Funding Accelerates Commercialization of Proprietary Online Bioburden Monitoring Systems for Life Sciences Market
Tucson, arizona, October 12, 2015: Sentinel Monitoring Systems, Inc. a Tucson startup developing multivariate online bioburden monitoring systems has raised US $3.5 million in Series-A financing by Phoenix Venture Partners.
Sentinel’s next generation online bioburden monitoring system aims to solve the ongoing challenge of accurately discriminating biological materials from interfering materials within industrial purified and ultra-pure water systems. The core technology platform is complimented with systems to automatically capture excursion or periodic samples as required. This new funding supports Sentinel’s development and commercialization of its online bioburden monitoring product portfolio. In conjunction with the financing, Dr. Frank Levinson and Dr. Zach Jonasson of Phoenix Venture Partners have joined the company’s Board of Directors.
“We are honored to have the ongoing support of Phoenix Venture Partners,” said Bill Puent, chief executive officer of Sentinel. “We are forever grateful for the meaningful relationships we have with global leaders in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer goods, dialysis, and environmental waters markets. Phoenix Ventures is important both strategically and tactically to our collective efforts. Their values and priorities align directly with ours and their technical expertise, business model, and global network compliment and strengthen our efforts.”
Online bioburden monitoring systems are desirable within multiple applications and market segments worldwide. Such systems would enable optimization of biological treatment processes, lower costs, and improve the overall agility of the manufacturing process. To date the greatest challenge to achieving this goal has been the ability of the system to precisely discriminate targeted biological materials from other materials inherent in the production process that may interfere with the results. Sentinel’s next generation design is well positioned to solve this problem. Sentinel’s portfolio also includes products to solve problems with automatically capturing samples when required without operator intervention. Sentinel works closely with customers to understand their workflow and needs within highly regulated environments to improve the entire process of process monitoring.
“We see a multi-billion dollar opportunity for Sentinel’s on-line bioburden monitoring systems. The pharmaceutical, consumer products, and other global industries continue to search for highly sensitive and robust online monitoring systems to assure real-time water and product quality. Conventional plate-based methods of bioburden testing are antiquated, backward-looking, costly and prone to expensive erroneous results,” stated Zach Jonasson, General Partner at Phoenix Venture Partners. “Sentinel’s team deeply understand the customer pain-point and is developing an exciting solution that promises to revolutionize bioburden monitoring and quality assurance. We are happy to welcome Sentinel’s exceptionally talented team to our portfolio.”
About Sentinel Monitoring Systems, Inc.
Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Sentinel develops novel systems that monitor the effectiveness of manufacturing processes. We are honored to include global leaders within the life sciences industry as our customers and collaborators. The Sentinel Online Monitor is a multivariate spectroscopic analyzer for real-time monitoring of bioburden and other target analytes. The Sentinel Sample Collector automatically collects excursion samples identified by online monitors and/or periodic samples during production runs. Other Sentinel products currently in development include automated online endotoxin monitoring and near real-time at-line systems for bioburden and specific organisms. Sentinel was founded in 2014 by a team of complimentary subject matter experts with the mission to improve scientific understanding and effectiveness of manufacturing processes through real-time monitoring of targeted materials. For more information, please visit www.sentinelmonitors.com.
About Phoenix Venture Partners
Phoenix Venture Partners (PVP) is a leading venture capital firm that invests in and partners with entrepreneurs to commercialize breakthrough materials science innovations. PVP’s team has a track record of founding, building and investing in successful materials science start-ups. The firm’s investment strategy is flexible and predicated on assisting entrepreneurs with customer and supply chain partnerships, business development, as well as strategic and operational support. PVP is based in Silicon Valley with satellite offices in Singapore and Cambridge, MA. For more information, please visit www.phoenix-vp.com.
Media Contact:
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