LayerWave Biotech Secures Nearly RMB 100 Million in Series B Funding to Advance Flow Cytometry Innovation

VCBeat has exclusively learned that recently,Beijing Challen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Challenbio”)Completed byTusPark VenturesLead Investor,ADDORCo-investment,LEAP CAPITALServed as the exclusive financial advisor for a Series B financing round nearing RMB 100 million. This round of funding will inject strong momentum into the company’s development, propelling Challenbio to make significant strides in advancing flow cytometry technology toward high-end and routine applications, thereby achieving even more substantial results.

Challenbio, established in 2016, is headquartered at the Daxing Biomedical Industry Base in Zhongguancun, Beijing, with its R&D center located at the Haidian District Overseas Scholars Pioneer Park. The company’s core team boasts nearly two decades of expertise in the field of flow cytometry. Driven by R&D innovation, underpinned by product quality, and centered on customer service, Challenbio is dedicated to achieving systematic, automated, and intelligent flow cytometry technologies, providing customers with trustworthy flow cytometry products and services. Leveraging its superior technical capabilities and excellent product quality, the company has garnered favor from leading domestic industry partners, reagent companies, and top-tier global flow cytometry manufacturers, forming strategic collaborations to serve a broad base of medical clients. In 2022, Challenbio completed its Series A financing round led by IDG Capital, accelerating its product R&D and market expansion efforts. The company has continuously expanded its brand influence in the scientific research and industrial sectors, earning recognition from numerous scientists and researchers.

Liu Tiefu, founder of Challenbio, received his master’s degree from Tsinghua University in 2007 and engaged in research projects in the field of detection technology during his studies. In 2008, he joined one of China’s largest biomedical technology companies, where he began researching flow cytometry detection technology. He played a leading role in developing China’s earliest “mid-to-high-end five-part differential fluorescence” hematology analyzer and China’s first “clinical-grade flow cytometer,” becoming one of the earliest system engineers in the field of flow cytometry in China. Since founding Challenbio, Mr. Liu has dedicated nearly a decade to specialized development, continuously driving frontier advancements in China’s flow cytometry sector. The company has successively launched MateCyte, the first “2-laser 8-color” flow cytometer under a domestic brand (which became an OEM product for a globally renowned manufacturer in 2023); LongCyte™, the first “3-laser 14-color” clinical-grade flow cytometer under a domestic brand; and the FongCyte™ series for research applications. In 2023, the company pioneered the launch of China’s first domestically produced 3-laser flow cytometer equipped with a 561 nm laser, providing a powerful R&D tool for numerous industrial clients.

In 2024, Challenbio will continue to launch a series of flagship products. For the research market, it will introduce a flow cytometer with a 4-laser configuration. For the clinical sector, it will roll out new products such as lymphocyte subset sample preparation systems and flow fluorescence detectors, injecting new vitality into industry development.

3-Laser 14-Color LongCyte™ Flow Cytometer (Clinical Grade)

FongCyte™ 3-Laser 14-Color Flow Cytometer (Research Grade) Equipped with a 561 nm Laser

Fully Automated Flow Cytometry Sample Pre-processing Instrument

C-Plex Flow Fluorescence Detector

Flow Cytometry Reagents

Challenbio has also innovated its business model to empower industry partners, pioneering a “customer-centric, deep technical service” approach within the sector. By providing core components and offering technical service guidance, Challenbio helps industry partners accelerate business growth and achieve their commercial aspirations. This has contributed to the widespread adoption of flow cytometry technology, making a modest yet meaningful contribution to industry development and practical technology implementation. Currently, Challenbio’s products rank among the industry leaders in both quality reputation and shipment volume.

Built on a diversified business model of “strategic cooperation + customized services + channel marketing,” Challenbio has continuously expanded its business scope, achieving sustained and steady growth while earning market recognition. Adhering to the philosophy of openness and win-win collaboration, Challenbio actively pursues strategic industry partnerships, having established stable cooperative relationships with numerous enterprises to facilitate resource sharing and mutual benefit. Recognizing that instruments and reagents are like the two wings of a soaring bird—indispensable and complementary—Challenbio places great emphasis on deep collaboration with reagent companies in the industry, forging strong partnerships with many key players. By thoroughly understanding customer needs, we provide personalized solutions that not only meet clients’ practical requirements but also create shared value, jointly driving the vigorous development of flow cytometry technology.

Lead Investor in This Round of FinancingTusPark VenturesStatement: TusPark Ventures is fully confident in Challenbio’s development potential in the field of flow cytometry. Domestic high-end life science tools have always been one of our key investment focuses, with flow cytometry being an essential and indispensable product in the life sciences sector. Challenbio’s profound expertise, exceptional innovation capabilities, and outstanding performance in flow cytometry not only demonstrate the increasingly dominant position of domestic flow cytometry technologies in the clinical market but also highlight the hope and potential for Chinese-made flow cytometry technologies to enter high-end platforms, particularly the blue-ocean market of advanced scientific research. We look forward to Challenbio becoming a “beacon of domestic products” and an “innovation engine” in the field of flow cytometry. Furthermore, we aim to leverage investment as a bridge to inject more diversified resources into Challenbio, achieving mutual benefits and jointly promoting the growth and development of China’s life science tools industry.

ADDOR, the co-investor, stated: "Flow cytometry is an indispensable tool in modern life sciences research, with its applications continuously expanding alongside advances in biological and medical studies. Challenbio’s founding team has dedicated itself to deep expertise in the field of flow cytometry. Leveraging superior product quality, the company has rapidly penetrated both clinical and research markets, while its internationalization strategy has begun to yield results. The life sciences sector has always been a key investment focus for ADDOR. We look forward to partnering with Challenbio to move forward together, making significant waves on the path toward high-end domestically produced flow cytometry solutions."

Liu Tiefu, Founder of ChallenbioIt was stated that this financing will provide strong support for the company to accelerate R&D and market promotion in the field of flow cytometry, further driving Challenbio to launch more and better products and services. Challenbio will continue to adhere to a customer-centric approach, constantly improve product quality and service levels, and make greater contributions to the prosperity of China’s flow cytometry industry.