Oxford spinout Mode Labs secures £3 million investment to transform chemical sensing
Dr Daniel Miles-Barrett (Head of Engineering), Dr Dean James (CEO), Prof. Claire Vallance (Technical Director) (L.to R.)
Mode Labs, a new spinout from the University of Oxford, have developed a chemical sensing platform that will deliver plug-and-play laboratory measurement capabilities in the field, with 10,000x increased sensitivity, 6x longer deployments, at 10% of the cost of existing solutions.
The founding team includes the Department of Chemistry's Professor Claire Vallance, alongside Professor Jason Smith (Materials), CEO Dr Dean James, and Head of Engineering Dr Daniel Miles-Barrett. Mode Labs work builds on over 15 years of research at Oxford’s Departments of Chemistry and Materials Science.
Their patented platform technology can be expanded to measure almost any analyte in liquid, with applications across water quality monitoring, wastewater treatment, aquaculture, and security markets. Using technology originally designed for quantum computing, Mode Labs’ technique uses 1000x less chemical reagent and 400x less power than existing systems, enabling long-term deployment of robust miniaturised devices in even the most challenging of locations.
Prof. Jason Smith showing a 3x3mm microcavity substrate. (L) Laser light enters and reflects in the microcavity, interacting with the fluid sample. (R)
With tightening environmental regulations driving demand, Mode Labs have identified a key market opportunity in real-time water monitoring. The Environment Act 2021 mandates the installation of 40,000 multiparameter chemical sensors across England and Wales by 2035, to monitor and provide immediate feedback on the chemical emissions of combined sewer overflows. Globally, more than one million sensors will be needed for each major pollutant.
Having successfully validated their proof-of-concept devices in both laboratory and field trials, this £3 million investment will enable Mode Labs to scale its engineering team, productise the existing prototypes, and bring its first products to market. The initial focus will be on total phosphorus and ammonia monitoring of rivers and streams.
Dr Dean James, CEO at Mode Labs, said:
This investment will unlock access to precision chemical monitoring for anyone, anytime, anywhere. With low-cost plug-and-play devices we can deliver clear and concise measurement data where it is needed most. Working with our customers, our mission is to protect the environment and human health by monitoring and reporting changes to our ecosystems in real-time, allowing for immediate intervention.
