SLAS announces finalists for the 2026 Ignite Award

The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) has announced the finalists for the US$5,000 Ignite Award, recognising the most innovative automation start-up exhibiting at SLAS 2026 in Boston.

This year, eight pioneering companies have been selected for the award, supported through SLAS’ Avenue programme, for demonstrating the most promising platforms in lab automation and drug screening: CellarisBio Inc, DropXcell Corp., Evizia Inc., GelTech Labs, MxT Biotech Co Ltd (South Korea), Synfini Inc., Vitroscope ASA (Norway), and XDemics Corporation.

CellarisBio Inc, founded in 2018 by Elmar Nurmemmedov and Ivan Babic, offers the MICRO-TAG™ platform, enabling in situ, real-time measurement of drug binding to target proteins. This platform supports multiple modalities, including small molecules, allosteric binders, and Protags, and allows cellular target engagement studies with DNA-Encoded Libraries, combining early discovery and later validation in one system.

DropXcell Corp., founded by Luke Blauch in 2023, applies droplet microfluidics to functionally screen millions of antibody candidates daily. This technology is particularly suited for complex modalities such as ADCs and bispecific T-cell engagers, competing with Sphere Microfluidics, AbCellera, and AdiMab.

Evizia Inc, founded in 2021 by Jason Reed, Bhubaneswar (Bud) Mishra, and Sheila Corcoran, employs the PRECYSE desktop instrument for high-resolution single-molecule visualisation of DNA and RNA, supporting next-generation sequencing library QC and targeting the genomics market.

GelTech Labs Inc, founded in 2024 by Sinan Golhan, automates hydrogel analysis over extended periods, offering precise control and parallel processing for drug delivery, medical devices, agriculture, and cosmetics.

MxT Biotech Co Ltd, spun out in 2021, provides the Hydroporator, a microfluidic system for non-viral ex vivo delivery of genes and CRISPR editors, offering scalable, high-throughput, non-immunogenic alternatives to viral vectors.

Synfini Inc, founded in 2023 as an SRI International spin-off by Doug Donzelli, Peter Madrid, PhD, and Nathan Collins, PhD, integrates neuro-symbolic AI, automated chemistry, and a unified DMTA workflow to accelerate small-molecule drug discovery from months to weeks.

Vitroscope ASA, established in 2019 by Carlo Kriesi and Heikki Sjöman, develops integrated platforms for physiologically relevant cell and tissue models, combining microfluidics, live-cell imaging, and AI-driven data analysis to enable reproducible, scalable experiments for preclinical research and personalized medicine.

XDemics Corporation, founded in 2017 as a Caltech spin-off by Colin Cook, delivers the High-Density Cell Respiration (HDCR) system, allowing ultra-dense, scalable cell and vector production for cell and gene therapies, improving efficiency and reducing costs in both research and commercial manufacturing.

The SLAS Ignite Award 2026 will be presented during the SLAS 2026 International Conference & Exhibition in Boston, from 7–11 February 2026.