SpectaCell, a Ghent-based life sciences company spun out of imec, VIB, and Ghent University, has officially launched with €6 million in Seed funding. The round was led by imec.xpand, with participation from PMV’s Flanders Future Tech Fund, InnovationQuarter Capital, Qbic, and VIB. The startup is building a next-generation cell analysis platform designed to help drug developers and manufacturers understand how treatments affect individual cells.
Addressing a Critical Blind Spot in Immunotherapy
Developers of immunotherapies, including cell therapies and T-cell engagers, often struggle to predict which candidates will work in patients and how to produce them consistently. SpectaCell says many existing tests measure indirect signals or averages across a sample, causing important differences between cells to disappear. The company’s technology is designed to provide a clearer view of how individual cells respond to treatments and how those responses change over time.
How the Technology Works
SpectaCell combines chip-based imaging with data analysis to track large numbers of individual cells and their interactions directly, at high resolution and over time. The platform does not require fluorescent labels that can interfere with cell behavior, which the company says helps preserve more natural results. It is developing an easy-to-use, cartridge-based instrument intended to deliver these insights in hours rather than days.
One Platform from Discovery to Manufacturing
SpectaCell is targeting pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and specialist manufacturers worldwide. The company is developing a single platform for use from early research and process development through to routine manufacturing quality checks. It will enable researchers to compare drug candidates, development teams to improve production processes, and manufacturers to assess whether each batch meets the required performance standards.
Leadership and Investor Support
The founding team includes Tony Montoye, Veronique De Vroey, Mathieu Rabaey, and Jan Van de Velde. Tony Montoye, CEO and co-founder, said that breakthrough medicines need breakthrough tools and that researchers need earlier insight into which candidates deserve further investment. Benoit Devogelaere, Partner at imec.xpand, said the company brings together disruptive semiconductor technology, an experienced team, and a major commercial opportunity in drug development and manufacturing.
Funding Plans and Market Ambition
The €6 million Seed round will fund further development and commercialization of the platform with pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners. SpectaCell plans to use the capital to advance its cartridge-based instrument and strengthen collaborations across early research, process development, and manufacturing. The company’s ambition is to set a new industry standard across multiple types of therapy and build a global business around an essential, recurring need.
Built on Research and Industry Experience
SpectaCell builds on years of research at imec, VIB, and Ghent University, combining semiconductor technology with biological and clinical expertise. Its Belgian-Dutch investor syndicate provides capital, strategic support, and access to leading life sciences hubs in both countries. The company said this foundation is intended to support international growth and the development of a globally competitive life sciences business.
SpectaCell’s launch reflects growing demand for tools that can connect early research with manufacturing and reduce delays in medicine development. By combining semiconductor technology with biological expertise, the company aims to help developers understand treatment effects earlier and more precisely. Its progress will be closely watched as it works to turn this vision into a commercially available platform for better medicines, sooner.