SpectaCell Raises €6M Seed Led by imec.xpand

SpectaCell Closes €6M Seed Round

SpectaCell, a Ghent-based life sciences spin-off of imec, VIB, and Ghent University, has raised a €6 million seed round. The round was led by imec.xpand, with participation from QBIC, Flanders Future Tech Fund, InnovationQuarter Capital, and VIB. The funding was announced on October 8, 2026.

What SpectaCell Does

SpectaCell is developing a next-generation cell analysis platform for drug development and manufacturing. Its cartridge-based instrument combines label-free imaging with AI data analysis to track thousands of individual cell-cell interactions in real time. The platform delivers potency insights in hours rather than days for cell therapies such as CAR-T and T-cell engagers.

Target Market

Founded in 2026, SpectaCell targets pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and specialist manufacturers. Its single platform is designed to span early research, process development, and manufacturing quality control.

Acquisition Relevance

The seed round brings together a syndicate anchored by imec.xpand and including QBIC, Flanders Future Tech Fund, InnovationQuarter Capital, and VIB. The company's positioning across research, process development, and quality control gives it exposure to multiple stages of the cell therapy value chain, an area of active interest for strategic acquirers in life sciences tools and manufacturing.

Round Summary

• Company: SpectaCell
• Round: Seed
• Amount: €6 million
• Currency: EUR
• Date: October 8, 2026
• Lead investor: imec.xpand
• Participating investors: QBIC, Flanders Future Tech Fund, InnovationQuarter Capital, VIB
• Stage: Seed
• Domain: spectacell.com