Morgridge Institute for Research
Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute in Madison, WI, partnering with UW-Madison to develop open-source bioimage analysis tools (ImageJ, Fiji, CellProfiler) and conduct research in regenerative biology, virology, metabolism, and biomedical imaging for the global scientific community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Morgridge Institute for Research does
Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, operating in public-private partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison within the 40,000-square-foot Discovery Building. Founded in 2010 as an evolution of the institution where James Thomson isolated human embryonic stem cells in 1998, Morgridge conducts interdisciplinary research across regenerative biology, virology, metabolism, biomedical imaging, research computing, and bioethics. The institute's primary technology outputs are open-source bioimage analysis platforms—ImageJ, Fiji, and CellProfiler—developed by its investigators (notably Kevin Eliceiri) and distributed globally through the Center for Open Bioimage Analysis (COBA) and the image.sc community forum, which draws over one million monthly visitors. Additional proprietary and open-source research technologies include FLIM Playground (FLIM analysis software), Optical Metabolic Imaging (Skala Lab), quantum-correlation super-resolution microscopy (Bartels), and cryo-EM methods.
The institute's business model is nonprofit grant-funded research: primary revenue flows from federal research grants (NIH, NSF, NIGMS, DOE) including a $20 million Department of Energy partnership, a multi-year NIGMS R24 National Resource grant, and NSF SBIR awards; secondary streams include philanthropic donations (donor-funded named chairs, annual donor reports) and technology transfer/licensing through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). Commercial translation occurs primarily via spinoff companies, most notably SHINE Technologies (nuclear fusion, founded by Greg Piefer while at Morgridge) and SeLight (CAR T cancer immunotherapy). As a nonprofit, Morgridge does not price its core open-source software or research outputs; distribution is free to the global scientific research community, with community engagement and conference programming (BINA Congress, Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium, Throughput Computing Week) functioning as go-to-market channels for influence rather than revenue.
The institute's served audiences are primarily academic and government biomedical researchers using its imaging tools and methods, with secondary engagement with healthcare/biotech entities (CAR T providers via SeLight) and the pharmaceutical industry for drug discovery applications. The institute is currently in a CEO transition following Brad Schwartz's retirement announcement, with the Board conducting a search for the next CEO.
Morgridge Institute for Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Morgridge Institute for Research
- Legal name
- The Morgridge Institute for Research, Inc.
- Website
- https://morgridge.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute in Madison, WI, partnering with UW-Madison to develop open-source bioimage analysis tools (ImageJ, Fiji, CellProfiler) and conduct research in regenerative biology, virology, metabolism, and biomedical imaging for the global scientific community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Morgridge Institute for Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biomedical Research Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scientific Data Management & Data Platforms (SDMS/Data Lakehouse for R&D) (HLAGAJAC), Digital & AI-Enabled Diagnostics (algorithmic interpretation, decision support tied to assays) (HLAAALAO)
Keywords
Where Morgridge Institute for Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Morgridge Institute for Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Federal Research Grants: Primary funding from NIH, NSF, NIGMS, and DOE grants including SBIR funding for cancer immunotherapy startup SeLight and R24 National Resource grants for open-source image analysis tools.
- Technology Transfer and Licensing: Commercialization of research through spinoff companies like SHINE Technologies, with WARF managing patents and licensing.
- Philanthropic Donations: Donor-funded named professorships and research support, with annual donor reports and giving programs.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Morgridge Institute for Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute that conducts interdisciplinary fundamental research in regenerative biology, virology, metabolism, and biomedical imaging to drive advances in human health. Its core outputs include widely adopted open-source bioimage analysis software tools (ImageJ, Fiji, CellProfiler, FLIM Playground), advanced imaging methodologies such as cryo-EM, optical metabolic imaging, and super-resolution microscopy, and technology transfer to spin-off companies like SHINE Technologies and SeLight.
Product overview
The Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute that develops open-source bioimaging software tools and conducts interdisciplinary research in regenerative biology, metabolism, virology, and biomedical imaging. Its core software products include FLIM Playground (an open-source FLIM analysis tool), and it supports major open-source bioimage analysis platforms including ImageJ, Fiji, and CellProfiler. The institute also produces spin-off companies including SHINE Technologies (nuclear fusion) and SeLight (cancer immunotherapy), while providing research technologies such as cryo-EM methods and optical metabolic imaging. A monthly newsletter (SPARK) disseminates research findings to the scientific community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FLIM Playground An interactive, open-source, end-to-end software application that simplifies Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) analysis pipelines, designed for biomedical imaging researchers seeking to reduce the time and expertise burden of standard FLIM workflows.
- ImageJ
Companies that use Morgridge Institute for Research
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Morgridge Institute for Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature4 records
Morgridge Institute for Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)coreWARF manages intellectual property and patents for UW-Madison and Morgridge technologies. The foundation selected SeLight for its 2018 Innovation Award and Accelerator Program, and WARF's technology transfer enabled SHINE Technologies spinoff development.
- GE HealthCareflagshipCollaboration between WARF, GE HealthCare, and UW-Madison has successfully translated scientific research into clinical medical technologies. The partnership focuses on advancing precision medicine through innovations like AI-enhanced imaging and theranostics, with UW researchers gaining access to GE's imaging technology for global use.
- Broad InstitutecoreBeth Cimini of Broad Institute serves as co-PI on NIGMS R24 National Resource grant to advance open-source image analysis tools including ImageJ, Fiji, and CellProfiler. The collaboration strengthens and expands tools for the global scientific research community.
- Center for Open Bioimage Analysis (COBA)coreCOBA is home to ImageJ software development and sponsors the image.sc discussion forum with over one million monthly visitors. Over six years of joint work through COBA culminated in NIGMS R24 National Resource grant validation.
- SHINE TechnologiesflagshipMorgridge spinoff company founded by Greg Piefer, advancing cutting-edge fusion-based solutions for healthcare (medical isotope production), clean energy, national security, and nuclear waste recycling. Piefer was CEO while technology was developed at Morgridge.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Morgridge Institute for Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Morgridge Institute for Research social profiles
Digital presenceMorgridge Institute for Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Morgridge Institute for Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Morgridge Institute for Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Morgridge Institute for Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Morgridge Institute for Research
What does Morgridge Institute for Research do?
The Morgridge Institute for Research is a private, nonprofit biomedical research institute that conducts interdisciplinary fundamental research in regenerative biology, virology, metabolism, and biomedical imaging to drive advances in human health. Its core outputs include widely adopted open-source bioimage analysis software tools (ImageJ, Fiji, CellProfiler, FLIM Playground), advanced imaging methodologies such as cryo-EM, optical metabolic imaging, and super-resolution microscopy, and technology transfer to spin-off companies like SHINE Technologies and SeLight.
Is Morgridge Institute for Research a public or private company?
Morgridge Institute for Research is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Morgridge Institute for Research founded?
Morgridge Institute for Research was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Morgridge Institute for Research based?
Morgridge Institute for Research is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Morgridge Institute for Research make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Federal Research Grants are the primary driver. The others are technology Transfer and Licensing and philanthropic Donations.
Does Morgridge Institute for Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Morgridge Institute for Research.
What industry is Morgridge Institute for Research in?
Morgridge Institute for Research's product category is Biomedical Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAE, Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments, with a secondary code of HLAGAJAC, Scientific Data Management & Data Platforms (SDMS/Data Lakehouse for R&D). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 3826.