LASE INNOVATION INC
1 known investors
LASE Innovation develops laser particle (LP) technology — light-emitting optical particles that attach to cell surfaces to barcode and track individual cells across single-cell and omics platforms. Its barcodes support multiplexed flow cytometry and connect phenotype, genotype, and function of single cells for biological research.
Also known as LASE Innovation · LASE Innovation Inc.
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026LASE Innovation Inc. is an early-stage life-science tools company working on high-dimensional single-cell analysis. Its core technology is a laser particle (LP) platform: light-emitting particles of nano- to micron-scale that emit narrowband laser light (under 0.2 nm linewidth) tunable across more than 1,000 wavelengths. Because each particle can carry a distinct spectral signature, combinations of particles attached to a cell's surface act as an optical barcode, providing substantially more distinguishable colors than conventional fluorescent probes.
The commercial expression of the technology is the LP Cell Barcoding platform, which allows researchers to identify and follow the same individual cells across flow cytometry, imaging/microscopy, sequencing, and in vivo work, and to generate data for training AI/ML models. A stated application is cyclic or time-lapse flow cytometry, in which large antibody panels are split into smaller, more spectrally separated panels run over multiple cycles on the same sample, with the resulting datasets merged into a single FCS file. The company describes the readout as fast and non-invasive, compatible with standard assays, and applicable to hundreds of thousands to millions of cells. Beyond basic research, the technology has been described as applicable to drug discovery, diagnostics, and uses outside life sciences.
Founding story
Sheldon J.J. Kwok is the co-founder and CEO of the company, established in 2018.
Business model
Business-to-business supply of the LP Cell Barcoding platform and related single-cell analysis services to research institutions and pharmaceutical firms, under customized service agreements that may include multi-year contracts or subscription arrangements.
Revenue is described as coming from sales of the LP Cell Barcoding platform and associated single-cell analysis services, including setup fees, training, and ongoing usage, with tiered pricing based on service volume.
Traction
Recipient of multiple US Small Business Administration SBIR awards between 2020 and 2024, including a $1,002,340 award for time-lapse flow cytometry for kinetic profiling of T-cell function and a $955,253 award for cyclic flow cytometry; NCI renewed its Direct-to-Phase II SBIR award in October 2024. NIH records show roughly $900.3 thousand in FY2026 funding across one active grant, with Sheldon J.J. Kwok as principal investigator. In August 2025 the company launched a commercial assay service with Talon Biomarkers.
Latest developments
In August 2025 LASE Innovation and Talon Biomarkers announced the Time-lapse TITAN Assay Service, described as the first commercially available flow cytometry-based method to measure T cell activation kinetics at single-cell resolution. In October 2024 the National Cancer Institute renewed the company's Direct-to-Phase II SBIR award for the study of T cell function, and in July 2024 the company appointed Dr. Yulia Shulga as Principal Scientist, Biology.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Early-stage company in the single-cell analysis and life-science tools segment, supported by repeated federal SBIR/NIH awards and selection for accelerator and industry pitch programs.
The particles provide orders of magnitude more distinguishable colors than conventional fluorescent probes, allowing the same cell to be re-identified across separate assay runs and different instrument platforms without interfering with standard assays.
Technology
Laser particle (LP) technology: light-emitting optical particles with nano-to-micron sizes and narrowband emission below 0.2 nm, tunable to over 1,000 wavelengths. Proprietary cell-surface attachment methods enable massively multiplexed barcoding, supporting multiple cycles of flow cytometry on the same sample and cross-platform tracking through microscopy, sequencing and in vivo work. The intellectual property is patent-protected and exclusively licensed.
Go-to-market
Direct engagement with research institutions and pharmaceutical customers, supplemented by partnerships such as the collaboration with Talon Biomarkers to offer a commercially available assay service, and by visibility from industry pitch events such as the BIO International Convention Start-Up Stadium.
Life-science researchers, including academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies, working in single-cell analysis, immuno-oncology and T cell biology.
Geography
Headquartered in the Boston area (Waltham, Massachusetts, with a Woburn address also listed), serving clients in North America, Europe and Asia.
History
Founded in 2018 and based in the Boston area, the company has been developing and commercializing laser particle technology, funded in part by a series of SBIR awards beginning in 2020. It participated in Intel Ignite's first US startup growth program cohort in 2022 and was a Start-Up Stadium finalist at the BIO International Convention in 2023.
Compiled by commissioned research from 7 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Non-dilutive funding · 4 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Institutes of Health (NIH)National Institutes of Health | Phase II | 2023 | $1M |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH)National Institutes of Health | Phase II | 2021 | $1.7M |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH)National Institutes of Health | Phase I | 2021 | $253.3K |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH)National Institutes of Health | Phase I | 2020 | $251.6K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
Timeline · 11
launches, deals, and filingsLASE Innovation and Talon Biomarkers announced the Time-lapse TITAN Assay Service, described as the first commercially available flow cytometry-based method to measure T cell activation kinetics at single-cell resolution.
The National Cancer Institute renewed LASE Innovation's Direct-to-Phase II SBIR grant for the project 'Time-Lapse Flow Cytometry' studying T cell function for the upcoming fiscal year.
LASE Innovation appointed Dr. Yulia Shulga, who has experience in immuno-oncology and cell biology, as Principal Scientist, Biology.
US Small Business Administration award of $239,680 for 'DNA-optical barcoding technology for spatiotemporal single-cell analysis', covering February 20, 2024 to October 19, 2024.
$239.7K source ↗
US Small Business Administration award of $1,002,340 covering September 5, 2023 to August 31, 2025.
$1M source ↗
Named among 10 companies selected by Intel Ignite for its first startup growth program in the US.
$955.3K source ↗
$253.3K source ↗
$251.6K source ↗
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 7
primary sources listed
- LASE INNOVATION INClaseinnovation.com · web
7 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does LASE INNOVATION INC do?
- LASE Innovation develops laser particle optical barcodes for identifying and tracking individual cells across single-cell platforms.
- Who are LASE INNOVATION INC's investors?
- LASE INNOVATION INC's investors include Kakao Ventures.