What MassTech does

MassTech Inc. is a privately held analytical instrumentation company founded in 2001 and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. The company is the sole licensed manufacturer of Atmospheric Pressure Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (AP-MALDI) ion source technology and also develops portable/field-deployable 3D ion trap mass spectrometers under its MT Explorer product line. Its AP-MALDI ion sources are explicitly engineered to be compatible with mass spectrometers from all major manufacturers (Agilent, Bruker, JEOL, Sciex, Shimadzu, Thermo, Waters), positioning MassTech as a plug-in upgrade layer on top of large global installed bases. The company was originally incorporated as Mass Technologies in Burtonsville, Maryland, and rebranded and relocated to Columbia, MD in 2017.

MassTech's product portfolio spans ion sources (AP/MALDI ng HR and ng UHR, SubAP-MALDI ng), portable mass spectrometers (MT Explorer 30, 50, 100), accessories and consumables (ITO slides, alignment tools, sample plates), and supporting hardware/software including the The-LCP thermo-stabilized nanoLC platform, RF Generator, and control/view software (Target, Chrom Explorer, MT imzML Converter). The company generates revenue primarily through direct hardware sales in the continental US and a global distributor network internationally, supplemented by one-time installation and training fees and a small online-store business for accessories. Customers include pharmaceutical and biotech firms (e.g., AbbVie), government and defense agencies (NASA for the ExoMars MOMA instrument), academic research institutions (NIDA-NIH, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Luxembourg LIST), and regulatory/food safety laboratories (India's National Chemical Laboratory).

The company maintains OEM and co-marketing partnerships with Agilent (since 2005) and Sciex (since 2004), a distribution and co-marketing partnership with SunChrom GmbH (Germany) for SunCollect MALDI sprayers, and a 2026 strategic partnership with Axcend combining the Axcend Focus LC with the MTE30 for portable LC-MS workflows. MassTech operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, MassTech Life and Analytical Sciences (MassTech LAS), in Mumbai, India, supporting demo and application development for the Indian market. The company has historically relied on non-dilutive Phase II SBIR grants from NASA and the Navy (e.g., $1.35M across two Phase II awards in 2011) rather than venture or private equity capital, and has not publicly disclosed revenue.

Name

MassTech

Legal name

MassTech Inc.

Website

https://apmaldi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MassTech is a privately held analytical instrumentation company that develops and manufactures AP-MALDI ion sources and portable ion trap mass spectrometers, sold directly and through OEM partners like Agilent to pharmaceutical, government, and academic research customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Analytical Instrumentation / Mass Spectrometry

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Mass spectrometry instruments
• AP MALDI ion sources
• Portable mass spectrometers
• Analytical instrumentation
• Ion trap mass spectrometry

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Mass Spectrometry Equipment Sales: MassTech generates revenue through the sale of mass spectrometry instruments including AP-MALDI ion sources, MT Explorer portable mass spectrometers, and related accessories. Products are sold directly in the continental US and through international distribution networks.
2. Installation and Training Services: One-time installation and training fees for AP-MALDI units, with preferential pricing available for Agilent representatives.
3. Accessories and Consumables: Online store selling accessories including ITO-coated glass slides ($50), capillary extenders ($100), alignment tools ($200), and sample plates ($250-300).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MassTech designs, manufactures, and sells analytical instrumentation based on its proprietary Atmospheric Pressure Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (AP-MALDI) technology. Its core offerings include AP-MALDI ion sources (Next Generation HR and UHR variants), portable 3D ion trap mass spectrometers (MT Explorer 30/50/100), and supporting modules such as The-LCP nanoLC platform and an RF Quad Generator, sold to research, pharmaceutical, government, and food safety laboratories worldwide.

Product overview

MassTech Inc. is a privately owned analytical instrumentation company and the only licensed manufacturer of AP MALDI ion source technology. The company offers a portfolio of mass spectrometry products including: AP/MALDI ion sources (AP/MALDI ng HR and ng UHR) for atmospheric pressure MALDI ionization compatible with all major mass spectrometer manufacturers (Agilent, Bruker, JEOL, Sciex, Shimadzu, Thermo, Waters); MT Explorer portable ion trap mass spectrometers (MT Explorer 30, 50, and 100) for field-deployable chemical and biological analysis; The-LCP thermo-stabilized LC platform for high-temperature nanoLC separations; and RF Generator for mass spectrometry applications. The product line also includes supporting software (Target Software, Chrom Explorer, MT imzML Converter) and accessories. The company operates from Columbia, Maryland with a subsidiary (MassTech LAS) in Mumbai, India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MassTech LAS: MassTech Life and Analytical Sciences - subsidiary providing demo and application development laboratory services
• AP-MALDI

Products and services

• AP/MALDI (ng) UHR Atmospheric Pressure Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization ion source with Ultra High Resolution (UHR) optical package. Features upgraded optics, redesigned source housing, elimination of optical fiber, and a solid-state Nd:YAG laser at 355nm with up to 10 kHz output frequency. Used by pharmaceutical, academic, and government laboratories for high-sensitivity imaging mass spectrometry and is compatible with mass spectrometers from all major manufacturers.
• AP/MALDI (ng) HR Atmospheric Pressure Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization ion source with High Resolution (HR) optical package. Fifth generation AP-MALDI technology with up to 50 micron resolution, solid-state Nd:YAG laser, enhanced micro-step stages, and external controls for laser focus and position. Designed for analytical chemistry, proteomics, and imaging applications and is compatible with mass spectrometers from all major manufacturers.
• SubAP-MALDI (ng) Sub-atmospheric pressure MALDI ion source for mass spectrometry. Operates at non-atmospheric pressure and incorporates ion funnel technology, expanding the MassTech ion source portfolio to applications requiring sub-atmospheric MALDI conditions.
• MT Explorer 30 (MTE30) Third generation portable/field-deployable 3D ion trap mass spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure interface. Provides MS-n capability for structure elucidation, mass range 30-2000 Da, scan rate 1000-4000 Da/sec, mass resolution 0.5 Da, dimensions 8" x 12" x 13" and weighing 37 lbs. Targeted at field-based chemical identification, threat detection, biological identification, and food authenticity verification for government, defense, and commercial users.
• MT Explorer 50 In-house developed portable mass spectrometer providing sensitivity and performance similar to the MT Explorer 100 in a package approximately half the size. Uses the same ion sources as the MT100 including ESI, AP-MALDI, and DART.
• MT Explorer 100 First in-house developed mass spectrometer from MassTech. Provides desktop laboratory performance in a field-transportable package with atmospheric pressure interface and is compatible with any API ion source including AP-MALDI.
• The-LCP Thermo Stabilized Platform for High Temperature nanoLC Separations. Provides accurate temperature control (within 0.05°C) from room temperature to 75°C for nanoLC-MS analyses and accommodates fused-silica capillary columns of arbitrary length at flow rates of 10-600 nL/min.
• RF Quad Generator RF Quad Generator designed specifically for mass spectrometry applications. Provides 1000V peak-to-peak output, 2 channel with opposite RF phase, frequency stability within 10 ppm, DC bias up to 300V, software frequency tune-up with quartz accuracy, and USB port control.
• ITO-Coated Glass Slide 25 x 50 mm Indium tin oxide coated glass slide for MALDI sample preparation, priced at $50.00. Sold through the MassTech online store.
• Thermo LTQ/Exactive Capillary Extender Capillary extender for Thermo LTQ and Exactive mass spectrometers, priced at $100.00. Sold through the MassTech online store.
• AP-MALDI Laser Alignment Jig Alignment tool for AP-MALDI laser calibration, priced at $200.00. Sold through the MassTech online store.
• Contact Closure Cable for Automated Analysis (6 ft) Cable for automated analysis triggering, priced at $250.00. Sold through the MassTech online store.
• Insert Opti-TOF, 192-well Sample plate insert for Opti-TOF with 192-well capacity, priced at $300.00. Sold through the MassTech online store.

Quantifiable outcome

• AP-MALDI sensitivity matches or exceeds vacuum MALDI performance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, flagship and major.

• AxcendcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Partnership to offer a combined liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) solution pairing the Axcend Focus LC with the MassTech MTE30 for trace-level detection in laboratory, manufacturing, and field-based environments. The combined platform enables high-sensitivity chemical analysis closer to sample generation sites without reliance on centralized analytical labs.
• Scientia Life Technologies LLPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2019Partnership for collaborative product development and application support, particularly in the Indian market.
• NASA (through SESI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2007MassTech's predecessor SESI contributed specialized AP/MALDI mass spectrometry ion source and miniature tandem Mass Spectrometer to NASA's Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) team for the European Space Agency ExoMars mission.
• Agilent TechnologiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 September 2005Distribution agreement for AP/MALDI and AP/MALDI-PDF ion sources. Agilent distributes MassTech's ion source products.
• Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEXmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 August 2004Co-marketing agreement to market the MassTech AP/MALDI system as a front-end ion source for AB/MDS SCIEX 4000 Q TRAP LC/MS/MS platform to facilitate metabolite identification and post-translational modification identification.
• SunChrom GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for distribution and co-marketing of SunCollect MALDI sprayer alongside MassTech products. Products featured together at ASMS conferences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher's Orbitrap, TSQ, and Exactive lines are validated platforms for MassTech's AP-MALDI source. Thermo is both a compatibility partner and a broad incumbent whose ion source portfolio and imaging software stack compete with MassTech's offering in pharma and academic imaging labs.
• Waters Corporation: Waters is a major mass spectrometry and chromatography manufacturer whose instruments are validated for AP-MALDI integration. It is both a compatibility partner and a broad incumbent whose SYNAPT, Xevo, and ACQUITY platforms compete for the same pharma and academic budgets as MassTech-enabled workflows.
• SCIEX: SCIEX co-marketed the MassTech AP/MALDI as a front-end for the 4000 Q TRAP platform and continues to integrate with current QTOF and triple quadrupole systems. As a major MS OEM, SCIEX is a key OEM partner and a broad incumbent competing in proteomics, pharma, and applied markets.
• Bruker: Bruker is a major mass spectrometry manufacturer offering vacuum MALDI platforms (Autoflex, rapifleX, timsTOF) that overlap directly with AP-MALDI use cases in proteomics and MS imaging. While it sells competing ionization technology, MassTech's AP-MALDI is explicitly compatible with Bruker instruments, making Bruker both a partner and the closest substitute vendor.
• Shimadzu: Shimadzu manufactures MALDI-TOF systems (AXIMA, iMALDI) and a broad chromatography/mass spec portfolio that overlaps with MassTech's pharma, proteomics, and applied markets. AP-MALDI is explicitly compatible with Shimadzu instruments, putting it in both partnership and competition.
• PerkinElmer: PerkinElmer (now Revvity) operates a broad analytical instruments business with mass spectrometry components used in food safety, environmental, and clinical research — adjacent applications where MassTech's AP-MALDI and field-portable systems also compete.
• JEOL: JEOL produces mass spectrometry and NMR instruments used in academic and government research. AP-MALDI is validated on JEOL platforms, making JEOL an OEM partner while also serving overlapping proteomics and materials characterization markets.
• Agilent Technologies: Agilent distributes MassTech's AP-MALDI ion sources under a long-standing OEM agreement while also selling its own mass spectrometry portfolio (including alternative ion sources). It is simultaneously the most important channel partner and a broad incumbent competitor in the lab MS market.

Direct peers

• 908 Devices: 908 Devices builds portable and handheld mass spectrometry systems (e.g., MX908, Rebel) for defense, hazmat, and pharma QC — directly comparable to MassTech's MT Explorer line in form factor, target use cases (field chemical/biological identification), and customer profile (military, government, security agencies).

Emerging players

• BaySpec: BaySpec develops portable and benchtop mass spectrometry systems for field security, hazmat, and forensic applications. It overlaps with MassTech's MT Explorer line in form factor and target use cases, though it focuses more on linear ion trap and time-of-flight architectures.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ap_maldi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mass-tech-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 MassTech