With the ERC Proof-of-Concept grant it was possible to develop two functional prototypes and file a patent. An in-depth market research including interviews and presenting the prototypes showed, however, that the balance between market size (number of potential customers), added value for the users and pricing of the microfluidic device was not favourable for attracting additional seed funding and founding a company following the initial idea as it had been proposed. As the originally proposed business case did not survive first contact with the envisioned market, it was decided towards the end of the ERC PoC funding period to pivot and follow a new business case that initially emerged as a side project of the prototype development. Instead of building a microfluidics based liquid dispensing unit for biological research we now successfully develop an innovative and software based technology for laboratory inventory that will allow for life sciences research to connect their labs to the digital age.
