PolyAn
PolyAn GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately-held molecular surface engineering company that develops proprietary 2D and 3D reactive chemistries on slides, plates, films, and particles for microarray, diagnostic, and life-science research customers in 13+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PolyAn does
PolyAn GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately-held molecular surface engineering company founded in 1996 that functionalizes surfaces for biomolecule immobilization in microarray, diagnostic, and life-science research applications. The company's proprietary Molecular Surface Engineering (MSE) technology covalently binds functional layers to substrates without damaging the base material or altering its optical properties. Two core technical formats are offered: 2D-reactive ultra-thin silane layers and 3D-reactive tentacular branched polymer matrices with 1-50nm thickness, supported by a catalog of twelve-plus reactive chemistries including Epoxy, Aldehyde, Carboxy, Amine, NHS, PDITC, Maleimide, Thiol, Azide, Methyltetrazine, Alkene, Streptavidin, Neutravidin, and Poly-L-Lysine. The product portfolio spans functionalized glass slides, polymer slides, coverslips, multiwell plates (96- and 384-well), pre-scored COP polymer films, ONCYTE nitrocellulose film slides (distributed under European license from Grace Bio-Labs), monodisperse PMMA micro/nanoparticles for multiplex bead assays, and calibration tools for flow cytometry and microscopy. The company also offers custom Molecular Surface Engineering services for specialized substrate functionalization.
PolyAn serves four primary customer segments: research laboratories and academic institutions (DNA, peptide, protein, and glycan microarray work), in vitro diagnostics and biotech companies developing diagnostic tests and biomarker discovery assays, pharmaceutical companies conducting high-throughput screening and vaccine research, and flow cytometry/imaging users. The company applies a horizontal segmentation approach, addressing each segment with the same underlying surface chemistry and substrate portfolio rather than building vertical-specific products.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales of microarray consumables, plates, particles, accessories, and reagents, supplemented by professional-services revenue from custom Molecular Surface Engineering projects. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quantity discounts apply for larger orders, payment terms are net 14 days, and shipping is ex-works from Berlin. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct sales via telephone and email supplemented by technical enquiry support, a listing on the Scientist.com B2B procurement marketplace, and an international distributor network covering 13+ countries across North America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Trade fair participation and comprehensive online technical documentation (downloadable brochures for DNA, peptide, protein, and glycan microarrays) drive top-of-funnel demand generation.
PolyAn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PolyAn
- Legal name
- PolyAn GmbH
- Website
- https://poly-an.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PolyAn GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately-held molecular surface engineering company that develops proprietary 2D and 3D reactive chemistries on slides, plates, films, and particles for microarray, diagnostic, and life-science research customers in 13+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where PolyAn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PolyAn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Microarray Products: Functionalized slides, coverslips, plates, films, and membranes for microarray applications. Products include 2D and 3D reactive surfaces in various formats (glass, polymer, COP film, nitrocellulose) with different chemistries (Epoxy, Aldehyde, NHS, Amine, Streptavidin, etc.). Sold as standard formats (25x75mm slides, 96-well plates) and custom configurations.
- Micro- and Nanoparticles: Monodisperse PMMA microparticles and nanoparticles including transparent, fluorescent, color-encoded variants. Products for multiplex bead assays, calibration tools, flow cytometry, microscopy applications. Includes Red4 Plex and Blue Plex beads for multiplex detection.
- Functionalized Microplates: 96-well plates with covalent binding surfaces for immunoassays and PCR. Available in white and transparent formats with various reactive surfaces (Carboxy, Epoxy, NHS, Azide, DBCO, MTZ, Streptavidin, Neutravidin).
- Molecular Surface Engineering Services: Custom manufacturing services for specialized surface functionalization. Customized functionalization of microarray substrates with surface modifications tailored to specific applications. Includes functionalization of various substrates including microfluidics and custom formats.
- Accessories and Reagents: Supporting products including incubation chambers (ProPlate, FlexWell, HybriWell, SecureSeal), sealing systems, microarray reagents (blocking buffers, washing buffers), and calibration tools.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Quantity-based discounts for bulk purchases |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
PolyAn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PolyAn manufactures and sells functionalized microarray substrates and particles using its proprietary Molecular Surface Engineering (MSE) technology. The portfolio includes 2D and 3D reactive glass slides, polymer slides, coverslips, 96/384-well microplates, COP films, and ONCYTE nitrocellulose slides, plus monodisperse PMMA microparticles and nanoparticles for multiplex bead assays, flow cytometry, and microscopy. The company also offers custom surface functionalization services for specialized substrates.
Product overview
PolyAn is a molecular surface engineering company offering a comprehensive portfolio of functionalized surfaces and particles for microarray and bioanalytical applications. The product portfolio comprises four main categories: (1) Microarray Products including functionalized glass slides, polymer slides, coverslips, multiwell plates, polymer films, and nitrocellulose film slides (ONCYTE brand from Grace Bio-Labs), all available with various 2D- and 3D-reactive surface chemistries such as Epoxy, Aldehyde, NHS, Amine, Carboxy, Maleimide, Thiol, Azide, Streptavidin, and Neutravidin; (2) Micro- & Nanoparticles including color-encoded multiplex beads, fluorescent microparticles/nanoparticles, transparent PMMA particles, and calibration/imaging tools; (3) Functionalized Microplates in 96-well and 384-well formats; and (4) Specialties & Cell Culture Products including DNA combing materials, low-binding surfaces, seals/chambers, and cell culture tools. The company also provides custom Molecular Surface Engineering (MSE) services for specialized substrate functionalization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ONCYTE: Porous nitrocellulose film slides for protein microarrays, distributed by PolyAn in Europe from Grace Bio-Labs.
- PolyActivated
Products and services
- Microarray Products Functionalized slides, coverslips, plates, sheets, films, and membranes for microarray applications including DNA, peptide, protein, and glycan microarrays, available with both 2D- and 3D-reactive surface chemistries. For researchers and diagnostic developers.
- Micro- and Nanoparticles
- Functionalized Microplates
- ONCYTE Nitrocellulose Film Slides
- Molecular Surface Engineering Services
- Microarray Accessories and Reagents
Quantifiable outcome
- Low lot-to-lot variation specified and monitored using contact angle measurements
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PolyAn
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PolyAn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
PolyAn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Grace Bio-LabscorePolyAn serves as the European distributor of Grace Bio-Labs' nitrocellulose-based microarray products including ONCYTE® AVID, NOVA, SuperNOVA, and ONYX product families. These products complement PolyAn's own surface functionalization portfolio.
- AutoMate Scientific, Inc. (USA)coreAuthorized distributor for USA covering microarray consumables, reactive microplates, and micro/nanoparticles. Located at 812 Page St, Berkeley, CA 94710.
- axiVEND (USA)coreAuthorized distributor for USA. Located at 350 E Crown Point Rd, Suite 1020, Winter Garden, FL 34787.
- APG Bio, LTD (China)coreAuthorized distributor for China. Located at Room 212, Building 1, MinXin Mansion, NO.358 Youdong Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, China.
- PROTEIGENE SARL (France)coreAuthorized distributor for France. Located at 7 Rue Léo Lagrange, BP 1134, 27950 SAINT MARCEL, France.
- Stratech Scientific Ltd (UK)coreAuthorized distributor for Great Britain. Located at Cambridge House, St Thomas Place, Ely, CB7 4EX, UK.
- Biolinkk (India)coreAuthorized distributor for India. Located at 3rd Floor, Plot No. 25, Block B1, Community Centre, Janakpuri, New Delhi, 110058, India.
- MS Biotec Applications (Israel)coreAuthorized distributor for Israel. Located at 5 Openheimer St, Weizmann Science Park, Rehovot 7670105, Israel.
- K.F. Technology Srl (Italy)coreAuthorized distributor for Italy. Located at Via Amedeo Bocchi 84/8, 00125 Roma, Italy.
- Filgen, Inc. (Japan)coreAuthorized distributor for Japan. Located at 1-1409 Jonoyama, Midori-ku, Nagoya, Aichi-pref, 459-8011, Japan.
- Waki Company Japan Co., Ltd. (Japan)coreAuthorized distributor for Japan. Located at 7-10-25 Koganehara, Matsudo-City, Chiba-Pref., 270-0021, Japan.
- Kyongshin Scientific Co., Ltd. (Korea)coreAuthorized distributor for Korea. Located at 6th Fl. Namseoul Bldg. 307-9 Yangjae2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-896, Republic of Korea.
- Bio-Connect B.V. (Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg)coreAuthorized distributor for Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg. Located at Begonialaan 3a, 6851 TE Huissen, The Netherlands.
- Distrilab B.V. (Netherlands)minorAdditional distributor for Netherlands, specializing in particle products. Located at Wapenrustlaan 11-31, 7321 DL Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
- Sciencewerke Pte. Ltd. (Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia/Vietnam)coreAuthorized distributor covering Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Located at 100G Pasir Panjang Road, #05-08 Interlocal Centre, Singapore 118523.
- Bio-cando, Inc. (Taiwan)coreAuthorized distributor for Taiwan. Located at Incubation Center, No. 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan 33302, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PolyAn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Corning Incorporated: Major manufacturer of microplates (96/384-well SBS formats), glass substrates, and cell culture surfaces widely used in life sciences research. Comparable to PolyAn in supplying functionalized plastic and glass microplate formats that compete with PolyAn's microplates and slides.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences tools leader offering microarray products (CodeLink, Applied Biosystems arrays), glass slides, microplates, and complete genomics/proteomics workflows. Comparable to PolyAn as a broad incumbent that bundles substrates with instruments, reagents, and software across the same end-customer base.
- Merck KGaA (MilliporeSigma): Global life sciences supplier (MilliporeSigma in North America) offering microplates, membrane/film substrates, immunoassay consumables, and a deep reagent portfolio. Comparable to PolyAn as a broad incumbent selling functionalized plastic and glass substrates to the same academic and IVD customer base.
- Agilent Technologies: Provides microarray products (SurePrint, CGH arrays), scanners, and associated reagents for genomics research. Comparable as a large incumbent serving similar DNA microarray end-customers with a more vertically integrated solution stack.
- Bio-Rad Laboratories: Major life sciences tools provider with a dedicated microarray and surface chemistry portfolio (Bio-Rad glass slides, protein arrays) plus microplate readers and consumables. Overlaps directly with PolyAn's microarray and functionalized microplate offerings.
- PerkinElmer: Life sciences and diagnostics company offering microarray scanners, glass slide substrates, and immunoassay consumables under brands including Applied Genomics and Euroimmun. Overlaps with PolyAn in microarray substrates and functionalized microplates used in research and IVD.
Direct peers
- Arrayit Corporation: Specialized microarray technology company offering microarray substrates, printing instruments, and diagnostic tests. Closely aligned with PolyAn in serving DNA/protein microarray research and diagnostics customers with consumable-format products.
- Full Moon BioSystems: Manufactures antibody and protein microarray products and services. Comparable to PolyAn in serving protein microarray research customers with functionalized glass slide substrates and custom array services.
- RayBiotech: Specializes in protein and antibody array products, ELISA kits, and related services for biomarker discovery. Comparable to PolyAn in targeting proteomics researchers with array-based consumables and offering custom array services.
- Grace Bio-Labs: Manufactures porous nitrocellulose microarray slides and protein microarray products (ONCYTE brand). Directly comparable as both a channel partner and adjacent competitor in functionalized microarray substrates, sharing the same end-customers in academic and diagnostic research.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PolyAn social profiles
Digital presencePolyAn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PolyAn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PolyAn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PolyAn 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 PolyAn
What does PolyAn do?
PolyAn manufactures and sells functionalized microarray substrates and particles using its proprietary Molecular Surface Engineering (MSE) technology. The portfolio includes 2D and 3D reactive glass slides, polymer slides, coverslips, 96/384-well microplates, COP films, and ONCYTE nitrocellulose slides, plus monodisperse PMMA microparticles and nanoparticles for multiplex bead assays, flow cytometry, and microscopy. The company also offers custom surface functionalization services for specialized substrates.
Is PolyAn a public or private company?
PolyAn is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was PolyAn founded?
PolyAn was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PolyAn based?
PolyAn is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does PolyAn make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Microarray Products are the primary driver. The others are micro- and Nanoparticles, functionalized Microplates, molecular Surface Engineering Services and accessories and Reagents.
Who are PolyAn's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Corning Incorporated, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA (MilliporeSigma), Agilent Technologies, Bio-Rad Laboratories and PerkinElmer. Direct peers are Arrayit Corporation, Full Moon BioSystems, RayBiotech and Grace Bio-Labs.
Does PolyAn have an API?
No public API is recorded for PolyAn.