“BioSense is now a full member of the Endress+Hauser family”
Endress+Hauser BioSense developed the ‘lab on a disc’ PCR system for industrial process and hygiene monitoring. As of 1 November 2026, Endress+Hauser fully owns the former joint venture with Hahn-Schickard.
The startup Endress+Hauser BioSense was founded in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, in 2021 as a 75/25 joint venture between Endress+Hauser and research and development provider Hahn-Schickard. The recent acquisition of full ownership by Endress+Hauser doesn’t alter the BioSense business model. But for Endress+Hauser BioSense Managing Director Dr Nicholas Krohn, the step carries symbolic significance: “The fact that we are now, as it were, a ‘full member’ of the Endress+Hauser family is a vote of confidence in our work. Over the past five years, we have adapted a technology previously used exclusively in medical contexts and made it fit for industrial applications. And we’ve since successfully introduced it to many of Endress+Hauser’s key customers.” This success hasn’t been limited to Germany – as of this year, the young company is also active in China and the USA. “Our products have been well received there too.”
Laboratory analysis in a compact format: The PCR analysis system from Endress+Hauser BioSense enables fully automated DNA and RNA analysis directly on site.
Complex analyses at the processing line
The founding concept behind Endress+Hauser BioSense was to enable molecular biological analyses to be performed directly at the production processing line, eliminating the need to send samples to an external laboratory. This saves valuable time: While sending a sample can take several days, the analysis device delivers a result within one to two hours. The system provides reliable identification of germs and pathogens of any kind, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, allergens and other microbiological parameters. “Basically, we can analyze any liquid that contains DNA or RNA,” says Nicholas Krohn. “And we can do so with a high degree of accuracy.” In addition, the compact device is so simple to operate that there is no need for trained laboratory personnel.
Focus on core sectors
For Krohn, the technology is a perfect strategic fit for the Endress+Hauser portfolio: “We offer our solutions specifically for the company’s core food and beverage, water, wastewater and waste, and life sciences sectors.” Breweries are a case in point. “In addition to flowmeters and temperature sensors, we can now offer our customers an at-line analysis system for monitoring the quality of their brewing yeast.” Detecting mold in food, E. coli bacteria in drinking water or viruses in wastewater are also common analytical tasks. “One key application was determining the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater treatment plants, as an indicator of the pandemic’s progression,” Krohn recalls.
Dr Nicholas Krohn, Managing Director of Endress+Hauser BioSense.
Fully equipped laboratory on a disc
The analysis system is based on centrifugal microfluidics – a technology fully developed for operational use by Hahn-Schickard during the 2010s. The liquid sample, prepared for analysis using a simple procedure, is filled into a disc-shaped sample holder – the detection module – which is then inserted into the device. Then all it takes is the touch of a button to carry out a fully automated DNA/RNA analysis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. The module rotates, bringing the liquid into contact sequentially with a range of on-board reagents – effectively, a complete laboratory workflow in miniature format. “We were only the third organization in the world to use this ‘lab on a disc’ principle, and the first to apply it in a non-medical setting,” says Nicholas Krohn with pride.
New applications being developed all the time
Endress+Hauser BioSense now offers specific single-use detection modules for the analysis of a wide range of microbiological parameters. These modules are supplied in an analysis kit, together with all the materials required for sample preparation. The company adds new applications on a regular basis, in response to market demand. Recent examples include detection of Legionella in cooling systems – such as evaporative cooling installations or the cooling circuits of data centers – and testing of vegan food products for the presence of animal-derived ingredients. New applications also unfold through joint development projects with customers – when an additional parameter needs to be incorporated into a standard kit, for instance. “These custom-developed solutions can then serve as the starting point for a new standard product, if other companies in the same industry also show interest,” says Nicholas Krohn.
An inspiring environment: At the Freiburg Innovation Center (FRIZ), the 15-member Endress+Hauser BioSense team develops new applications for industrial process and hygiene monitoring.
Inspiring working environment
There will continue to be joint development projects with Hahn-Schickard – the end of the co-founder's formal ownership stake in Endress+Hauser BioSense changes nothing in that regard. This strong collaborative spirit is aided by geography: The Hahn-Schickard Institute is located in a building directly opposite the Freiburg Innovation Center (FRIZ), home to the 15-member Endress+Hauser BioSense team. Further, the University of Freiburg’s Faculty of Engineering, another long-standing partner, is just a stone’s throw away. Nicholas Krohn: “This inspiring working environment plays a significant role in our success.”
