Waterborne
Waterborne Inc. is a founder-owned New Orleans company that makes fluorescent antibody detection kits, IMS beads, and purified parasite reagents for identifying Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and microsporidia in water and clinical specimens, serving drinking water labs, government agencies including the US EPA, universities, and veterinary clinics worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersNew Orleans, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Waterborne does
Waterborne Inc. is a privately held S-corporation founded in 1991 and headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, that develops and manufactures fluorescent antibody detection kits, immunomagnetic separation (IMS) products, purified parasite preparations, and ancillary laboratory consumables for the detection and isolation of waterborne protozoa — principally Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Encephalitozoon (microsporidia) species. The company's core technology rests on monoclonal and polyclonal antibody reagents coupled with immunofluorescence microscopy, with a differentiated fluorochrome offering spanning eight dyes (Alexa Fluor 350/488/555/647, Fluorescein, Cy3, Cy5, Texas Red) to support multi-color and instrument-specific workflows; the catalog is anchored by the Aqua-Glo G/C Direct, Giardi-a-Glo, Crypt-a-Glo, and Sporo-Glo kits, supplemented by IMS beads (G/C Combo-Grab, Giardia-Grab, Crypto-Grab), the AccuSpike-IR internal run control, multi-well slides, mounting media, wash buffers, and a veterinary diagnostics line for stool specimen testing.
Waterborne monetizes almost exclusively through one-time consumable sales priced via quote (no public list pricing), distributed globally through 22+ regional resellers across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, with direct sales from New Orleans for geographies without a distributor. The customer mix is heavily institutional — US EPA laboratories, national/state/provincial/municipal drinking water laboratories, university and private research laboratories, and veterinary clinics — meaning revenue is tied to regulated testing protocols, method validation cycles, and public-sector procurement budgets rather than discretionary commercial spend.
The company is controlled by its founder, Dr. Henry H. Stibbs, PhD (also serving as President & CSO), whose pre-1991 parasitology research at Tulane, Harvard, Oregon State, and the University of Washington directly underpins the product portfolio. The firm operates with 1–10 employees, has raised no external capital, and shows no M&A, partnership beyond distributor agreements, or recent leadership turnover — characteristics of a mature, founder-controlled specialty consumables business rather than a venture-backed growth company.
Waterborne firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Waterborne
- Legal name
- Waterborne Inc.
- Website
- https://waterborneinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Waterborne Inc. is a founder-owned New Orleans company that makes fluorescent antibody detection kits, IMS beads, and purified parasite reagents for identifying Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and microsporidia in water and clinical specimens, serving drinking water labs, government agencies including the US EPA, universities, and veterinary clinics worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Waterborne industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Parasitology Diagnostic Reagents
- NAICS
- In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wastewater & Environmental Pathogen Surveillance (HLAJABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Water, Ice & Process Utility Testing for Food Operations (AFALAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Waterborne is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Orleans
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Waterborne business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Diagnostic Detection Kits: Sale of fluorescent antibody detection kits (Aqua-Glo, Giardi-a-Glo, Crypt-a-Glo, Sporo-Glo) for environmental water testing and veterinary clinical diagnosis. Available as reagent-only or comprehensive kits with accessories.
- Parasite Preparations: Sale of purified parasite preparations including Giardia lamblia cysts, Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, and Encephalitozoon spores in various concentrations and preparations (live, formalin-fixed, heat-treated)
- Laboratory Supplies: Sale of immunofluorescence-related products including multi-well slides, mounting medium, dilution and blocking buffer, wash buffer, counterstains, and control materials
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels1 record
Waterborne product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Waterborne Inc. develops and manufactures fluorescent antibody detection kits and purified parasite preparations for the identification of waterborne protozoa including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Encephalitozoon (microsporidia). The company's product portfolio comprises fluorescent monoclonal and polyclonal antibody kits, immunomagnetic separation (IMS) products, dye alternatives, immunofluorescence laboratory supplies, and veterinary diagnostic kits, all targeted at drinking water testing laboratories, parasitology research institutions, and veterinary clinical diagnostics.
Product overview
Waterborne Inc. is a specialized parasitology products company offering a portfolio of fluorescent antibody detection kits for waterborne protozoa. The core products include Aqua-Glo G/C Direct for simultaneous Giardia/Cryptosporidium detection, individual Giardi-a-Glo and Crypt-a-Glo kits, Sporo-Glo for microsporidia, and a comprehensive Veterinary Products line (ST101-ST124 series) for clinical stool diagnostics. These are supported by Laboratory Supplies (SuperStick slides, mounting media, wash buffers, controls), IMS Products for immunomagnetic separation, Parasite Preparations (purified live and fixed parasites), Dye Alternatives providing multiple fluorochrome options, and AccuSpike-IR for quality assurance. The company also produces purified parasite forms including Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Encephalitozoon species for research applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Aqua-Glo G/C Direct: Combined fluorescent antibody kit for simultaneous detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water testing
- Giardi-a-Glo
- Crypt-a-Glo
- Sporo-Glo
- AccuSpike-IR
- IMS Products
- Laboratory Supplies
- Dye Alternatives
- Veterinary Products
Products and services
- Aqua-Glo G/C Direct Fluorochrome-labeled antibody kit for simultaneous detection of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts, intended for drinking water testing laboratories and environmental water analysis.
- Giardi-a-Glo Fluorochrome-labeled antibody kit for the detection of Giardia cysts, available in eight fluorochrome options including FITC, TRITC, Texas Red, Cascade Blue, and others, for use in water testing and clinical parasitology laboratories.
- Crypt-a-Glo Fluorochrome-labeled antibody kit for the detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts, available in multiple fluorochrome options, for use in drinking water testing and environmental parasitology laboratories.
- Sporo-Glo Fluorochrome-labeled antibody kit for the detection of microsporidia (Encephalitozoon species) spores, available in multiple fluorochrome options, for use in clinical and research parasitology laboratories.
- AccuSpike-IR Spiking control product used in water testing workflows to verify recovery efficiency and method performance for Giardia and Cryptosporidium analyses.
- IMS Products (Immunomagnetic Separation) Immunomagnetic separation kits used to concentrate and isolate protozoa (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) from water and environmental samples as a preparatory step prior to fluorescent antibody detection.
- Laboratory Supplies Immunofluorescence-related laboratory accessories and consumables supporting fluorescent antibody-based detection workflows in parasitology laboratories.
- Dye Alternatives Substitute fluorescent staining reagents offered as alternatives to Waterborne's primary antibody-based detection kits for parasitology analysis.
- Veterinary Products Fluorochrome-labeled antibody kits and reagents adapted for veterinary clinical parasitology diagnostics, including detection of Giardia and other protozoa in animal samples.
- Parasite Preparations Purified, fixed, and unstained parasite preparations supplied to research institutions and diagnostic laboratories for use as reference standards and quality control materials, sold under a one-time license arrangement.
Companies that use Waterborne
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Waterborne technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Waterborne partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Eurolab SAcoreExclusive distributor for Waterborne products in Argentina, located in Buenos Aires. Provides local sales, support, and customer service for Argentine customers.
- UniTechUSA do Brasil Ltda.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Brazil, located in Campinas, Sao Paulo. Manages sales and distribution within Brazil.
- CedarlanecoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Canada, located in Burlington, Ontario. Provides laboratory supply distribution services.
- Beijing Anapure Bioscientific Co., Ltd.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in mainland China, located in Beijing. Handles sales and distribution in the Chinese market.
- Anapure Bioscientific (HK) Co., Ltd.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Hong Kong, located in North Point. Manages sales and support for Hong Kong customers.
- Gathersun International LimitedcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in China and Hong Kong, with offices in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Provides comprehensive distribution services.
- Aqualab LtdacoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Colombia, located in Bogota. Manages local sales and customer support.
- Quimiem C. Ltda.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Ecuador, located in Quito. Provides local sales and distribution services.
- METROLAB S.A.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Greece and Cyprus, located in Athens. Manages sales across both countries.
- New Biotechnology, Ltd. (NBT, Ltd.)coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Israel, located in Jerusalem. Provides local sales and technical support.
- Veritas CorporationcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Japan, located in Tokyo. Handles sales and distribution in the Japanese market.
- Young SciencecoreDistributor for Waterborne products in South Korea, located in Seoul. Manages sales and distribution.
- HYDROX SIAcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Latvia, located in Riga. Provides local sales and distribution.
- U.C. Sdn BhdcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. Manages sales in the Malaysian market.
- Iberlab&Imunoreage - Soluções para Laboratórios, LdacoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Portugal, located in Maia. Provides local sales and distribution services.
- SC MEDICLIM SRLcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Romania, located in Bucharest. Manages sales and support for Romanian customers.
- Unison Collaborative Pte LtdcoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Singapore, located on Orchard Road. Handles sales and distribution in Singapore.
- Reliable Diagnostic Supplies (Pty) Ltd.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in South Africa, located in Edenvale, Gauteng. Manages sales across South Africa.
- MedClub Scientific Co., Ltd.coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Taiwan, located in Taoyuan County. Provides local sales and distribution.
- SelinioncoreDistributor for Waterborne products in Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, with offices in Brussels and 's-Hertogenbosch. Manages sales across the Benelux region.
- Trung Hai (TH Scientific)coreDistributor for Waterborne products in Vietnam, with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Manages sales across Vietnam.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Waterborne competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- bioMérieux: bioMérieux is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics and industrial microbiology, offering pathogen detection kits and reagents. Comparable as a broad incumbent in microbiology diagnostics but with a much larger portfolio and global salesforce.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Bio-Rad supplies life science research and clinical diagnostics products including immunoassay reagents and kits. Overlaps with Waterborne's antibody and reagent business but spans a far broader diagnostics portfolio.
- HACH Company: HACH (a Danaher company) is a leading manufacturer of water quality testing instruments and reagents for municipal and industrial water labs. Comparable in serving drinking-water laboratories, though HACH's portfolio is dominated by chemistry-based and broader microbiological testing rather than parasite IF kits.
- IDEXX Laboratories: IDEXX is a leading animal diagnostics and water testing company (Colilert, Quanti-Tray) serving veterinary and municipal water labs. Overlaps with Waterborne's customer base and product category but at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio.
Direct peers
- Hardy Diagnostics: Hardy Diagnostics manufactures microbiology culture media, reagents, and diagnostic kits for clinical and industrial labs. Highly comparable to Waterborne as a privately held, specialty microbiology products manufacturer serving lab customers with consumables.
- LuminUltra Technologies: LuminUltra provides rapid microbiological testing solutions (ATP-based and qPCR) for water and industrial applications. Comparable as a niche water-microbiology diagnostics company, though it competes with Waterborne primarily via alternative (molecular/ATP) detection methods.
- Romer Labs: Romer Labs specializes in diagnostic kits for food and feed safety, including mycotoxin and pathogen detection reagents. Comparable as a focused diagnostic reagent manufacturer serving regulated testing labs, with similar scale and go-to-market model.
Emerging players
- Meridian Bioscience: Meridian Bioscience develops and manufactures diagnostic test kits and reagents for infectious disease detection. Comparable as a focused diagnostics reagent manufacturer with similar end markets in clinical and environmental testing.
- MBL International: MBL International manufactures research-use antibodies and diagnostic reagents for parasitology and immunology research. Comparable as a specialty antibody reagent supplier with overlapping scientific customer base in parasitology research.
Others
- Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins operates a global network of water and environmental testing laboratories using kits including those from competitors like Waterborne. Adjacent rather than competitive — Eurofins is a service provider, but its water testing operations frequently purchase from reagent suppliers in Waterborne's category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Waterborne social profiles
Digital presenceWaterborne financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waterborne leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Waterborne funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waterborne 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 Waterborne
What does Waterborne do?
Waterborne Inc. develops and manufactures fluorescent antibody detection kits and purified parasite preparations for the identification of waterborne protozoa including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Encephalitozoon (microsporidia). The company's product portfolio comprises fluorescent monoclonal and polyclonal antibody kits, immunomagnetic separation (IMS) products, dye alternatives, immunofluorescence laboratory supplies, and veterinary diagnostic kits, all targeted at drinking water testing laboratories, parasitology research institutions, and veterinary clinical diagnostics.
Is Waterborne a public or private company?
Waterborne is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Waterborne founded?
Waterborne was founded in 1991. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Waterborne based?
Waterborne is headquartered in New Orleans, United States, in the North America region.
How does Waterborne make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Diagnostic Detection Kits are the primary driver. The others are parasite Preparations and laboratory Supplies.
Who are Waterborne's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are bioMérieux, Bio-Rad Laboratories, HACH Company and IDEXX Laboratories. Direct peers are Hardy Diagnostics, LuminUltra Technologies and Romer Labs. Emerging players are Meridian Bioscience and MBL International. Eurofins Scientific is listed as an others.
Does Waterborne have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waterborne.
What industry is Waterborne in?
Waterborne's product category is Parasitology Diagnostic Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJABAI, Wastewater & Environmental Pathogen Surveillance, with a secondary code of AFALAAAJ, Water, Ice & Process Utility Testing for Food Operations. Its NAICS code is 325413 and its SIC code is 2835.