MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSHOP GMBH

Their core work

Microfluidic ChipShop is a Jena-based SME that designs and manufactures microfluidic chips and lab-on-a-chip devices for diagnostics, biosensing, and life science applications. They provide custom microfluidic cartridges and consumables that integrate sample preparation, detection, and analysis onto compact polymer chips. Their core business is translating laboratory microfluidic concepts into manufacturable products — bridging the gap between academic prototypes and market-ready diagnostic platforms. Across H2020 projects, they consistently serve as the microfluidic hardware partner that turns research ideas into physical chip designs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), Microfluidic ChipShop focused on sensor integration and medical diagnostics — breath analysis for gastric cancer (SNIFFPHONE), photonic biosensing (SAPHELY), and security applications (ROCSAFE). From 2018 onward, they shifted toward biological and biochemical applications: food allergy point-of-care testing (AllerScreening), droplet microfluidics for directed evolution (EVOdrops), and molecular sensing (LOGIC LAB). The trajectory shows a clear move from physical/chemical sensing toward life science and biological assay platforms.

Moving toward more biologically complex applications — expect them to pursue projects in synthetic biology tools, advanced diagnostics, and personalized medicine microfluidics.

How they like to work

Microfluidic ChipShop never coordinates — they join as a specialist participant (7 projects) or third-party partner (3 projects), consistently providing the microfluidic hardware component within larger consortia. With 174 unique partners across 25 countries, they are extremely well-networked, connecting to a different set of collaborators in each project rather than repeating partnerships. This makes them an accessible and experienced consortium partner: they know how EU projects work, deliver their component reliably, and are easy to integrate into new teams.

Exceptionally broad network for an SME: 174 unique partners across 25 countries from just 10 projects, indicating participation in large, diverse consortia. No strong geographic concentration — they work pan-European with connections spanning Western, Northern, and Southern Europe.

What sets them apart

Microfluidic ChipShop occupies a rare niche as an SME that can actually manufacture custom microfluidic chips at scale — most microfluidics companies are either pure research or large corporations. Their ability to take a lab concept and produce a physical, testable chip cartridge makes them the go-to integration partner for any consortium that needs microfluidic hardware. Based in Jena's strong optics and photonics cluster, they combine German manufacturing precision with the flexibility of a small company that can adapt to diverse project requirements.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AllerScreening
  Their highest-funded project (EUR 520,000) developing a complete point-of-care device for food allergy diagnosis — a direct product-oriented application of their chip technology.
• SNIFFPHONE
  Ambitious integration challenge: fitting gas sensors, microfluidics, and data analysis into a smartphone accessory for breath-based cancer screening.
• PIXAPP
  Participation in a photonic integrated circuits pilot line — demonstrates their capability beyond biology, contributing to advanced manufacturing infrastructure for photonics.