Strategic partnership between 908 Devices and IQT

Written by Claire Attwood, Future Science Group

908 Devices has partnered with not-for-profit organisation In-Q-Tel to develop new MS analyzers for the intelligence community.

908 Devices (Boston, MA, USA), an innovator in the field of portable chemical analysers located in Boston has entered into a strategic partnership with I-Q-Tel (IQT; VA, USA) a not-for-profit organisation that was formed in order to try and bridge the gap between the technology needs of the US intelligence community and commercial technology advances. 908 Devices has created handheld MS tools in order to allow for hazardous chemical detection and analysis at the point of need. The devices are portable and very light weight. 908’s High-Pressure MS (HP-MS™) technology allows the molecular traps at the heart of their systems to be a thousand-times smaller than those in conventional mass spectrometers enabling the use of dramatically smaller pumps, ionizers, detectors and electronics than existing laboratory mass spectrometers.

Speaking on the company’s website Kevin J. Knopp, Chief Executive Officer and founder of 908 Devices said of the company’s work, “The need to detect and analyze a broad array of hazardous chemicals and weapons at trace amounts has never been greater,” and in addition speaking about the partnership Knopp went on to say, “We believe this partnership will provide our government customers in the national security space with a unique opportunity to deploy and build upon unprecedented capabilities for chemical detection and analysis.”

IQT is a private company that builds relationships with technology organisations outside the reach of the intelligence community with a mission statement to ‘identify and partner with companies developing cutting-edge technologies that serve the national security interests of the United States’. Simon Davidson, Partner on IQT’s Investments team said of the partnership that “The team at 908 Devices is implementing Mass Spectrometry in a form factor that truly is handheld, and their capabilities are strongly aligned with needs we see in both government and commercial markets.”

Kevin J. Knopp added, “We are pleased to be partnering with IQT, and believe this significant partnership validates our platform and approach.”

Source: 908 Devices and IQT enter strategic partnership to develop new MS analyzers.