What Thomas RECORDING does

Thomas RECORDING GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of precision scientific instruments for neurophysiological and electrochemical research, headquartered in Gießen, Germany, and operating since 1987 under founder and Managing Director Uwe Thomas. The company designs and builds quartz glass-insulated platinum/tungsten fiber microelectrodes (single, tetrode, and heptode configurations), proprietary multichannel microdrive systems (Eckhorn Matrix, Mini Matrix, Thomas Matrix with up to 224 channels and integrated shielded preamplifiers), and complementary stimulation, optogenetics, microinjection, eye tracking (TOM), and non-human primate research equipment. Its core technology differentiators include a patented rubber-tube drive mechanism enabling vibration-free electrode advancement and the exclusive global distribution rights for MRI-compatible ceramic screws developed by Prof. Nikos Logothetis at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics.

The company's primary customers are academic universities, neuroscience research institutes, and primate research laboratories worldwide, with secondary exposure to electrochemistry and sensor-development labs. Thomas RECORDING sells through direct enterprise field sales backed by a global distributor network, with quote-based pricing on specialized instruments, custom engineering solutions, and supporting electrode-manufacturing tooling. Recent product development — including a wireless deep brain stimulation (wDBS) system co-developed with the University of Würzburg, dedicated Neuropixels and Neuronexus adapter drives, and the TOM high-speed eye tracking platform — indicates a strategy of broadening from core microdrive hardware into integrated, application-specific research platforms.

Name

Thomas RECORDING

Legal name

Thomas RECORDING GmbH

Website

https://thomasrecording.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thomas RECORDING GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of precision fiber microelectrodes, multichannel microdrive systems, and specialized neurophysiology and primate research instruments sold globally to academic neuroscience and electrochemistry laboratories through direct sales and distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neuroscience Research Instruments

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurological Monitoring (EEG, Seizure/Sleep/Neuro Wearables) (HLAHACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Implantable Neuromodulation & Neurostimulation (SCS/DBS/VNS/PNS) (HLAHAEAK)

Keywords

• Microelectrode manufacturing
• Neuroscience research instruments
• Electrophysiology microdrives
• Deep brain stimulation equipment
• Stereotaxic instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Gießen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Neuroscience Products: Sales of microelectrodes, microdrives, stimulation equipment, eye tracking systems, optogenetics products, stereotaxic instruments, and accessories for neurophysiological research.
2. Electrochemistry Products: Sales of electrochemical probes and tools including electrode polishing machines, grinding machines, tip pullers, fiber melting units, inspection microscopes, and fiber raw materials.
3. Custom/Enterprise Solutions: Custom-designed products and engineering solutions for specific research applications, including custom probe designs, electrode configurations, and specialized systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Thomas RECORDING GmbH manufactures microelectrodes, microdrive systems, deep brain stimulation (DBS) microelectrodes, wireless microstimulators, stereotaxic instruments, primate research equipment, optogenetics tools, and eye tracking systems for neuroscience and neurophysiology research. Products include quartz-platinum-tungsten fiber microelectrodes, ceramic screws, multi-channel electrode matrix arrays, and accessories for electrode fabrication and testing. Custom-designed solutions for non-human primate and small animal research are also offered.

Product overview

Thomas RECORDING GmbH is a German manufacturer of precision scientific instruments for neurophysiological and electrochemical research, founded in 1987. The company operates as a single-vendor platform providing specialized microelectrode systems, stereotaxic instruments, and supporting equipment. The core product line centers on fiber microelectrodes (quartz glass insulated platinum/tungsten) and advanced microdrive systems (Eckhorn Matrix, Mini Matrix, Thomas Matrix with up to 224 channels) for multielectrode recording. These integrate with complementary products including stimulation electrodes, optogenetics equipment (LED light sources, optical fibers), eye tracking systems (TOM), microinjection systems, and primate research equipment (cages, chairs, training systems, recording chambers). Supporting tools include electrode manufacturing equipment (grinding, polishing, tip pulling, impedance testing) and ceramic/bone screws for implants. The company emphasizes 'Made in Germany' quality and MRI compatibility for various components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thomas Mini-Electrode Matrix (Thomas MEM)
• Eckhorn Matrix
• Mini Matrix
• Thomas Matrix
• Neuropixels Drive
• Neuronexus Drive/MEM
• Fiber Microelectrodes
• Silicon Probes
• Concentric Bipolar Electrodes
• Stimulation Microelectrodes
• DBS Microelectrodes
• Wireless DBS Microstimulator
• Stimulus Generators
• Small Animal Stereotaxic Instrument (SASI)
• Precision Positioning System (PPS)
• Primate Chairs
• Primate Cage
• InCage Training System (ICTS) and InSeat Training System (ISTS)
• Primate Recording Chambers
• Microinjection System (MIS)
• Manual Microinjection Pumps
• Microinjection Cannulas
• Optogenetics LED Light Sources
• LED Light Source Controller
• Optical Fibers for Optogenetics
• TOM Eye Tracking System
• Electrode Fiber Raw Material
• Electrode Polishing Machine
• Electrode Grinding Machine
• Electrode Tip Puller
• Fiber Melting Unit
• Fiber Inspection Microscope
• Electrode Impedance Tester
• Ceramic Screws (NP-BS)
• Bone Screws

Quantifiable outcome

• Precision up to 0.003° with TOM eye tracking system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Prof. Dr. Nikos Logothetis (Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramic screws were developed and firstly used by Prof. Dr. Nikos Logothetis at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tuebingen, Germany. Thomas RECORDING is the worldwide sole distributor of these high-quality ceramic screws made of zirconium oxide for MRI applications.
• University of Würzburg (SFB Retune)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSystem developed in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Jens Volkmann (Deputy Spokesperson, Steering Committee Member, Project Leader) and Prof. Dr. Chi Wang Ip (Project Leader) from the SFB Retune at University of Würzburg for the standardized wireless deep brain stimulation system for rodents published in npj Parkinson's Disease.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Neuralynx: Neuralynx manufactures tetrode-based recording systems and headstages for in vivo animal electrophysiology; directly comparable as a competitor to Thomas RECORDING in chronic multi-channel neural recording equipment sold to academic neuroscience labs.
• WPI (World Precision Instruments): WPI produces microelectrodes, micromanipulators, and stereotaxic frames for physiology and electrophysiology research; comparable specialty neuroscience instrumentation vendor with overlapping catalog.
• FHC Inc: FHC manufactures microelectrodes, micro-targeting drives, and stereotaxic instruments for neuroscience and neurology research; closest comparable microelectrode and stereotaxic instrument peer.
• Blackrock Microsystems: Blackrock produces Utah Array electrode arrays and integrated neural recording/stimulation systems for animal research; the most direct peer in implantable microelectrode arrays and high-channel-count electrophysiology platforms.
• Cambridge NeuroTech: Cambridge NeuroTech supplies silicon probe arrays and chronic implantation tools for in vivo electrophysiology; comparable as a developer of microelectrode silicon arrays targeting systems neuroscience labs.
• Intan Technologies: Intan Technologies designs low-noise amplifier chips (RHD2000) and open-ephys front-ends widely used in rodent electrophysiology; comparable as a component-level supplier of low-noise neural recording electronics.
• Neuronexus: Neuronexus designs and manufactures silicon-based neural probes (linear, tetrode, and 3D arrays); directly comparable in silicon microelectrode technology and a known integration partner to Thomas RECORDING microdrives.

Emerging players

• Open Ephys: Open Ephys develops open-source electrophysiology acquisition systems and electrodes for rodent recording; emerging niche player with overlapping academic/neuroscience-research channel and open-platform approach.

Broad incumbents

• ADInstruments: ADInstruments supplies PowerLab data acquisition and LabChart software for life-science research; broader research equipment incumbent with adjacent but not core overlap in electrophysiology instrumentation.
• Tucker-Davis Technologies (TDT): TDT offers end-to-end neurophysiology data acquisition and processing systems (RZ, Synapse) plus stimulation hardware for animal research labs; broader incumbent in adjacent acquisition and processing hardware rather than microelectrodes directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TREC_neuro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgqiWuB8IvnAqURP5Ilau6Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thomas-recording-gmbh

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 Thomas RECORDING