Amsterdam’s Optics11 Life raises fresh funding to expand its mechanobiology tools and global operations.
Amsterdam-based Optics11 Life, a company developing a suite of mechanobiology tools, has announced a new funding round.
The investment was led by new investor ECFG, and existing investors Forward.one and Value Creation Capital (VCC).
ECFG joins through its Ventures III fund, providing capital and expertise in scaling technology ventures. The firm has previously supported companies in the Dutch ecosystem.
Ruben Baijens, Investment Director and Partner at ECFG, says, “We are excited to support Optics11 Life in their mission to revolutionise life science instrumentation. Their unique technology and strong leadership team are well-positioned to make a significant impact in the fields of drug development and regenerative medicine.”
Robin van Boxsel, Partner at Forward.one, adds, “We continue to be impressed by the progress and vision of the Optics11 Life team. Their unique technology platform is unlocking new possibilities in life sciences, and we’re proud to support their next phase of growth.”
Capital utilisation
Optics11 Life measures cell and tissue mechanics in the lab. Its instruments provide data that help customers improve drug development processes and reduce reliance on animal testing.
The company will use the funds to develop its instruments for mechanobiology, expand its global commercial operations, and grow its product offerings in key markets across the US, Europe and Asia.
Hans Brouwer, co-founder and CEO of Optics11 Life, says, “We are thrilled to welcome ECFG to our investor group and to continue our strong collaboration with Forward.one and VCC.”
“This investment enables us to accelerate our mission to provide researchers and biotech companies with solutions they need to accelerate New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) as an alternative to Animal testing and use mechanobiology for the development of new regenerative medicine and personalised therapies.”
Supporting drug development and research
Founded in 2011, Optics11 Life develops instruments that measure the mechanical properties of cells, tissues, and biomaterials.
The company uses fibre-optic sensing with automation and imaging to perform high-throughput mechanical screening, generating data for drug development, disease modeling, and quality control in regenerative medicine.
Its instruments—Pavone, Piuma, Chiaro, and Cuore—include tools for cell-to-tissue nanoindentation and a contractility platform that monitors 3D muscle-bundle dynamics, quantifying stiffness, viscoelasticity, and force generation.
Optics11 Life operates with a team of over 60 people, with a mission to help customers deliver treatments that are accessible, affordable, effective, and developed without animal testing.
