Invisible-Light Labs takes EMILIE from niche lab device to market ready analyser after EIC Transition backing

Brussels, March 12th 2025

Summary

›Invisible-Light Labs, an Austrian TU Wien spin-off, developed EMILIE a NEMS-based infrared analyser and moved it toward commercial use under the EIC Transition project NEMILIES.
›EMILIE was named the leading analytical innovation of 2024 by The Analytical Scientist, a recognition the company says validates the device's place in modern analytical labs.
›The company reports final verification of production models and a collaboration agreement with a major FTIR spectrometer manufacturer to accelerate international market entry.
›The transition from lab to market highlights common deep-tech challenges such as long time to market, capital intensity, and the need for partnerships and strategic outsourcing.
›Invisible-Light Labs offers a product family including the EMILIE analyser, NEMS chips, PHILL resonance electronics, and several sampling accessories for aerosols and liquids.

Invisible-Light Labs moves EMILIE from lab prototype to commercial analyser

Introduction

In an EIC Coffee Break interview published on 12 March 2025, Josiane P. Lafleur, founder and Managing Director of Invisible-Light Labs, described how the Vienna University of Technology spin-off translated a niche research device into a commercial accessory for Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers. The company credits its multidisciplinary and international team for conceiving EMILIE, a nanoelectromechanical system based infrared detector. The device and the company gained external recognition when The Analytical Scientist selected EMILIE as the top analytical innovation of 2024.

Technology in a nutshell

EMILIE:EMILIE is a nanoelectromechanical infrared analyser designed to work as an accessory to commercially available FTIR spectrometers. It pairs nanomechanical resonators with infrared spectroscopy to measure chemical signatures from small sample amounts, aerosols, nanoparticles and other nanoscale materials without requiring cryogenic cooling according to company materials.

NEMS explained:NEMS stands for nanoelectromechanical systems. These are mechanical structures at the nanometre scale that vibrate or resonate. In EMILIE these resonators couple to infrared absorption events. When molecules absorb light at specific infrared wavelengths the mechanical resonance is modified and that change can be detected. NEMS promise high sensitivity because tiny mass or energy changes produce measurable shifts in resonance.

FTIR spectroscopy:Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy or FTIR is a widespread technique in analytical labs. An FTIR instrument records the absorption of infrared light across wavelengths to identify chemical bonds. Invisible-Light Labs designed EMILIE to be compatible with common FTIR spectrometers so that users can add nanomechanical sensitivity to existing instruments.

Combining NEMS and FTIR brings a capability that historically lived in niche research labs into a format intended for routine analytical use. According to Lafleur the idea met initial skepticism from cofounders because nanomechanical tools rarely leave the lab. The company pursued integration with FTIRs precisely to reduce user friction and leverage existing instruments in analytical facilities.

From research to market under EIC Transition

The commercial development of EMILIE was supported by the EIC Transition project NEMILIES. Invisible-Light Labs lists Horizon Europe EIC Transition grant No. 101058011 as funding the work. EIC Transition projects are intended to move academic results closer to market by supporting late stage technology development, validation, and business preparation.

EIC Transition scheme:The EIC Transition instrument focuses on maturing technologies from demonstration in lab settings toward market readiness. It typically supports activities such as prototyping, performance validation with users, business case development, and early regulatory or standards work. The scheme is not a guarantee of commercial success but helps bridge the valley of death between research funding and private investment.

Lafleur advised research teams who are beginning a similar transition to take a realistic view of the road ahead. She underlined that deep-tech hardware spinoffs usually remain at lower Technology Readiness Levels for longer and face capital intensive development and new-market creation challenges. Her practical mitigations include careful planning, outsourcing to keep fixed costs low, and leveraging collaborations with universities and industrial partners.

Technology Readiness Levels:Technology Readiness Levels or TRLs are a scale used to describe the maturity of a technology from concept to market. Academic teams often report early TRLs while investors and customers seek evidence of higher TRLs such as robust prototypes, repeatable performance, and verified field data.

Recognition and validation

In December 2024 The Analytical Scientist selected EMILIE as the most important innovation in analytics for that year. Invisible-Light Labs described the award as a validation that their aim of transforming a complex research instrument into a practical tool for analytical laboratories had been achieved. The company views the recognition as confirmation from domain experts that EMILIE belongs in modern analytical workflows.

That external recognition is helpful for visibility and credibility. Awards do not replace independent performance data from early adopters or regulatory approvals where relevant. The company reports that the first scientific publications from initial EMILIE users will address characterization of aerosols and nanoplastics and may drive further interest.

Market readiness, partnerships and early production

Invisible-Light Labs has reported that its latest EMILIE models are undergoing final verification before shipment to first customers. The company announced a collaboration agreement with a leading international FTIR spectrometer manufacturer to facilitate international market entry and accelerate user uptake. Public company materials and social posts describe EMILIE units built with a compact aluminium housing, a small footprint turbo pump for vacuum, and compatibility with Bruker Optics FTIR systems among others.

The transition into commercial manufacture and distribution raises familiar challenges. Invisible-Light Labs will need to scale reliable production of delicate NEMS chips, provide quality assurance procedures for repeatable performance, and deliver technical support to end users integrating EMILIE with different FTIR platforms. The company also faces the task of converting early scientific interest into stable commercial demand.

Products and accessories

Product	Description	Primary application or note
EMILIE	Nanoelectromechanical infrared analyser designed as an accessory for FTIR spectrometers	Aerosols, nanoparticles, samples with very small quantities, near to far infrared detection without cryogenic cooling
CHIP	Nanoelectromechanical sampling and sensing chip that contains the resonators	Heart of the analyser
PHILL	Resonance actuating and tracking electronics	Actuate and track frequency of NEMS and MEMS resonators
AEROSOL FLOW ADAPTER	Aerosol sampling accessory to hold CHIPS during sampling	Integrates with traditional aerosol sampling techniques
AEROSOL IMPACTOR ADAPTER	Adapter to fit CHIPS into a multistage Mini-MOUDI impactor	Supports staged aerosol collection workflows
DROP CASTING ACCESSORY	Accessory to drop cast aqueous samples on multiple CHIPS	Allows parallel sample preparation of up to 20 chips
Turbo pump and housing	Small Pfeiffer Vacuum turbo pump in compact aluminium housing	Part of final verification units described by the company

Target markets and suggested applications

Invisible-Light Labs highlights multiple domains where EMILIE could provide value. These include pharmaceutical characterisation of nanomaterials for drug delivery, occupational health monitoring of ultrafine aerosols, environmental analysis of aerosols and nanoplastics, research requiring ultra-sensitive near to far infrared detection, and general nanomaterials characterisation. Each market has different performance, regulatory and workflow expectations which the company must address to secure adoption.

Implications for deep-tech spinouts and the EU innovation ecosystem

Invisible-Light Labs is a representative case of a European deep-tech spinout seeking to industrialise a specialised sensor technology. EIC Transition funding helped move the device toward market readiness but does not remove the nontrivial tasks of scale up, long sales cycles, and establishing distribution partnerships. The company strategy to leverage existing FTIR installed bases is sensible because it lowers user switching costs and taps an established global installed base of analytical instruments.

For other teams in the EU innovation ecosystem the story reinforces several lessons. First hardware deep-tech needs realistic time and cash planning. Second strategic partnerships with instrument manufacturers can accelerate adoption but require conformity to device interfaces and support models. Third active dissemination through scientific publications helps but will need to be complemented by application notes, independent validation studies and customer references to convince procurement decision makers.

Scaling and certification:Moving from prototype runs to serial manufacturing introduces quality assurance needs, supply chain dependencies, and possibly regulatory or safety standards depending on the application. Deep-tech spinouts often outsource manufacturing or partner with contract manufacturers to reduce fixed costs and speed capacity ramp up.

Outlook and caveats

Invisible-Light Labs reports important milestones. The Analytical Scientist award increases visibility and the collaboration with an FTIR manufacturer lowers a barrier to market entry. Final verifications and first shipments are positive signals but not definitive proof of wide adoption. Early customer data, independent performance evaluations, and the company s ability to produce chips and electronics reliably at scale will determine whether EMILIE moves from an exciting innovation to an established analytical tool.

Invisible-Light Labs positioning its device to attach to existing FTIR infrastructure is a pragmatic route for market penetration. The company s next 12 to 24 months will test whether the technical promise and initial recognitions translate into sustainable revenues and broader use across the pharmaceutical, environmental and occupational health communities.

Where to find more information

Invisible-Light Labs maintains product and company pages with technical details and event listings. The NEMILIES EIC Transition project is listed on CORDIS under Horizon Europe funding for those seeking project specifics. Scientific publications from early users and peer reviewed validation studies will be important sources for independent assessment as they appear.

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