From Research to Revolution: How Clair Scientific’s Groundbreaking Microscope Won Over Investors at Nordic Innovation Fair 2024
How a research-born idea, a visionary team, and a powerful pitch led to a €1.6M investment — and a shot at reshaping life science imaging.
When Dr. Hugh Simons and Anders Clemen Jakobsen founded Clair Scientific in 2022, it wasn’t just to launch a startup — it was to radically rethink how the world sees the microscopic.
Fast forward to spring 2025: their invention, the Z1 microscope, has secured 12 million DKK (~€1.6M) in early-stage investment from Innovestor and Denmark’s EIFO — a major vote of confidence in the future of affordable, high-resolution imaging. But the spark that lit the fuse? A single, well-placed pitch at the Nordic Innovation Fair 2024, part of our Tech Tour event series.
“You can call 100 investors one by one, or you can show up to a great event and meet them all in two days. For us, it was about time efficiency — and Nordic Innovation Fair delivered,” says co-founder Hugh Simons.
From Lab Curiosity to Commercial Breakthrough
The roots of Clair Scientific stretch back over a decade, to when Simons was running a research group at DTU. That’s where he and Jakobsen first glimpsed the possibility of something new — an imaging technology that could capture incredibly rich datasets using a completely different optical method.
“We saw something beautiful in the physics,” Simons recalls. “But more importantly, we asked ourselves — where could this really contribute? And for us, the answer was obvious: scientific instruments are often expensive, hard to use, and slow. We had a chance to build something better.”
That “something” became the Z1, a cloud-powered microscope that’s half the size and significantly cheaper than traditional lab models. More importantly, it can generate dramatically more data — a game-changer in life sciences, where high data density directly accelerates discoveries.
The Moment of Connection: Nordic Innovation Fair 2024
When Clair Scientific took the stage at our 2024 Nordic Innovation Fair, it wasn’t just another pitch. According to Petri Laine, Partner at Innovestor, it was the moment things clicked.
“When I first saw the presentation, I thought — if this works even half as well as they say, it’s significant,” Laine remembers. Then the entrepreneurs followed up, demonstrated technical proof of concept and early customer interest, and Innovestor were in.
Laine, a long-time Tech Tour community member, credits the platform for surfacing some of the strongest deal flow in Europe. “Tech Tour really provides a platform to see quality deal flow, and it is always interesting to learn from other companies and their business models. Tech Tour indeed is a community, and it’s great how the investors in Tech Tour events share their insights and knowledge of the companies. So I really appreciate the time I can spend with Tech Tour at different events.,” he says.
Clair Scientific also impressed Jesper Johansson, Director of Special Investments at EIFO, who saw in the Z1 a rare mix of technological depth and market accessibility:
“The Z1 is not only compact and user-friendly but also significantly more affordable than traditional microscopes, making advanced imaging technology accessible to a broader range of researchers and institutions. This innovation aligns with our commitment to supporting companies that enhance data accessibility in the life sciences sector.”
What’s Next for Clair Scientific?
With the new funding in place, Clair Scientific is laser-focused on one thing: getting the word out.
“You can’t scale unless people understand what you’re doing,” Simons says. “So the first step is communication — demos, presentations, outreach. Once people see it in action, we believe adoption will follow.”
The team is currently building a go-to-market engine, scaling production, and preparing for international expansion—starting with Europe and North America. Both EIFO and Innovestor are providing strategic guidance and connections, helping lay the foundation for long-term growth.
Lessons for Founders: Research is a Launchpad
For fellow entrepreneurs, Simons has a refreshing take on turning academic breakthroughs into commercial wins.
“Research is underrated as a training ground for entrepreneurship,” he says. “Universities offer a risk-free sandbox where you can test ideas and explore commercialization pathways. And most people don’t use the resources that are right there in front of them.”
His other major insight? Don’t chase investors — find the right ones.
“It’s like dating in a way. You need to meet a lot of people to find the right fit. With Innovestor and EIFO, it just felt easy. They were genuinely excited by the technology. That’s the sign you’ve found the right partner.”
The Big Picture
Clair Scientific’s journey is a clear reminder to every founder with a bold idea rooted in research: success is within reach. With the right technology, a compelling story, and the courage to step into the right arenas, real momentum follows. And when the fit is right — with investors who truly believe in your vision — it doesn’t have to be hard. It just clicks.
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