ANN ARBOR, Michigan — Accuri Cytometers, which makes low-cost bench-top cell analysis products, has raised $4 million to expand its manufacturing and customer service capabilities.
The company said it needed the money to keep up with demand. Accuri officially launched its Accuri C6 Flow Cytometer in the United States in April 2008 and followed that launch three months later with a $13 million raise to expand its marketing and sales efforts of the product.
It also makes the Accuri CSampler, which automates some of its cytometer’s functions.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Accuri started selling in Europe at the beginning of this year, Chief Executive Jennifer Baird said. The company will spend the next 18 months expanding country by country throughout Europe and later consider an Asia expansion, Baird said.
Accuri thinks its lower cost will spread cytometers from larger main laboratories into smaller operations that could use the devices for cancer and cell research, among others areas. Baird said the company has sold some of its devices into the biofuels market.
Baird said the company would add manufacturing jobs in its Michigan headquarters, though the company didn’t know how many. It employs 42 people in the state and 60 worldwide.
Accuri received funding through the state’s InvestMichigan! fund as well as previous investors Fidelity Biosciences, Flagship Ventures, Baird Venture Partners and Arboretum Ventures. The company has raised a total of $27 million in four rounds of fund-raising, Baird said.
