Northern Light Microscopy, a University of Strathclyde spinout, has raised over £1 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to accelerate the market launch of its breakthrough imaging technology that makes advanced microscopy accessible to laboratories worldwide.
The round was led by DSW Ventures, with participation from Scottish Enterprise and SWIM Capital. The funding will support early commercial deployments of NLM’s flagship product, continued software development and expansion of its product line.
Founded by Dr Peter Tinning (CEO) and Dr Ralf Bauer (CTO), NLM was built to address a fundamental barrier in the life sciences: super-resolution microscopy, a critical tool underpinning research across biotech and pharma, remains out of reach for many labs due to high costs, technical complexity and difficulty integrating into existing workflows.
NLM’s first product, the Advanced Modular Imaging System (AMIS), is a compact benchtop microscope that combines flexible micro-optics with structured illumination to deliver up to eight imaging modes in a single, cost-effective instrument. Its proprietary light engine enables powerful illumination control across multiple experimental settings, giving users high throughput alongside high resolution without protocol changes.
In direct comparison studies, the AMIS has already outperformed established systems costing significantly more. The company is targeting UKCA and CE marking ahead of first commercial sales, with early customer deployments informing product development and supporting international expansion from 2027.
“We’re excited to enter the next stage for Northern Light Microscopy,” said Dr Peter Tinning, CEO and co-founder. “With the technology validated, this funding enables us to move forward into initial sales, scaling and product line expansion. It’s been great to work with the DSW Ventures team, who recognised both the strength of the technology and our ability as founders to build a commercially viable business.”
James Reston, Investment Manager at DSW Ventures, added: “Northern Light Microscopy has developed an instrument that delivers super-resolution imaging performance at a price point that opens the technology to thousands of laboratories currently priced out of advanced microscopy. The AMIS has already outperformed established systems, costing significantly more in direct comparison studies, and Peter and Ralf bring a combination of deep technical expertise and commercial understanding that gives us confidence in the company’s ability to execute. We look forward to supporting the team as they bring the AMIS to market.”