What Stem Genomics does

Stem Genomics is a French-based specialty life sciences services company founded in 2018 as a spin-out from the Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB) in Montpellier. The company provides genomic stability testing for human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), addressing a quality control gap that traditional G-Banding karyotyping cannot fill due to its inability to detect sub-karyotypic abnormalities and its slow, expensive workflow. Its core technology is a proprietary digital PCR (dPCR) probe panel covering 24-28 genomic regions responsible for more than 90% of recurrent copy number variations in hPSCs and more than 80% in hMSCs, including the sub-karyotypic 20q11.21 amplification that accounts for over 20% of hPSC abnormalities globally. The flagship iCS-digital™ PSC assay delivers results in 2-3 days with a published false-positive rate of 0.098%, positioning it as a faster, lower-cost, higher-resolution alternative to G-Banding for in-process cell culture QC.

The company's commercial offering operates through two channels: a full-service laboratory testing model (with ISO 9001:2015-certified labs in Grabels, France, and Durham, North Carolina, USA) and a direct-to-customer kit product line for laboratories with in-house dPCR instrumentation. The product portfolio has expanded beyond the original hPSC assay to include MSC, aneuploidy, 20q-only, STR cell line authentication, NGS-based Stem-Seq™, Pluri-digital™ pluripotency, and Myco-digital™ sterility tests, as well as a bundled one-stop-shop QC solution designed for ISSCR Standards compliance. Customers include academic core facilities (ICM, Karolinska, Harvard Ocular Genomics Institute, UMC Utrecht, University of Freiburg), cell therapy developers (GoLiver Therapeutics, DiNAQOR, Ncardia, denovoMATRIX), CRISPR gene editing services (EditCo Bio), and large life sciences organizations (Roche, I-Stem). Pricing is quote-based across both service and kit offerings. In 2024, Stem Genomics was acquired by Clean Cells, a strategic acquirer in cell therapy quality control, joining that group to expand combined US presence and regulatory-aligned QC capabilities.

Name

Stem Genomics

Legal name

Stem Genomics

Website

https://stemgenomics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stem Genomics provides digital PCR-based genomic stability testing services and kits for human pluripotent and mesenchymal stem cells, serving academic researchers, cell therapy developers, and gene editing biotechs with rapid QC assays that detect sub-karyotypic abnormalities G-Banding misses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genomic Stability Testing Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Molecular Diagnostics & Genomics Laboratories (HLAFAMAE)

Keywords

• Genomic stability testing
• Stem cell characterization
• Digital PCR assays
• Cell line authentication
• Pluripotent stem cell QC

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpellier

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory testing services (full service): Stem Genomics performs tests in its own laboratories (France and USA) using its proprietary assays. Customers ship cell samples or DNA to Stem Genomics and receive results within 2-3 days for dPCR-based tests.
2. Digital PCR kit products (iCS-digital™ PSC kit, iCS-digital™ MSC kit, 20q-only): Sale of proprietary digital PCR kit products for clients who have in-house dPCR instrumentation. The kits include multiplexed PCR assays and validated control DNA. Accompanied by proprietary iCS-digital™ software for data analysis. Revenue is generated per kit transaction.
3. Customized assay development: Stem Genomics offers bespoke assay development services tailored to specific customer requirements and cell types, beyond the standard product menu.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stem Genomics provides laboratory services and proprietary kits for assessing the genetic integrity of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). Its core offerings are digital PCR-based assays (iCS-digital™ PSC, iCS-digital™ MSC, iCS-digital™ Aneuploidy) for rapid detection of copy number variations and recurrent genomic abnormalities, complemented by G-Banding karyotyping, NGS-based Stem-Seq™ assays, STR cell line authentication, Pluri-digital pluripotency testing, and Myco-digital sterility testing. Customers can either ship samples to the company's ISO 9001:2015-certified labs in France or the US, or purchase kit products to run the tests in-house.

Product overview

Stem Genomics offers a comprehensive portfolio of genomic stability testing solutions for stem cell research, centered on proprietary digital PCR-based assays (iCS-digital™ product line) and supplemented by traditional cytogenetic services. The core offering includes iCS-digital™ PSC (for pluripotent stem cells), iCS-digital™ MSC (for mesenchymal stromal cells), and iCS-digital™ Aneuploidy tests, available as both laboratory services and in-house kits. The product range extends to G-Banding karyotyping, NGS-based Stem-Seq™ assays, STR cell line authentication, Pluri-digital pluripotency testing, and Myco-digital sterility testing. Customers can purchase individual tests, the combined Duo iCS-Karyo service, or a comprehensive one-stop-shop bundle. The company operates from France (headquarters) and the USA (Durham, NC laboratory).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iCS-digital™ PSC: Digital PCR-based assay for monitoring hPSC genome integrity, detecting more than 90% of recurrent genomic abnormalities in human pluripotent stem cells
• iCS-digital™ MSC
• iCS-digital™ Aneuploidy
• Duo iCS-Karyo
• Pluri-digital™
• Stem-Seq™
• Myco-digital

Products and services

• iCS-digital™ PSC Digital PCR-based assay for detecting genomic abnormalities in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), using a panel of 24-28 probes covering more than 90% of recurrent copy number variations and delivering results in 2-3 days. Available as a full-service laboratory offering or as an in-house kit.
• iCS-digital™ PSC Kit In-house digital PCR kit version of the iCS-digital™ PSC test, enabling laboratories with dPCR instrumentation to perform genomic stability testing of hPSCs independently, accompanied by the proprietary iCS-digital™ software for analysis.
• iCS-digital™ PSC 20q-only Kit Specialized digital PCR kit targeting specifically the 20q11.21 amplification, which represents more than 20% of recurrent genomic abnormalities in hPSCs.
• iCS-digital™ MSC Digital PCR-based assay for monitoring genomic stability of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), with 24 probes targeting all human chromosomes and detecting more than 80% of the most frequent genetic abnormalities in hMSCs.
• iCS-digital™ Aneuploidy

Quantifiable outcome

• 28.5% of hPSC samples tested by Stem Genomics using iCS-digital™ PSC are found to have genomic abnormalities
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• PluristyxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPluristyx, described as a leading one-stop-shop solution provider for high-quality cell-based therapies, serves as a channel partner for Stem Genomics' products, expanding reach into the cell therapy ecosystem.
• Clean CellsmajorOthersClean Cells, a cell therapy quality control company, acquired Stem Genomics in 2024 to strengthen cell therapy quality control capabilities and expand US presence. This is an acquisition (M&A) rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ncardia: Netherlands-based hiPSC technology company providing cardiovascular and neuronal cell products and services to drug discovery customers; long-standing Stem Genomics client and partner operating in the same hiPSC QC ecosystem.
• Pluristyx: One-stop-shop solution provider for high-quality cell-based therapies and a Channel Partner of Stem Genomics; offers iPSC banking and QC services that overlap directly with Stem Genomics' offering.
• Bioneer: Denmark-based partner of Stem Genomics offering hiPSC-derived cell products and services for research and drug discovery, mirroring the hiPSC-services and disease-modeling focus.
• WiCell: Wisconsin-based nonprofit that provides human pluripotent stem cell banking, distribution, and characterization services — one of the most established hPSC characterization labs globally and a direct comparator in stem cell QC and authentication services.
• DefiniGEN: Provider of iPSC-derived hepatocytes and disease models for drug discovery; operates in the same iPSC-services space where QC of starting material is a recurring requirement, making it a comparable niche player.
• EditCo Bio: Provider of CRISPR-edited cell lines (including iPSCs) for research and therapeutic applications; a named customer of Stem Genomics and a peer in the CRISPR QC + iPSC services workflow.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Scientific: Global contract laboratory testing services group with deep cell and molecular biology capabilities; a broad incumbent in lab testing services with the scale to compete on cell-line characterization and genomic stability offerings.
• Bio-Techne: Large life-sciences tools company offering cytokines, media, and stem cell QC reagents including karyotyping/STR services; a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in stem cell characterization workflows.
• Reprocell: Japan-headquartered iPSC and stem cell services company with global footprint offering cell products, banking, and QC-adjacent services; broader catalogue than Stem Genomics but overlapping in iPSC characterization.
• Cellular Dynamics International (Fujifilm CDI): Major commercial iPSC supplier and drug discovery services provider under Fujifilm; large-scale incumbent in the same iPSC market segment, with internal QC needs that intersect with Stem Genomics' value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stemgenomics
• Xx.com/stemgenomics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Stem Genomics