What SkillCell does

SkillCell is a French biotechnology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Jarry, Guadeloupe, with research facilities in Grabels/Montpellier and an office in Paris. The firm operates as a subsidiary of ALCEN Group, the mid-sized French industrial conglomerate that co-founded SkillCell alongside CNRS, embedding the company within a public-private partnership that combines ALCEN's industrial scale with CNRS research infrastructure via the Sys2Diag laboratory and a 2,000 square-meter R&I platform.

The company's product platform is "non-living biomachines" — programmable, cell-like devices roughly 30 micrometers in size, composed of a phospholipid bilayer membrane encapsulating a biochemical network of enzymes. Produced with microfluidic technology and designed via a proprietary AI-assisted computational tool, these biomachines detect molecular biomarkers without laboratory equipment and produce colorimetric results in 15-40 minutes. The platform is operationalized in three commercial applications: IDIR® (the first CE-marked urine test for insulin-resistance identification), EasyCOV® (the first CE-marked saliva test for Covid-19, validated at Montpellier University Hospital), and WELLMOTION™ SMILE (saliva-based real-time emotion detection launched in 2025 with fragrance partner MANE). The same architecture is applied to environmental work, notably chlordecone pesticide detection funded by the European Regional Development Fund in the French Caribbean.

SkillCell monetizes through three revenue streams: sale of CE-marked diagnostic products to healthcare professionals and institutions, contract R&D and production services for industrial partners in healthcare, food, agriculture, and environmental sectors, and licensing of its biomachine IP for white-label integration. Distribution relies on direct B2B field sales, technology licensing agreements, and partnerships anchored by named collaborations with CNRS, CEA, Montpellier CHU, MANE, and customers including VOGO, FIRALIS, and Innov Biotech. The company is pursuing ISO 13485 certification and additional CE-marked products, with a "Coming Soon" diagnostic and an miRNA detection program in pipeline.

Name

SkillCell

Legal name

SkillCell

Website

https://skillcell-alcen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SkillCell is a French biotechnology subsidiary of ALCEN Group that develops programmable non-living biomachines, commercializing CE-marked diagnostic tests such as the IDIR insulin-resistance urine test, the EasyCOV Covid-19 saliva test, and the WELLMOTION SMILE emotion-detection assay for healthcare, industrial, and consumer-goods partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotechnology / Molecular Diagnostics

NAICS

In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Proteomics & Biomarker Analytical Testing (HLAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB), Clinical Biomarker Testing Services (central labs, trial enrollment/monitoring assays) (HLAAAMAC)

Keywords

• Programmable biomachines diagnostics
• Molecular biomarker detection
• Point-of-care diagnostics
• RT-LAMP salivary testing
• Non-invasive health tests

Headquarters

HQ city

Jarry

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Diagnostic Products Sales: Sale of CE-marked diagnostic test products including IDIR (urine test for insulin resistance) and EasyCOV (Covid-19 salivary test) to healthcare professionals and institutions.
2. Technology Development Services: SkillCell offers its patented technology and know-how to industrial partners and third parties, developing products based on customer specifications. Supports customers throughout test design, development, optimization, and industrialization.
3. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary non-living biomachine technology and related know-how to industrial partners for development of custom diagnostic and detection products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SkillCell develops and commercializes programmable non-living biomachine ("lab-in-a-drop") diagnostic technology that detects molecular biomarkers without laboratory equipment. Its commercial product portfolio includes the CE-marked IDIR® urine test for insulin resistance, the CE-marked EasyCOV® Covid-19 saliva test, and the WELLMOTION™ SMILE saliva-based emotion identification system for fragrance research, supported by contract R&D, custom development, and technology licensing services for industrial partners in health, food, agriculture, and environment sectors.

Product overview

SkillCell offers a portfolio of biology-based diagnostic products centered on its core Non-Living Biomachines technology—a programmable 'lab-in-a-drop' platform that detects molecular biomarkers without equipment. This technology underpins multiple commercial products: IDIR® (the first CE-marked urine test for insulin-resistance, delivering results in 15 minutes), EasyCOV® (the first CE-marked saliva test for Covid-19 with 40-minute results), and WELLMOTION™ SMILE (real-time emotion identification via saliva analysis for fragrance research). The company also provides pesticide detection services for environmental monitoring and offers contract R&D and production services to industrial partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AforHEALTH: Sub-brand associated with SkillCell's health-focused products and applications.

Products and services

• IDIR® Urine Test for Insulin-Resistance Identification The first CE-marked urine test for insulin-resistance identification. A colorimetric test that detects insulin resistance in 15 minutes through urinary branched-chain amino acid (uBCAA) biomarkers, addressing overweight/obesity and metabolic disorders such as Type 2 Diabetes. Sensitivity 90.6%, Specificity 69.0%, intended for clinical use.
• EasyCOV® Covid-19 Salivary Rapid Molecular Test The first CE-marked saliva test for Covid-19. A rapid molecular diagnostic test using RT-LAMP technology that provides colorimetric results (yellow for positive, orange for negative) within 40 minutes. Sensitivity 86%, Specificity 99%, CE-marked for Point Of Care use by healthcare professionals only.
• WELLMOTION™ SMILE Real-time emotion identification through saliva sample analysis. A patented method (WO2025141188) that captures emotional responses induced by fragrances using unique biological markers in a non-invasive saliva-based technology, included in MANE's WELLMOTION™ fragrance emotion program.
• Pesticide Detection Service Environmental measurement and data analysis services for chlordecone pesticide detection, providing operational protocols for environmental measurement, sampling campaigns, data consolidation, and reporting for decision-makers in the French Caribbean.
• R&D and Production Services Full-service contract product development from test design through industrialization. Services include test design, development, optimization, and production based on customer specifications, with access to the 2,000 sqm Montpellier Research and Innovation facility (Next-Generation Sequencing, microfluidics, and biocomputing platforms).

Quantifiable outcome

• IDIR: Sensitivity 90.6% - Specificity 69.0% (vs HOMA reference standard)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ALCEN GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017ALCEN Group is a mid-sized French industrial group developing unique technologies worldwide. Co-founded SkillCell alongside CNRS. ALCEN brings industrial vision and operational capabilities, complementing the scientific research strength of CNRS.
• CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CNRS is the largest governmental scientific research institution in France with over 30,000 employees. Co-founded SkillCell alongside ALCEN. Provides fundamental research capabilities and the Sys2Diag laboratory partnership for applied diagnostic development.
• Sys2Diag (CNRS Laboratory)coreTechnology or IntegrationA private-public research structure created within CNRS to fast-track development of innovative approaches in the diagnosis sector. Combines expertise in medical research, biotechnology design and algorithm development. Provides SkillCell access to cutting-edge 2,000 sqm R&I facilities.
• Montpellier CHU (University Hospital Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with SkillCell on development and clinical validation of the first CE-marked urine test for insulin-resistance identification (IDIR). CHU provides clinical study capabilities and validation at Montpellier public teaching hospital.
• MANEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeader in fragrance creation. MANE collaborates with SkillCell and CNRS on the WELLMOTION program, using the SMILE technology to provide emotional signatures for perfume development. Translates scientific emotional response insights into emotionally resonant scents.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hologic: Diagnostic and molecular diagnostics specialist with significant PCR/molecular-assay footprint (including through Mobidiag acquisition). Comparable to SkillCell in commercializing molecular infectious-disease diagnostics (e.g., Panther system Aptima assays) at global scale.
• QIAGEN: Global sample-prep and molecular-diagnostics company with CE-IVD assays across infectious disease, oncology, and companion diagnostics. Comparable to SkillCell in offering CE-marked molecular diagnostic kits combined with licensing/technology partnerships to industrial clients.
• bioMérieux: French-headquartered global IVD leader with a deep portfolio of CE-marked molecular and immunoassay diagnostics, including point-of-care and clinical lab solutions. Highly comparable to SkillCell as a French diagnostics developer commercializing CE-marked molecular tests (e.g., its BioFire platform) at far greater scale.
• Cepheid (a Danaher company): Develops and markets molecular diagnostic tests (GeneXpert) for infectious disease and other indications. Comparable to SkillCell in building CE/FDA-cleared, cartridge-based molecular diagnostics positioned for point-of-care use.
• Abbott Diagnostics: Global IVD leader spanning immunoassays, clinical chemistry, and point-of-care molecular testing (e.g., Binax, ID NOW). Comparable to SkillCell across broad CE-marked diagnostic menu and large installed testing infrastructure.

Others

• Codexis: Engineered-enzyme and synthetic biology company offering protein-engineering platforms and licensing for life sciences applications. Comparable to SkillCell as a synthetic-biology/IP-licensing-based company commercializing proprietary biomolecular platforms.

Emerging players

• Sherlock Biosciences: U.S. molecular diagnostics company developing CRISPR- and synthetic-biology-driven rapid tests for infectious disease and oncology. Comparable to SkillCell as a smaller-scale, platform-based molecular-diagnostics developer commercializing rapid, equipment-light tests.
• Twist Bioscience: Synthetic biology platform company providing DNA synthesis and engineered biological libraries, with expansion into next-generation sequencing and biodiagnostics. Comparable to SkillCell as a synthetic-biology platform company supplying engineered biological building blocks for diagnostic and biotech applications.
• Antheia: U.S. synthetic biology company developing engineered enzymes and biological manufacturing routes for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Comparable to SkillCell in leveraging synthetic biology/enzymatic networks as a programmable platform for new product development.

Direct peers

• Mobidiag (Hologic subsidiary): Originally a Finnish molecular diagnostics developer (now part of Hologic) focused on multiplexed PCR-based infectious disease testing, including sample-to-answer platforms with CE marking. Comparable to SkillCell in clinical molecular IVDs for infectious disease.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skillcell
• Xx.com/skillcell_alcen

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 SkillCell