What Elemental Scientific Lasers does

Elemental Scientific Lasers (ESL), founded in 2017, designs and manufactures high-performance laser ablation systems used as sample-introduction front-ends for Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) workflows. The portfolio spans wavelength-specialised ablation lasers (213 nm Nd:YAG, 193 nm excimer, 266 nm solid-state, 257 nm femtosecond), purpose-built instruments for geochemical imaging (imageGEO193) and bioimaging (imageBIO266), IRMS-targeted systems (Bobcat LAIR, MIR102), an extra-chamber artifact system for cultural heritage and nuclear samples, and LIBS platforms (ESLumen, Elemental Insight). A configurable accessory stack (TwoVol2/3 cells, Dual Concentric Injector, ECHO splitter, Sentinel, AutoCal, CryoCell, UHV Cell, MicroMill2, Laser SC autosampler, SolidSample ICPMS) plus a software layer (ActiveView2 for experiment control, iolite for data reduction, iolite Targeting, Precognition for imaging prediction) delivers sub-millisecond washout, micrometre-scale spatial resolution, and high-speed elemental imaging.

ESL serves research institutions, universities, government labs, and industrial facilities across primary verticals of Geochemistry and Earth Sciences and Biomedical and Life Sciences, with additional use in industrial manufacturing QC, cultural heritage/archaeology, food/agriculture, and environmental/forensic sciences. The business model combines direct enterprise sales of high-CAPEX hardware, recurring software licences, and ongoing service/support contracts on a quote-based, multi-year basis, distributed exclusively through a global direct sales team rather than resellers.

The company is a privately held subsidiary of the Elemental Scientific conglomerate (alongside MEINHARD, TFI Inline, Analab), headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with photonics R&D and manufacturing operations in Bozeman, Montana. Customer evidence includes named applications at the University of Michigan, UC Santa Barbara, Northwestern, Bochum University, Cranfield University, Loughborough, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Core strategic partnerships support the platform: Light Conversion supplies the Pharos 2 femtosecond source used in the ESLfemto, and iolite is integrated as ESL's data-reduction software partner.

Name

Elemental Scientific Lasers

Legal name

Elemental Scientific Lasers

Website

https://icpmslasers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elemental Scientific Lasers designs and manufactures high-performance laser ablation systems (LA-ICPMS and LIBS) for elemental and isotopic analysis, serving academic, government, and industrial labs in geochemistry, biomedical imaging, and materials analysis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Laser Ablation Instrumentation

NAICS

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

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elemental Impurities & Trace Metals (ICP-MS) (HLAGADAJ), Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity) (IMAGAFAE), Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Laser ablation systems
• ICPMS instrumentation
• Elemental analysis equipment
• LIBS spectroscopy
• Geochemical imaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Bozeman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laser Ablation Systems: Sale of high-performance laser ablation instruments including ESL213, ESL193HE, ESLfemto, imageGEO193, imageBIO266, and Artifact systems. These are precision scientific instruments priced at significant capital expenditure levels.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Sale of ablation cells (TwoVol2, TwoVol3), ECHO aerosol splitter, CryoCell, Sentinel, AutoCal, UHV Cell, and other accessories that enhance and extend LA system capabilities.
3. Software Licenses: ActiveView2 software for experiment control and imaging, iolite data reduction software, and Precognition elemental imaging optimization software.
4. Service and Support: Service contracts, technical support, applications training, and calibration services for installed base of instruments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Elemental Scientific Lasers (ESL) designs and manufactures laser ablation systems and accessories for elemental and isotopic analysis via Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The portfolio includes specialized laser systems for bioimaging and geochemical imaging, ablation cells, sample transport devices, automation accessories, and proprietary data reduction software (iolite, ActiveView2, Precognition).

Product overview

Elemental Scientific Lasers (ESL) provides a comprehensive portfolio of laser ablation systems and accessories for elemental analysis via LA-ICPMS. The product line centers on laser systems (imageGEO193 for geochemical imaging, imageBIO266 for bioimaging, ESL213 and ESL193HE as core ablation systems, ESLfemto for ultrafast applications, ESLumen for LIBS-ICPMS, and specialized systems including Bobcat LAIR for IRMS, Artifact for large samples, MIR102 for fusion/heating, and Tempest standalone laser) complemented by sample preparation accessories (MicroMill2, TwoVol2/3 ablation cells, Dual Concentric Injector, ECHO splitter, Sentinel, AutoCal, CryoCell, UHV Cell). Software offerings include ActiveView2 for experiment control and iolite for data reduction and visualization, with Precognition for imaging optimization. This modular architecture allows researchers to configure systems for applications spanning geochronology, environmental analysis, biomedical imaging, battery research, food safety, and semiconductor analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iolite: Data reduction and visualization software for elemental imaging and laser ablation analysis
• ActiveView2
• Precognition

Products and services

• imageGEO193 193 nm ArF excimer laser system designed for high-speed geochemical elemental imaging with resolution down to 3 micrometers and repetition rates up to 1000 Hz, featuring the TwoVol3 ablation chamber for sub-millisecond washout. Targets research institutions focused on geochemistry and earth sciences.
• imageBIO266 266 nm solid-state laser system specifically designed for high-resolution, high-speed bioimaging by LA-ICPMS, featuring selective ablation of tissue over glass slide substrate and less than 1 ms single peak response. Targeted at biomedical and life sciences research.
• ESL213 213 nm Nd:YAG laser ablation system positioned as the industry gold standard, suitable for trace element analysis, geochemistry, battery research, purity testing, bulk analysis, and gemology applications.
• ESL193HE High energy 193 nm excimer laser system for challenging sample types including quartz, fluorite, alloys, and biological materials, with fluence exceeding 50 J/cm^2 and large spot sizes up to 300 micrometers.
• ESLfemto

Quantifiable outcome

• Sub-1ms washout times enabling >1000 pixels per second imaging
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Light ConversioncoreTechnology or IntegrationLight Conversion supplies the Pharos 2 laser source used in the ESLfemto ultrafast laser ablation system. This is a critical component supplier relationship for ESLfemto's solid-state femtosecond laser technology.
• iolitecoreTechnology or Integrationiolite provides data reduction software that integrates with ESL's instruments. The software handles element identification, peak integration, calibration, and elemental imaging from ESL's LA and LIBS systems. ESL hosts and links to iolite.xyz, iolite Targeting, and Precognition software platforms.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Agilent Technologies: Leading ICPMS and atomic spectroscopy instrument manufacturer whose platforms are commonly paired with third-party laser ablation systems. Operates broadly in elemental analysis and could expand into laser ablation as part of its ICP-MS ecosystem.
• PerkinElmer: Major analytical instruments provider with a presence in atomic spectroscopy and ICPMS. Competes for the same end-customer budgets in elemental analysis labs and could vertically integrate into laser ablation.
• Tofwerk: Manufacturer of time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers that pair with LA-ICPMS systems for high-speed elemental imaging. ESL's imageGEO193 integrates with TOF platforms, making Tofwerk an ecosystem partner with potential competitive overlap in elemental imaging workflows.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Major mass spectrometry instrument vendor whose ICPMS platforms integrate with ESL's laser ablation systems. As a customer and ecosystem partner, Thermo Fisher represents both collaboration opportunity and competitive threat given its scale and bundled offerings.

Emerging players

• SciAps: Portable and handheld LIBS and XRF analyzer manufacturer with growing overlap in elemental analysis applications. While primarily focused on field-deployable analyzers, SciAps represents an emerging player in elemental measurement that intersects with ESL's industrial QC expansion.

Direct peers

• Teledyne CETAC Technologies: Direct competitor in laser ablation systems for ICPMS, offering a competing portfolio of ablation cells, lasers, and sample introduction accessories. CETAC is one of the most established players in the same product category as ESL.
• Applied Spectra (ASI): Manufacturer of LA-ICPMS and LIBS systems, with overlapping product lines including laser ablation instruments and accessories for elemental analysis. Directly competes with ESL in the LA-ICPMS and LIBS imaging space.
• New Wave Research (ESI): Long-established laser ablation systems provider offering the NWR platform for LA-ICPMS applications. Directly competes with ESL across geoscience and materials science applications with overlapping product features.

Others

• Light Conversion: Supplier of the Pharos 2 femtosecond laser used in ESL's ESLfemto system. While primarily a component supplier rather than direct competitor, Light Conversion's ultrafast laser technology is core to ESL's most differentiated product and represents both partnership and potential vertical-integration risk.
• Buchi: Laboratory equipment manufacturer with adjacent presence in elemental analysis sample preparation (digestion, evaporation). While not a direct competitor in laser ablation, Buchi addresses overlapping lab workflows and customer relationships in elemental analysis labs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elemental-scientific-lasers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Elemental Scientific Lasers