InSpek and the EIC Accelerator: Watching Bioreactors in Real Time

InSpek, registered in Palaiseau near Paris in 2021, makes photonic sensors that use Raman spectroscopy, reading the light scattered by molecules, on a chip mounted inside a bioreactor to measure metabolites and products continuously, without taking samples. It says this gives biomanufacturers streaming, multiparameter data from inside the process, according to InSpek. In September 2024 it announced €6 million: a €3.5 million seed round co-led by Breega and Wind Capital with Quantonation, and a €2.5 million EIC Accelerator grant, according to Electro Optics. The EIC project, MultiSpek, receives €2,491,233 and runs from January 2025 to December 2026, according to CORDIS.

The project's first report says the fibre-attached sensor chip was designed, fabricated and optimised beyond its starting design, packaging compatible with autoclaving and single-use systems was explored, the full sensor, optical unit and software system was integrated, and tests in pilot-scale fermentation and cell culture produced stable, process-relevant signals, according to CORDIS. It reached the milestone "Optimised sensor prototype completed". InSpek's website invites companies to start a pilot; it has not named customers.

Where InSpek Stands Now

InSpek offers pilot projects for bioprocessing, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The report says engagement with early adopters validated its target uses. Its accounts are filed confidentially and the French register puts its workforce at six to nine people. It has announced no funding since 2024.

The Technology: A Spectrometer That Lives in the Tank

Bioprocess teams usually monitor a batch by pulling samples and sending them to a lab, InSpek says, leaving gaps between measurements. Its chip uses waveguide-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to measure the surrounding liquid in place. The sensor connects by fibre to an optical control unit and software that turn spectra into readings of several substances at once. Fouling and damage to the chip's polymer packaging were identified as risks.

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

MultiSpek promised an on-chip multi-sensing platform for single-use biopharmaceutical production. It runs until December 2026, so it is too early to judge it. The record shows a working, integrated prototype tested at pilot scale, but not yet a product qualified for single-use bags or sold to manufacturers.

1. Optimised sensor chipDeliveredMilestone MS2.
2. Integrated systemBuiltPilot tests.
3. Single-use packagingExploredConcepts tested.
4. Commercial customersUnverifiedNone named.

The Money

InSpek's seed round and EIC grant were announced together. The award was blended finance, but no EIC Fund investment has been announced, and InSpek's revenue and losses are filed confidentially.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

InSpek says continuous in-line data lets manufacturers detect deviations early and improve yield. A compact European sensor that works inside disposable bioreactors would fill a gap InSpek says current sampling methods leave. It now needs customers to prove it.

The Verdict

InSpek and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.