MicroProbes for Life Science

What MicroProbes for Life Science does

MicroProbes for Life Science is a privately held, Maryland-incorporated specialty manufacturer founded in 1983 and headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that designs and sells microelectrodes and microelectrode arrays for neuroscience electrophysiology research. Its catalog spans metal microelectrodes (Monopolar, Bipolar Stereotrodes, Concentric, Floating Hat Pin, Macro, and Vibrating Probe types in Tungsten, Platinum-Iridium, Elgiloy, and Pure Iridium), multichannel arrays (FMA, WFMA, LMA/LMAv2, MBA, MEA, MWA, and Optogenetic arrays), peripheral electrodes (Nerve Cuff, Thermo-Softening SMP Cuffs, EMG Hook, Patch), and supporting research equipment (stimulus isolators, pulse generators, amplifiers, and surgical accessories). Core technical differentiators include a 16-channel wireless WFMA built on the FMA platform with a custom ASIC from Sigenics for transdermal inductive power and telemetry, an LMAv2 tapered-tube design supporting up to 32 contacts under 200 microns, and a Microwire Brush Array supporting up to 96 microwires, all engineered for chronic and acute in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology.

The company operates a direct sales model anchored by online design forms for custom quotes and a free sample request program, supplemented by an authorized distributor network for global reach, with pricing disclosed only on a quote basis and multi-year contract cadence. Customer evidence is concentrated in academic neuroscience research laboratories (University of Pittsburgh, Rockefeller University, University of Rochester Medical Center, and others) and the multi-institution ICVP consortium (Illinois Institute of Technology, Rush University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, University of Chicago, UT Dallas, The Chicago Lighthouse), with primary funding for clinical-grade work sourced from the NIH BRAIN Initiative (Award UH3NS095557), the Department of Defense, and private donors.

MicroProbes is ISO 9001:2015 certified and recorded the first-ever human implantation of its WFMA technology in February 2022 as part of the Intracortical Visual Prosthesis clinical trial, positioning the company at the intersection of preclinical neuroscience tools and emerging clinical/BCI applications. With 11-50 employees and no disclosed funding rounds or M&A activity, the business remains a focused, founder-style specialty manufacturer rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

MicroProbes for Life Science

Legal name

Microprobes for Life Science, Inc.

Website

https://microprobes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MicroProbes for Life Science designs and manufactures specialty microelectrodes and microelectrode arrays for neuroscience electrophysiology research, selling to academic labs and clinical consortia worldwide, with proprietary wireless and chronic-implant technologies validated in the first human Intracortical Visual Prosthesis trial.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neuroscience Research Microelectrodes

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Biosensors & Lab-on-Chip (BioMEMS) (HDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Neuroscience research tools
• Microelectrode arrays
• Electrophysiology equipment
• Neural recording electrodes
• Brain computer interfaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaithersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Microelectrode and Array Product Sales: Sale of specialized microelectrodes and multichannel electrode arrays for neuroscience research. Products include metal microelectrodes, floating microelectrode arrays, linear microelectrode arrays, microwire arrays, and peripheral electrodes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MicroProbes for Life Science designs and manufactures specialized microelectrodes and multichannel microelectrode arrays used in neuroscience electrophysiology research. The product portfolio includes metal microelectrodes (monopolar, bipolar, concentric, macro, and vibrating probe types) in multiple materials, multichannel arrays (WFMA, FMA, LMA, LMAv2, MBA, MEA, MWA), peripheral and nerve cuff electrodes, and supporting neuroscience research equipment. Products are sold directly and through authorized distributors to university research labs, clinical research teams, and biomedical engineering groups conducting in vivo and in vitro recording and stimulation studies.

Product overview

Microprobes for Life Science offers a comprehensive portfolio of microelectrodes and microelectrode arrays for electrophysiology research. The product lineup includes Metal Microelectrodes (Monopolar, Bipolar Stereotrodes, Concentric, Floating Hat Pin, Macro, and Vibrating Probe types in Tungsten, Platinum-Iridium, Elgiloy, and Pure Iridium materials), Multichannel Arrays (the wireless WFMA for visual prosthesis, FMA for chronic cortical recording, MBA for deep brain recording, LMA/LMAv2 linear arrays, MEA and MWA arrays, and Optogenetic Arrays), Peripheral Electrodes (Nerve Cuff, Thermo-Softening SMP Cuffs, EMG Hook, and Patch electrodes), Neuroscience Research Equipment (stimulus isolators, pulse generators, amplifiers, and stimulators), and Accessories (connectors, pedestals, and surgical materials). The products serve both in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wireless Floating Microelectrode Array (WFMA) A 16-channel intracortical microelectrode array with built-in ASIC chip for stimulation control, power, and telemetry. Only 5mm in diameter, designed to be implanted in large numbers and function wirelessly via transdermal inductive linkage. Activated iridium electrodes penetrate to custom-determined depth. Used by clinical research teams in human BCI and visual prosthesis trials.
• Floating Microelectrode Array (FMA) A sophisticated neural interface for chronic recording and/or stimulation in large animal cortex. Trusted by neuroscience researchers for more than 15 years for far-chronic cortical unit recording with electrode longevities exceeding 2 years.
• Linear Microelectrode Array (LMA) An extremely customizable linear microelectrode array featuring positionable electrode sites, simultaneous recording and stimulation, and rugged design allowing penetration of the dural membrane with reusability over multiple acute insertions. Used by neuroscience researchers for acute and chronic recordings.
• Linear Microelectrode Array v2 (LMAv2) Second-generation linear microelectrode array with special tapered-tube design featuring functional tip section diameter under 200 microns, up to 32 contacts tuned for unit recording, a solid tungsten core twice as thick as the original LMA for improved rigidity, and polyimide sections extending 65mm and beyond for deep anatomical targets.
• Microwire Brush Array (MBA) A unique approach for recording and/or stimulating small neural pools below the cortical surface, featuring unparalleled chronic deep brain single unit recording performance with up to 96 microwires, 0.5-2mm range, multiple connectors splayed at angle for simultaneous headstage connection, and silicone strain relief.
• Microelectrode Array (MEA) Multichannel microelectrode array product for electrophysiology studies across in vivo and in vitro research applications.
• Microwire Array (MWA) Microwire array available in custom Platinum/Iridium and standard Nickel-Chromium alloys for recording and stimulation applications in neuroscience research.
• Metal Microelectrodes A product family of single-wire and multi-wire metal microelectrodes, including Monopolar Electrodes, Bipolar Stereotrodes, Concentric Electrodes, Floating Hat Pin, Macro Electrodes, and Vibrating Probe Microelectrodes. Available in Tungsten, Platinum-Iridium, Elgiloy, and Pure Iridium materials for in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology experiments.
• Peripheral Electrodes A peripheral electrode product line including Patch Electrodes, EMG Hook Electrodes, Nerve Cuff Electrodes, and Thermo-Softening Nerve Cuffs (SMP, available in 2, 4, 10, and 12-channel configurations). Designed for reliable recording and stimulation of peripheral nerves and EMG applications.
• Optogenetic Arrays Microelectrode arrays integrated with optogenetics capabilities, including Opto-MEA (Microelectrode Array) and Opto-MWA (Microwire Array) variants, for combined electrical stimulation/recording and optical stimulation in neuroscience research.
• Neuroscience Research Equipment Supporting benchtop equipment for electrophysiology experiments, including the SI-90V Stimulus Isolator, Biphasic Pulse Generator, Biphasic Stimulus Isolators, Impedance Testers, MDA-1P Portable AC Differential Amplifier, Master-8 and Master-9 Pulse Stimulators, and ISO-Flex Stimulus Isolator. Used alongside microelectrodes for stimulation and recording protocols.

Quantifiable outcome

• Electrode longevities exceeding 2 years in chronic FMA implants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sigenics, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2022Sigenics, Inc. provides custom ASIC chip that is piggybacked onto the FMA base to create the WFMA. The ASIC provides stimulation control, power, and telemetry functionality to the implantable wireless device. This is a critical technology partnership enabling the wireless capability of the WFMA product.
• Illinois Institute of Technology (Dr. Philip R. Troyk)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Led by Philip R. Troyk, executive director of the Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering. The ICVP (Intracortical Visual Prosthesis) project represents culmination of nearly three decades of research. Dr. Troyk serves as principal investigator for the first human WFMA implantation clinical trial.
• Rush University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Surgical team at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago performed the first ICVP WFMA implantation in a human volunteer in February 2022. The medical center provides clinical trial site and surgical expertise.
• The Chicago LighthousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022The Chicago Lighthouse is a partner in the ICVP consortium, providing testing and rehabilitation services for the visual prosthesis project. Formal functional testing of implanted devices is conducted at their facility.
• Johns Hopkins University (Wilmer Eye Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins is a consortium member contributing expertise in vision and eye research to the ICVP visual prosthesis project.
• The University of Texas at DallascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Academic partner in the ICVP consortium contributing to the intracortical visual prosthesis research project.
• The University of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Academic partner in the ICVP consortium contributing to the intracortical visual prosthesis research project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blackrock Microsystems: Direct peer in implantable microelectrode arrays and neural recording systems; Microprobes' products are designed to interface with Blackrock's headstages, and both serve chronic electrophysiology research with multichannel arrays.
• Intan Technologies: Direct peer in electrophysiology recording chips and electrode interfaces; Microprobes systems integrate with Intan recording platforms for in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology.
• Plexon: Direct peer in electrophysiology recording equipment and electrode systems; Microprobes products integrate with Plexon's recording/stimulation platforms, serving overlapping neuroscience research customers.
• NeuroNexus: Direct peer in customizable microfabricated neural probes and electrode arrays for research and emerging clinical applications; both serve the same academic and translational neuroscience customer base.
• Tucker-Davis Technologies (TDT): Direct peer in neuroscience recording and stimulation hardware; Microprobes electrodes are validated to interface with TDT systems, indicating overlapping customer base in academic research labs.
• Cambridge NeuroTech: Direct peer in silicon-based neural probes and chronic microelectrode arrays for neuroscience research; both compete in the same chronic in vivo electrophysiology market.
• Multichannel Systems: Direct peer in microelectrode array (MEA) systems and electrophysiology recording hardware; both serve in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology research with array-based products.

Emerging players

• Paradromics: Emerging BCI player developing high-data-rate intracortical microelectrode arrays; competes with Microprobes' WFMA for clinical translation partnerships and NIH-funded BCI programs.

Broad incumbents

• Neuralink: Broad incumbent in implantable BCI hardware pursuing high-channel-count wireless cortical interfaces; competes for the same clinical BCI customer and investor mindshare as Microprobes' WFMA program, but with vastly greater resources.

Others

• AdInstruments: Adjacent peer in life science data acquisition and electrophysiology equipment; Microprobes' products are listed as compatible with AdInstruments systems, indicating shared research customers but not direct product overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Microprobes

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 MicroProbes for Life Science