Senorics

Senorics is a high-tech company spun out of the University of Technology Dresden in 2017 by its founders Dr. Ronny Timmreck, Robert Brückner, and Matthias Jahnel. The firm specializes in the design and manufacturing of optical spectroscopic sensor solutions intended for mass-market adoption. Senorics has developed patented sensor technology based on organic semiconductors, which enables the production of miniaturized, low-cost near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy sensors. These sensors, smaller than a one-cent coin, are designed for integration into everyday products like household appliances and smartphones, a significant reduction in size from traditional, bulky laboratory spectrometers.

The company's core technology operates by irradiating a sample with infrared light and then analyzing the reflected wavelengths using a proprietary algorithm to determine the material's composition and quantify its ingredients. This allows for the non-destructive analysis of solids and liquids. The organic semiconductor technology provides broad spectral coverage, from 400 nm to 1800 nm, surpassing the limitations of silicon-based chips and enabling the detection of molecules like water or the differentiation between various types of plastics and textiles. Senorics offers its technology as OEM modules for integration, as well as complete, ready-to-use sensor systems like the SenoSense kit and handheld devices such as the SenoCorder.

Financially, Senorics has secured a total of $12.4 million over several funding rounds, including a seed round in 2018 and a Series A round of over €8 million ($9.76M) in 2021. This funding supports the scaling of its technology for the industrial market and the establishment of a pilot production line. Key investors include FIDURA Private Equity Fonds, ZEISS Ventures, Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS), and TUDAG (TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft). The business model focuses on providing these sensor solutions to a wide range of industries, including agriculture, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and automotive. Applications range from optimizing brewing processes and checking food ripeness to identifying counterfeit drugs, sorting textiles for recycling, and enhancing appliance functions, such as washing machines selecting the correct cycle based on fabric type.

Keywords: material sensing, near-infrared spectroscopy, organic semiconductors, optical sensors, material composition analysis, handheld spectrometer, OEM sensor modules, food analysis, textile sorting, counterfeit detection, process optimization, agricultural sensors, pharmaceutical analysis, quality control sensors, industrial sensors, smart appliances, non-destructive testing, chemical sensing, substance identification, spectroscopy on-chip