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Rapid Fluidics

ServiceGateshead, United KingdomFounded 2020· One of 1986 Service companies tracked by AMPulse

Rapid Fluidics provides expert design, prototyping, and manufacture of 3D printed microfluidic chips and other devices. They offer a consultancy service to customers with a need for microfluidic systems and have developed a novel way to rapidly and accurately produce prototype microfluidic test cards.

CEO / Founder
Paul Marshall
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$5.21M
Latest Round
Angel
Key Investors
NorthInvest, Newcastle Angel Hub, Innovate UK, Ignite, VentureFest North East

Technology & Products

Key Products

["Custom 3D printed microfluidic chips","Microfluidic manifolds","Microfluidic design consultancy","Rapid prototyping services"]

Technological Advantage

The primary advantage is the significant reduction in the design-build-test cycle time for microfluidic devices. This agility allows for more rapid innovation and product development for their clients. Their consultancy-led approach also ensures that clients receive expert guidance throughout the development process.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

To accelerate the development cycle of microfluidic devices through a combination of expert design consultancy and rapid 3D printing manufacturing, enabling clients to move from concept to prototype in days rather than weeks or months.

How They Differentiate

Rapid Fluidics differentiates itself through its specialized focus on 3D printing for microfluidics, combined with a strong consultancy and service-oriented business model. Their partnership with design software companies like Flow Circuits also provides a more integrated and streamlined workflow for customers.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Researchers, biotech companies, and other organizations in the life sciences and diagnostics sectors that require rapid prototyping and development of microfluidic devices.

Industry Verticals

["Biotechnology","Life Sciences","Diagnostics","Medical Devices"]

Competitors

Dolomite Microfluidics; Fluigent; Blacktrace Holdings

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Team expansion including Chief Operations Officer, Chief Business Officer, Biomechanical Engineer, Manufacturing Technician; office relocation to larger facility in Metro House, Gateshead; multiple new strategic partnerships (Intrepid Automation, Blacksheep Sciences, Labman Automation); international expansion with US manufacturing partnership.

Major Milestones

["Establishment of a partnership with Flow Circuits to streamline the design-to-manufacturing process.","Expansion of the team to include US Business Development Director.","Strategic partnership with Intrepid Automation to scale microfluidic manufacturing in the U.S.","Strategic collaboration with Blacksheep Sciences via MoU.","Partnership with Labman Automation for 96-well plate microfluidics proof-of-concept.","Collaboration with STFC Hartree Centre and University of Cambridge IfM for smart manufacturing data hub.","Office relocation to Metro House, Gateshead.","Components manufactured for SpaceBorn United's IVF minilab prototype tested in Earth orbit."]

Notable Customers

Sagentia Innovation; Kromek Group; SpaceBorn United; Labman Automation; Blacksheep Sciences; Staiger GmbH & Co. KG

https://www.rapidfluidics.com

Why this company matters

Rapid Fluidics occupies a narrow but critical niche in the microfluidics market: accelerating the development cycle of custom microfluidic devices through expert design consultancy and rapid additive manufacturing. Where traditional microfabrication can take weeks or months to iterate, the company's proprietary VPP-SLA process produces fully enclosed, multi-layered microfluidic chips with high precision in days. This speed-to-prototype is the firm's primary differentiator against established competitors such as Dolomite Microfluidics and Fluigent.

The company's core service combines design consultancy with 3D printing manufacturing. Clients in biotechnology, life sciences, diagnostics, and medical devices receive custom microfluidic chips, manifolds, and test cards. A partnership with design software firm Flow Circuits streamlines the design-to-manufacturing workflow, allowing researchers and biotech companies to move from concept to functional prototype rapidly. Named customers include Sagentia Innovation and Kromek Group.

Founded in 2020 and based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Rapid Fluidics has raised approximately $5.2 million from investors including NorthInvest, Newcastle Angel Hub, and Innovate UK. The team has recently expanded, adding a Director of US Business Development to support market growth. CEO Paul Marshall brings over five years of engineering consultancy experience in microfluidic component design and novel rapid-prototyping for the life sciences sector.

The company's strategic moat lies in its specialized focus on 3D printing for microfluidics combined with a service-led model. The open question is whether this niche can scale beyond early-stage prototyping into production volumes, or if it will remain a high-value service for R&D teams that need speed over volume.