MICROLIQUID SL

Their core work

microLIQUID is a Spanish SME specializing in the design and manufacture of microfluidic chips and lab-on-a-chip devices. They produce the physical microfluidic components — channels, chambers, and sensor integrations — that make portable diagnostic devices possible. Their work spans from rapid prototyping of microfluidic MEMS to production-ready disposable cartridges for point-of-care molecular testing, serving sectors from healthcare screening to industrial biosensing.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), microLIQUID focused broadly on smart systems integration, manufacturing access services, and general biosensor development — projects like SMARTER-SI and PoCOsteo reflected a platform-agnostic microfluidics supplier role. From 2019 onward, their work converged sharply on portable molecular diagnostics for specific diseases: cervical cancer screening (ELEVATE, CHILI) and rapid COVID-19 detection (DECISION). This shift shows a company moving from general-purpose microfluidic manufacturing toward becoming a specialized provider of disposable diagnostic cartridges for field-deployable health screening.

microLIQUID is moving toward low-cost, disposable diagnostic cartridges for community-based health screening in underserved populations — expect continued focus on global health and decentralized testing.

How they like to work

microLIQUID operates exclusively as a participant or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project. With 134 unique consortium partners across 27 countries, they are a highly networked component supplier that plugs into diverse consortia. This pattern is typical of a specialist SME that provides a critical hardware piece (the microfluidic chip) to projects led by universities or clinical partners, making them a reliable and low-friction addition to any consortium needing microfluidic expertise.

With 134 unique partners across 27 countries from 9 projects, microLIQUID has built a remarkably wide European network for an SME of its size. Their partnerships span from research universities and hospitals to manufacturing pilot lines, reflecting the cross-disciplinary nature of microfluidic applications.

What sets them apart

microLIQUID occupies a rare niche: they are one of few European SMEs that can take a diagnostic concept from microfluidic chip design through to manufacturable cartridge production. Their Basque Country base in the Mondragon industrial ecosystem gives them access to strong manufacturing infrastructure. For consortium builders, they solve a common bottleneck — turning a lab prototype into a physical, testable, field-ready microfluidic device.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HoliFAB
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 840,000) — a digital-to-physical prototyping pilot line for microfluidic MEMS, reflecting microLIQUID's core manufacturing capability.
• DECISION
  Rapid-response COVID-19 project developing a handheld, battery-powered molecular diagnostics platform — demonstrates ability to pivot quickly to urgent health challenges.
• CHILI
  Most recent project (2021–2026), targeting HPV screening in low-income countries with self-sampling and point-of-care genotyping — signals their direction toward global health impact.