The Future of Single-Cell Applications: Discussing the Importance of Bringing Single Cell Function into Focus with the Envisia Platform from Lightcast

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The Future of Single-Cell Applications: Discussing the Importance of Bringing Single Cell Function into Focus with the Envisia Platform from Lightcast

Can you please start by providing a brief overview of Lightcast’s history and how the company has developed since being founded?

The foundational technology of Lightcast is actually spun out from Base4, an early stage Cambridge-based company that was initially working with optical-electrowetting (oEWOD) technology for DNA sequencing. However, it became clear there was potential for cell-based assays, including singlecell applications, which at that point, focused largely on static molecular profiles.

And so Lightcast was founded in 2019 to further develop a version of oEWOD that enables precise manipulation,
tracking and functional characterisation of cells at singlecell resolution. In late 2023, we launched the Luminary Early Access Program. In May 2024, we then opened the Boston Innovation Centre to support the expansion of that program and in May 2025, we revealed the Envisia platform to the world at PEGs Boston.