June 27, 2005

10 Cleantech Companies to Watch: Sensicore

From grid insurance to fuel cells, these companies will deliver tomorrow's clean energy solutions.

Sensicore
755 Phoenix Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

VITALS: CEO Malcolm Kahn; founded 2000; 38 employees; $15.5 million in 2 rounds of funding; key investors: Ardesta, Firelake Capital Management, NGEN Partners, Technology Partners, Topspin Partners; 1-734-528-6300

Sensicore leveraged research from the University of Michigan to build a cheap and easy water tester for municipal and industrial use. The company uses disposable, silicon-based chips to run a panel of water tests. Its newest product, called WaterPOINT, combines the micro-sensors with a handheld monitor. The technology replaces the old method of sending a water sample to the lab to be tested by a technician. "Ultimately, the low cost of the sensor can enable ubiquitous online water-monitoring networks," says Ira Ehrenpreis, an investor in the company and partner at Technology Partners. Networking the testing data and aggregating it in a central location will give Sensicore an advantage over a series of single-test, lab-on-a-chip companies. The technology may be useful and compelling, but Sensicore may find it difficult to get broad market traction.