APRIL 2025

Mode Labs secures £3m investment to advance environmental sensing

Mode Labs has secured £3 million in investment to accelerate the development and commercialisation of its chemical sensing technology. The funding will support the growth of Mode Labs’ engineering team, the development of its existing prototypes into commercial products and the launch of its first monitoring solutions for Total Phosphorus and Ammonia in rivers and streams.

Precision chemical monitoring in the field

Spun out of the University of Oxford and based at Begbroke Science Park, Mode Labs is building on more than 15 years of research from Oxford’s Departments of Chemistry and Materials.

Its patented sensing platform is designed to bring laboratory-quality chemical measurement into the field, providing continuous data through compact, low-power devices that can operate for extended periods in challenging environments.

The technology uses 1,000 times less chemical reagent and 400 times less power than existing systems. Mode Labs says its platform can provide up to 10,000 times greater sensitivity and deployments six times longer, at around 10% of the cost of current solutions.

“Our mission is to protect the environment and human health by monitoring and reporting changes to our ecosystems in real time, allowing for immediate intervention.”

Dean James, CEO, Mode Labs

From prototype to deployment

Following successful laboratory and field trials, the investment will help Mode Labs move its technology towards wider commercial deployment.

The company is initially focusing on real-time water quality monitoring, where continuous chemical data could help organisations identify changes in rivers and wastewater systems sooner and respond more effectively.

The funding round was led by Oxford Science Enterprises alongside the University of Oxford Investment Fund and GK Goh Ventures.

With the investment in place, Mode Labs will continue developing its sensing platform with the aim of making high-quality chemical monitoring more accessible, scalable and practical wherever it is needed.

“This investment will unlock access to precision chemical monitoring for anyone, anytime, anywhere. With low-cost plug-and-play devices we can deliver clear and concise measurement data where it is needed most. Working with our customers, our mission is to protect the environment and human health by monitoring and reporting changes to our ecosystems in real-time, allowing for immediate intervention.”

George Todd, Senior Associate at Oxford Science Enterprises

Let's make monitoring scale.

Get in contact to discuss a deployment.