Novasina
Novasina AG is a Swiss precision sensor manufacturer founded in 1958, producing water activity meters, humidity, temperature, pressure, and oxygen analyzers for food, pharmaceutical, cleanroom, and industrial customers worldwide through a global distributor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersLachen, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Novasina does
Novasina AG is a Swiss manufacturer of precision measurement instruments founded in 1958 and headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland. The company develops and produces sensors for water activity (aw), humidity, temperature, pressure, and oxygen analysis in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Its product portfolio spans four categories: water activity meters (LabMaster-aw neo flagship, LabTouch-aw, LabSwift-aw, LabStart-aw); humidity and temperature sensors (nSens-HT-EIS high-accuracy electrolytic, nSens-HT-EIH heated for condensing environments, nSens-HT-CSP capacitive); pressure sensors (nSens-DP differential, nSens-P absolute) with nLink series transmitters; and oxygen analyzers (BO-2 automated pharmaceutical, Hand-O2 portable optical). Consumables include RFID-tagged SAL-T/SAL-F reference salt standards and Redox and Volatile-Acid filters for sensor protection.
The company's core technology rests on proprietary electrolytic-resistive sensing refined over more than 60 years, offering drift-free measurements, immunity to volatile compounds (NH3, H2O2, tobacco volatiles), and precision rated at ±0.003 aw for the LabMaster-aw neo and ±0.4% rH for the nSens-HT-EIS. Novasina's instruments are designed to support regulatory compliance with 21 CFR Part 11, ISO, USP, GMP, and HACCP frameworks, and the technology is cited in over 8,000 scientific publications. Domain specializations include challenging applications such as tobacco (with eVALC protection filter as a cost-effective alternative to TDL laser technology), cannabis per ASTM D8197-18, high-humidity environments, and cleanroom differential pressure monitoring.
Novasina operates a pure channel-partner go-to-market, selling exclusively through a hand-selected global distributor network spanning 50+ countries and supplemented by direct enterprise engagement from Swiss headquarters. Its end customers include food and beverage manufacturers (Lindt, Unilever, Nestle, Emmi), pharmaceutical companies, semiconductor fabrication facilities, cleanrooms, and emerging verticals such as cannabis and vertical farming. Pricing is quote-based in Swiss francs (FCA Lachen, Incoterms 2020), with a standard 24-month warranty and optional 5-year extension, complemented by consumables (calibration standards, filters) and software licenses as secondary revenue streams. The company employs 11-50 people and is privately held with CEO Felix Oesch leading operations.
Novasina firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Novasina
- Legal name
- Novasina AG
- Website
- https://novasina.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Novasina AG is a Swiss precision sensor manufacturer founded in 1958, producing water activity meters, humidity, temperature, pressure, and oxygen analyzers for food, pharmaceutical, cleanroom, and industrial customers worldwide through a global distributor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Novasina industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Measurement Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity) (IMAGAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Sensors (Temperature/Humidity/Gas/Air Quality) (HDAHALAD), Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)
Keywords
Where Novasina is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lachen
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Novasina business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Precision Measurement Instruments: Novasina generates revenue primarily through the sale of precision measurement instruments and sensors. The product portfolio includes water activity meters (LabMaster-aw neo, LabTouch-aw, LabSwift-aw, LabStart-aw), humidity/temperature sensors (nSens-HT series), pressure sensors (nSens-DP, nSens-P), oxygen analyzers (Hand-O2, BO-2), and transmitters. Products are sold with standard 24-month warranty, with optional 5-year warranty extension for lab instruments.
- Accessories and Consumables: Revenue is generated from sale of accessories including calibration standards (SAL-T, SAL-F series), replacement sensors, configuration cables, mounting hardware, and protective filters. Material Safety Data Sheets are available for various filter and calibration products.
- Software Licenses: Software including programs, firmware, applications, and cloud-based services are provided under a simple, non-exclusive, non-transferable license upon full payment. The license permits use exclusively with corresponding Novasina products. Software resale is permitted only through authorized distribution partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Water Activity Instruments - Lab instrument product line |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Humidity and Temperature Sensors - nSens-HT series |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pressure Sensors and Transmitters |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Oxygen Analyzers for MAP |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Novasina product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Novasina designs, develops, and manufactures precision measurement instruments and proprietary sensor technology for water activity (aw), relative humidity, temperature, differential/absolute pressure, and oxygen analysis in modified atmosphere packaging. The product portfolio includes lab water activity meters, optical oxygen analyzers, humidity and temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and signal transmitters, complemented by consumables such as reference salt standards and protection filters.
Product overview
Novasina is a Swiss manufacturer of precision measurement instruments founded in 1958, headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland. Its product portfolio is organized into four core sensor categories: (1) Water activity instruments — the LabMaster-aw neo (flagship with full thermostatic control, 21 CFR Part 11 compliance), LabTouch-aw (touchscreen, semi-thermostatic), LabSwift-aw (portable/battery-powered), and LabStart-aw (entry-level); (2) Modified atmosphere packaging oxygen analyzers — the BO-2 (automated blister package O₂ analyzer, 21 CFR Part 11) and Hand-O2 (portable optical sensor); (3) Humidity and temperature sensors — nSens-HT-EIS (high-accuracy electrolytic), nSens-HT-EIH (heated for condensing environments), and nSens-HT-CSP (capacitive, cost-effective); and (4) Pressure sensors — nSens-DP (differential pressure), nSens-P (absolute pressure), and nLink series transmitters (relay, analog, ModbusRTU). All sensors are plug-and-play compatible with nLink transmitters and nSens cables. The portfolio also includes consumables such as SAL-T/SC and SAL-F reference salt standards, Redox filters, and Volatile-Acid filters for sensor protection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Water activity accuracy of ±0.003 aw (LabMaster-aw neo) - highest precision available
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Novasina
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Novasina technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Novasina partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- BSZ FoundationminorNovasina partners with the BSZ Foundation, a Swiss organization that supports and employs people with physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities. Novasina awards contracts worth five-figure sums annually to the foundation for assembly, manufacturing, and packaging tasks integrated into Novasina's production and supply chain. This partnership represents Novasina's commitment to social responsibility, regional value creation in Switzerland, and support for workforce integration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Novasina competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mettler-Toledo International: Global leader in precision laboratory instruments including balances, pH meters, and water activity analyzers. Direct overlap with Novasina in lab water activity measurement for food and pharma, but with a vastly broader product portfolio and global direct-sales footprint.
- Endress+Hauser: Swiss-German global leader in industrial process instrumentation including flow, level, pressure, and analytical measurement. Competes with Novasina's nSens-DP differential pressure and humidity sensors in pharma cleanroom and process applications, but across a much wider portfolio.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Dominant analytical instruments and lab equipment provider with broad reach in pharma and food QC. Overlaps with Novasina in water activity and oxygen analysis, but as part of an enormous instruments and consumables portfolio rather than as a specialist.
- Hach (Danaher): Water quality and lab analytical instrument specialist within the Danaher portfolio. Competes with Novasina in environmental and process analytical measurement, including water activity adjacent applications in food, beverage, and environmental testing.
- Agilent Technologies: Major analytical instrument and life science tools provider. Adjacent competitor in laboratory and process analytical measurement, with broad reach in pharma and food QC labs where Novasina's LabMaster-aw neo is also deployed.
Direct peers
- Vaisala: Finnish specialist in industrial and environmental measurement with a leading humidity, dew point, and CO2 sensor portfolio. Directly competes with Novasina's nSens-HT humidity/temperature line and also offers water activity-capable instruments for industrial customers.
- Rotronic (HBK): Swiss-based humidity and temperature measurement specialist, now part of Hottinger Brüel & Kjær. Closest direct competitor to Novasina's nSens-HT humidity sensor line, serving the same pharmaceutical, food, and cleanroom customers.
- Meter Group (formerly Decagon Devices): US-based specialist in water activity meters and soil/environmental sensors. Direct head-to-head competitor in bench-top water activity instruments for food, pharma, and cannabis QA/QC, with comparable accuracy specifications.
Regional players
- SICK AG: German sensor manufacturer specializing in industrial gas analysis, flow, and environmental measurement. Overlaps with Novasina's oxygen analyzers and humidity sensing for process and cleanroom applications, primarily serving European industrial customers.
Emerging players
- WITT-Gasetechnik: German specialist in gas analysis, MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) equipment, and oxygen analyzers. Direct overlap with Novasina's Hand-O2 and BO-2 portfolio for food and pharmaceutical headspace analysis applications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Novasina social profiles
Digital presenceNovasina compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Novasina financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Novasina leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Novasina funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Novasina 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 Novasina
What does Novasina do?
Novasina designs, develops, and manufactures precision measurement instruments and proprietary sensor technology for water activity (aw), relative humidity, temperature, differential/absolute pressure, and oxygen analysis in modified atmosphere packaging. The product portfolio includes lab water activity meters, optical oxygen analyzers, humidity and temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and signal transmitters, complemented by consumables such as reference salt standards and protection filters.
Is Novasina a public or private company?
Novasina is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Novasina founded?
Novasina was founded in 1958. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Novasina based?
Novasina is headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Novasina make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Precision Measurement Instruments are the primary driver. The others are accessories and Consumables and software Licenses.
Who are Novasina's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mettler-Toledo International, Endress+Hauser, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hach (Danaher) and Agilent Technologies. Direct peers are Vaisala, Rotronic (HBK) and Meter Group (formerly Decagon Devices). SICK AG is listed as a regional player. WITT-Gasetechnik is listed as an emerging player.
Does Novasina have an API?
No public API is recorded for Novasina.
What industry is Novasina in?
Novasina's product category is Precision Measurement Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAE, Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity), with a secondary code of HDAHALAD, Environmental Sensors (Temperature/Humidity/Gas/Air Quality). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.