Clever Culture Systems
- Company typePublic
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBach, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Clever Culture Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clever Culture Systems
- Legal name
- Clever Culture Systems Limited
- Website
- https://cleverculturesystems.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clever Culture Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Automation Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)
Keywords
Where Clever Culture Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bach
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Clever Culture Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Instrument Sales: Sale of APAS Independence instruments to pharmaceutical and clinical laboratory customers, sold directly and through channel partners like Thermo Fisher.
- Software/Subscription Fees: Ongoing software fees for AI analysis modules and web interface access.
- Service and Maintenance: Tiered service level agreements, remote troubleshooting with >50% of issues resolved remotely, and annual preventative maintenance visits. Also offers validation package services.
- Implementation and Training: Comprehensive user training programs (onsite or virtual), installation, and validation support services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Small-Medium Clinical Laboratory |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Large Clinical Reference Lab with Existing TLA |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Pharma Aseptic Manufacturing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Clever Culture Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clever Culture Systems develops and commercializes the APAS Independence, an AI-powered laboratory instrument that automates imaging, interpretation, and reporting of microbial growth on agar culture plates for pharmaceutical and clinical microbiology laboratories. The platform combines proprietary machine learning with automated plate handling to process approximately 200 culture plates per hour, and is sold alongside a suite of specialized AI analysis modules for pharmaceutical environmental monitoring and clinical diagnostics applications.
Product overview
Clever Culture Systems offers the APAS Independence platform as the core product, an AI-driven automated microbiology culture plate reading system. The platform is supplemented by specialized analysis modules: Pharma Analysis Modules (Microbial Environmental Monitoring 90mm TSA and 55mm Contact Plate modules) for pharmaceutical quality control applications, and Clinical Analysis Modules (Urine, MRSA, Zone Reader, and VRE modules) for clinical diagnostics. The Digital Reporting module (APAS Web User Interface) provides remote viewing and audit trail capabilities. The modular architecture allows laboratories to configure the platform for specific applications in pharmaceutical or clinical microbiology workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- APAS Independence: Automated Plate Assessment System - AI-powered instrument for microbiology culture plate reading, used in clinical diagnostics and pharmaceutical quality control environmental monitoring
- APAS
- APAS Pharma Modules
- APAS Clinical Analysis Modules
Products and services
- APAS Independence
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% sensitivity for MRSA detection in clinical evaluation with 98.1% specificity
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Clever Culture Systems
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clever Culture Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature8 records
Clever Culture Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CSLcoreGlobal biotech firm CSL secured evaluation agreement and subsequently placed order for APAS Independence for Global QC Operations. Represents meaningful validation from sophisticated pharmaceutical partner in typically long sales cycle of laboratory technology.
- AstraZenecacoreMajor pharmaceutical customer hosting APAS Discovery Day at their Macclesfield, England facility in June 2026 to showcase platform capabilities. Collaborative relationship for technology validation and demonstration.
- Thermo Fisher ScientificcoreThermo Fisher Scientific serves as the primary channel partner for distribution of APAS Independence instruments. The partnership enables global instrument sales through Thermo Fisher's established laboratory distribution network. Reported sales of 2 instruments through this channel.
- Labor Dr WisplinghoffcoreGerman laboratory conducting extensive validation studies including AI-assisted antimicrobial susceptibility testing and MRSA screening. Multiple joint publications and conference presentations.
- Health Services Laboratories (HSL)coreUK-based laboratory, first UK placement of APAS Independence installed 2018 at flagship Halo laboratory in London. Published case study on implementation and operational benefits.
- St Vincent's Hospital MelbournecoreAustralian hospital conducting urine workflow evaluation with 3,665 cultures analysed. Published poster presentation at ECCMID 2018 on AI in routine clinical laboratory.
- Planet InnovationminorListed as technology development partner on company website.
- MTP ConnectminorMedical Technology Partner Connect organization supporting Australian medtech innovation ecosystem. Listed as partner on company website.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Clever Culture Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Copan Diagnostics: Copan provides automated specimen processing and liquid-based microbiology workflows (WASPLab) with imaging and AI-assisted colony detection. It competes with APAS Independence in the automated microbiology lab segment.
- Becton Dickinson (BD) - Kiestra: BD's Kiestra is the leading total laboratory automation platform for clinical microbiology, including automated plate imaging and incubation. It is the closest direct competitor to APAS Independence in automated culture plate reading for clinical microbiology labs.
Broad incumbents
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Bio-Rad provides quality control and microbiology products, including the Unity Real Time QC and various clinical microbiology reagents. It is an incumbent adjacent competitor for laboratory QC and microbiology workflows.
- Beckman Coulter (Danaher): Beckman Coulter offers clinical laboratory automation and microbiology solutions through Danaher's Diagnostics platform. It is a broader incumbent in lab automation that competes for the same clinical microbiology budgets.
- bioMérieux: bioMérieux is a global leader in in-vitro diagnostics and industrial microbiology, offering BACT/ALERT, VITEK, and laboratory automation products. It overlaps with APAS Independence across clinical microbiology and pharmaceutical QC.
Emerging players
- Specific Diagnostics: Specific Diagnostics is a smaller emerging player offering rapid phenotypic AST with instrumented readouts. It competes with the APAS Zone Reader RUO module for AST workflow mindshare in clinical microbiology labs.
- Accelerate Diagnostics: Accelerate Diagnostics offers the Accelerate Pheno system for rapid identification and AST directly from positive blood cultures. It is an emerging competitor in AI/automation-enabled clinical microbiology.
- T2 Biosystems: T2 Biosystems provides T2 Magnetic Resonance-based rapid diagnostic panels for sepsis-causing pathogens. It competes for microbiology lab budgets on AI/automation-enabled rapid diagnostics.
- Selux Diagnostics: Selux Diagnostics is developing rapid AST platforms for bloodstream and other infections. It overlaps with APAS Independence's RUO antimicrobial susceptibility testing capabilities.
Others
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher Scientific is Clever Culture Systems' global channel partner and also offers its own microbiology and laboratory products. It is included as a strategic enabler/distributor rather than a direct plate-reader competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clever Culture Systems social profiles
Digital presenceClever Culture Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Clever Culture Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clever Culture Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Clever Culture Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clever Culture Systems 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 Clever Culture Systems
What does Clever Culture Systems do?
Clever Culture Systems develops and commercializes the APAS Independence, an AI-powered laboratory instrument that automates imaging, interpretation, and reporting of microbial growth on agar culture plates for pharmaceutical and clinical microbiology laboratories. The platform combines proprietary machine learning with automated plate handling to process approximately 200 culture plates per hour, and is sold alongside a suite of specialized AI analysis modules for pharmaceutical environmental monitoring and clinical diagnostics applications.
Is Clever Culture Systems a public or private company?
Clever Culture Systems is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Clever Culture Systems founded?
Clever Culture Systems was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Clever Culture Systems based?
Clever Culture Systems is headquartered in Bach, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Clever Culture Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Instrument Sales are the primary driver. The others are software/Subscription Fees, service and Maintenance and implementation and Training.
Who are Clever Culture Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Copan Diagnostics and Becton Dickinson (BD) - Kiestra. Broad incumbents are Bio-Rad Laboratories, Beckman Coulter (Danaher) and bioMérieux. Emerging players are Specific Diagnostics, Accelerate Diagnostics, T2 Biosystems and Selux Diagnostics. Thermo Fisher Scientific is listed as an others.
Does Clever Culture Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clever Culture Systems.
What industry is Clever Culture Systems in?
Clever Culture Systems's product category is Laboratory Automation Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAJAO, AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization. Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.