimix) for single- and multi-organ models used in drug discovery and toxicology, competing head-to-head with 4Dcell's SmartHeart and broader organ model menu.
• Emulate: Emulate's organ-on-chip technology (Liver-Chip, etc.) targets pharmaceutical preclinical safety and efficacy testing, closely overlapping with 4Dcell's NAMs-focused, organ-specific in vitro models.
• TissUse: TissUse builds multi-organ-chip and microphysiological systems for systemic substance testing, paralleling 4Dcell's efforts to deliver human-relevant, organ-specific preclinical models to pharma R&D.
• Kirkstall: Kirkstall provides Quasi Vivo interconnected cell culture systems for organ-on-chip and 3D tissue work, comparable to 4Dcell's microphysiological and SmartChannel approaches for pharma discovery and toxicology.
• Organovo: Organovo develops 3D bioprinted human tissues for preclinical research and disease modeling, sharing 4Dcell's positioning around tissue-engineered constructs and drug discovery applications.

Emerging players

• React4life: React4life offers fluid-dynamic, organ-on-chip technology (MIVO) for in vitro testing of drugs and cosmetics, an emerging European peer with overlapping microphysiological-system use cases versus 4Dcell.
• Cellesce: Cellesce focuses on expansion and scale-up of organoid cultures for drug screening, complementary to 4Dcell's SmartSphero organoid-maker platform used by pharma for in vitro screening.

Broad incumbents

• BICO (Cellink): BICO (formerly Cellink) is a broader bioprinting and lab automation group with organoid, bioprinting and cell culture offerings, overlapping with 4Dcell's bioengineered microenvironments and tissue model products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/4Dcell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/24782729

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 4Dcell