- ZEISS will equip CIC Philadelphia with $1M in total value in microscopy equipment, including advanced automated solutions, in-demand confocal microscope and AI-based image analysis toolkit along with dedicated on-site support
- The agreement complements CIC Philadelphia’s robust sponsorship program, which provides scientists located on-site with access to more than $5M in shared lab equipment
CIC, a global leader in building and operating innovation communities, is proud to expand its sponsorship agreement with ZEISS, a global leader in microscopy solutions, to bring state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to scientists in Philadelphia and across the East Coast.
As part of a multi-year agreement, ZEISS will provide the CIC Labs & Innovation Campus in Philadelphia with cutting edge end-to-end workflow imaging solutions. The portfolio onsite will include advanced automated solutions, in-demand confocal microscope and AI-based image analysis toolkit. This equipment will empower hundreds of scientists within CIC’s community to delve deeper into their projects, unlocking new avenues of discovery and innovation.
CIC’s Labs & Innovation Campus in Philadelphia features state-of-the-art, turn-key laboratories and office spaces with all the amenities and equipment that allow scientists to develop solutions to some of the greatest challenges in the health and life sciences fields. This includes 450 benches across four floors of wet lab space, which include access to $5 million worth of shared lab equipment from CIC’s suite of sponsors.
As part of this agreement, ZEISS will also assign a dedicated full-time staff member to manage and operate the equipment as an extension of CIC’s lab operations team. This expert will not only ensure the smooth operation of the instruments but will also provide invaluable support to CIC clients, assisting them in data analysis and interpretation to drive their initiatives forward.
“We are thrilled to deepen our collaboration with ZEISS, a trusted partner whose commitment to innovation mirrors our own,” said Michelle Ottey, PhD, Vice President of Labs and Campuses at CIC. “This significant investment in cutting-edge equipment will greatly enhance the capabilities of our community members, fostering groundbreaking research and accelerating the development of transformative technologies.”
“To inspire innovation consistently, you need a perfect blend of talent, technology, and culture. Our experience with the CIC team and their clients has solidified our confidence in CIC Philadelphia as an ideal environment to foster innovation,” said Vimal Gangadharan, PhD, Head of Growth Marketing & Apps Dev, ZEISS. “By expanding our partnership to advanced imaging and analysis solutions, we aim to take a proactive role in the community and facilitate rapid development of solutions in the life science industry.”
The CIC-ZEISS Microscopy partnership aims to open at CIC Philadelphia in fall 2024 and represents a unique asset within the Philadelphia landscape, offering capabilities that few other shared facilities can match.
“We see tremendous potential for impact in fields such as cellular therapeutics, oncology, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory diseases,” added Ottey. “The confocal microscope, in particular, will open up new possibilities for personalized medicine and therapeutic development, giving our clients a competitive edge in their respective fields.”
As part of this collaboration, ZEISS will continue to play an active role in CIC’s ecosystem engagement efforts, including participating in client onboarding and ongoing client engagement activities. This integrated approach underscores the shared commitment to driving innovation and fostering collaboration within the Philadelphia life science community and beyond.
About CIC
CIC builds and operates a global network of innovation campuses where startups, scale-ups, corporations and public entities connect, work, and grow. Founded in 1999, CIC manages 1.5 million square feet of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, CIC develops bespoke programming, builds and enables industry clusters, and provides world-class district consulting—all focused on advancing innovation.
Learn more about CIC’s innovation campuses featuring workspace & labs, programming, and events at CIC.com. Follow along on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
About ZEISS
ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling 10 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets (status: 30 September 2023).
For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world’s leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses and binoculars.
With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company’s significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS’ technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.
With around 43,000 employees, ZEISS is active globally in almost 50 countries with around 30 production sites, 60 sales and service companies and 27 research and development facilities (status: 30 September 2023). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG.
Further information at www.zeiss.com
ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions
ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions is the leading provider of light, electron, X-ray microscope systems, correlative microscopy and software solutions leveraging AI technologies. The portfolio comprises products and services for life sciences, materials and industrial research, as well as education and clinical routine applications. The unit is headquartered in Jena. Additional production and development sites are located in Germany, UK, USA and China. ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions is part of the Industrial Quality & Research segment.
Further information at www.zeiss.com/microscopy
