HTX Technologies

What HTX Technologies does

HTX Technologies, LLC, operating commercially as HTX Imaging, is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based scientific instrumentation company founded in 2008. The company designs and manufactures Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) sample preparation systems, including the AT Sprayer (entry-level), M3+ Sprayer (mid-tier with patented heated nozzle), M5 Sprayer (high-performance), TM-Sprayer, the SubliMATE solvent-free sublimation device, and the SepQuant DropletProbe liquid surface extraction system co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Proprietary technology centers on a patented heated spray nozzle and patent-pending heated sample tray that improve matrix absorption and image resolution, plus a patented Matrix Wafer design enabling homogeneous matrix coating across up to four microscope slides.

HTX sells capital equipment to a diversified customer base spanning pharmaceutical companies (GSK), national laboratories (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory), and academic research institutions (Johns Hopkins, University of Melbourne, University of Illinois at Chicago, Medical University of South Carolina, University of Wisconsin-Madison, M4i Institute at Maastricht University). Applications include proteomics, drug development and toxicology, microbiology, environmental science, and forensic science. The company has a technology integration partnership with Bruker Daltonics that embeds HTX TM-Sprayer matrix deposition into Bruker's MALDI imaging mass spectrometer workflows (rapifleX, SolariX, timsTOF).

The business model is consultative enterprise capital equipment sales: pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through 'Request a Quote' forms, with multi-year contracts and upgrade paths between product tiers (e.g., AT Sprayer upgradeable to M3+). Distribution is hybrid, combining direct sales with a network of regional distributors supporting global reach. The firm operates with 1-10 employees, has not disclosed external funding, and markets through application-note-driven content marketing and the HTXnext webinar series. Revenue is not disclosed in available materials.

Name

HTX Technologies

Legal name

HTX Technologies, LLC

Website

https://htximaging.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HTX Technologies (HTX Imaging) designs and manufactures MALDI mass spectrometry imaging sample preparation instruments, including heated-nozzle sprayers and a solvent-free sublimation system. It sells capital equipment to pharmaceutical companies, government laboratories, and academic research institutions globally through direct sales and regional distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Instrumentation

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE), Sample Preparation, Storage & Cryogenics (Freezers, Cryovials, Cryostats) (HLAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• MALDI imaging instrumentation
• Mass spectrometry sample preparation
• Scientific laboratory equipment
• Tissue imaging systems
• Matrix deposition devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scientific Instrumentation Sales: HTX Imaging sells MALDI matrix sprayers, sublimators, and related sample preparation instruments to mass spectrometry imaging research facilities. The company offers multiple product tiers (AT Sprayer entry-level, M3+ automated, M5 high-performance) with upgrade paths, suggesting capital equipment sales with potential service/maintenance contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HTX Technologies (operating as HTX Imaging) designs, manufactures, and sells scientific instrumentation for MALDI mass spectrometry imaging sample preparation. Its product portfolio includes automated matrix sprayers (AT, M3+, M5, TM-Sprayer), a solvent-free sublimation system (SubliMATE), and a liquid surface extraction system (SepQuant DropletProbe) for HPLC-MS analysis. Instruments are sold to research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and government facilities globally.

Product overview

HTX Imaging (HTX Technologies) is a scientific instrumentation company providing a portfolio of MALDI matrix deposition instruments and liquid surface extraction solutions for mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). The product line centers on three automated sprayer platforms — the HTX AT Sprayer (entry-level), HTX M3+ Sprayer (mid-tier with patented heated nozzle), and HTX M5 Sprayer (high-performance with high-velocity stage) — plus the HTX TM-Sprayer for 2D biological samples. The HTX SubliMATE provides solvent-free sublimation for sub-micron resolution imaging, while the HTX SepQuant DropletProbe enables liquid surface extraction for HPLC-MS analysis. Key proprietary technologies include a patented heated spray nozzle that improves matrix absorption and image resolution, and a patent-pending heated sample tray. These instruments support applications across proteomics discovery, drug development, microbiology, environmental science, and forensic science.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HTX AT Sprayer Entry-level automated MALDI matrix sprayer with an integrated Cadence Pump and 4-way valve for fluidics control, designed for MALDI imaging at spatial resolutions above 20 micrometers. Targeted at budget-conscious academic and research laboratories and upgradeable to the M3+ Sprayer.
• HTX M3+ Sprayer Mid-tier MALDI imaging sample preparation system featuring a patented heated spray nozzle that increases matrix absorption for improved image resolution, an automated Cadence Pump with 8-way valve, and a touchscreen interface. Capable of spatial resolution preparation down to 5 microns.
• HTX M5 Sprayer High-performance MALDI matrix sprayer with a new drawer-mounted sample tray, a high-velocity XY stage with nozzle displacement speeds up to 5,600 mm/min (4x faster than prior models), and improved chemical containment via an E/Z trough gutter design for high-throughput imaging workflows.
• HTX SubliMATE Solvent-free MALDI matrix deposition system using controlled sublimation to produce ultra-small matrix crystals (less than 1 micron) for sub-micron resolution mass spectrometry imaging. Features a ceramic heater up to 300 degrees C, universal cooling top down to -78 degrees C, and a patented Matrix Wafer design for homogeneous coating of up to four slides; offered in Single Temperature Controller, Dual Temperature Controller, and SmartController configurations.
• HTX SepQuant DropletProbe Liquid surface extraction system co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory that uses a liquid microjunction to extract and deliver samples directly to HPLC-MS/MS for analysis. Serves as an alternative to Quantitative Whole Body Autoradiography (QWBA) for pharmaceutical research, featuring automated z-distance calculation and DropletProbe Premium software.
• HTX TM-Sprayer Patented MALDI sample preparation system for high-quality matrix deposition on 2D biological samples with adjustable gas flow rate and nozzle velocity to control drying time and prevent analyte delocalization. Features HTX's heated matrix spray technology and an easy-to-use software interface enabling rapid preparation in under 15 minutes per slide.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oak Ridge National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the SepQuant DropletProbe in conjunction with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This liquid surface extraction technology allows extraction of analytes on surfaces for HPLC-MS analysis, providing a powerful alternative to Quantitative Whole Body Autoradiography (QWBA) for pharmaceutical research.
• Bruker DaltonicscoreTechnology or IntegrationBruker and HTX Technologies combined MALDI imaging and SepQuant DropletProbe's LESA technology to create integrated workflow solutions. HTX TM-Sprayer used for MALDI matrix deposition with Bruker mass spectrometers (rapifleX, SolariX, timsTOF) for comprehensive molecular imaging analysis.
• M4i Institute at Maastricht UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with M4i Institute on MALDI MSI research including improved image resolution using HTX Sublimator, fingerprint analysis for forensic science, and high-speed MALDI MSI methodology development.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JEOL USA: JEOL manufactures high-resolution MALDI-TOF and magnetic sector mass spectrometers (e.g., JMS-S3000 SpiralTOF) used in spatial proteomics and imaging, serving academic and government customers overlapping HTX's pharma and research accounts.
• Agilent Technologies: Agilent produces mass spectrometry and lab automation platforms (e.g., 6560 DT-IMS, RapidFire) used in pharma and academic proteomics workflows that overlap with HTX's drug development and proteomics imaging customers.
• SCIEX: SCIEX sells mass spectrometers (TripleTOF, X500 QTOF) used in pharma, clinical, and academic research. Its installed base and service infrastructure compete for the same proteomics and drug development budgets as HTX sprayers.
• Waters Corporation: Waters manufactures high-resolution mass spectrometers (SYNAPT, Xevo) used in MALDI and DESI imaging workflows, targeting pharma, academic, and food/environmental applications directly competitive with HTX end customers.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher sells MALDI-capable mass spectrometers (e.g., Orbitrap series) and a broad portfolio of life-science instrumentation that competes for the same proteomics, pharma, and clinical-research budgets as HTX. Its scale and installed base make it a benchmark incumbent in MSI adjacent workflows.
• Shimadzu Scientific Instruments: Shimadzu produces MALDI-TOF mass spectrometers (AXIMA series, iMScope) used in imaging and proteomics. It serves overlapping pharmaceutical and academic MSI customers and bundles proprietary sample-prep and imaging software.

Direct peers

• Bruker Daltonics: Bruker is both HTX's primary integration partner and the dominant vendor of MALDI mass spectrometers (rapifleX, SolariX, timsTOF) that HTX sprayers feed into. Its timsTOF and rapifleX MALDI platforms share the same customer base and end applications in pharma, academic, and clinical MSI.
• SunChrom Wissenschaftliche Geräte: SunChrom supplies sample preparation and liquid handling instrumentation used as front-end tools for MALDI and LC-MS workflows. It directly overlaps with HTX's sprayer and sample-prep product line in research and pharma labs.

Emerging players

• Advion Interchim Scientific: Advion Interchim (now part of Interchim) provides compact mass spectrometers (expression CMS) and consumables used in chemistry and life-science research; it serves overlapping academic and pharma customers investing in MALDI and related imaging workflows.
• Prosolia: Prosolia develops DESI and MALDI ionization sources for mass spectrometry imaging, providing ionization technology that competes at the workflow level with HTX's sprayer-based MALDI sample prep in pharma and academic imaging applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HTXImaging

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 HTX Technologies