Opentrons

Opentrons Labworks, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Biotechnology, Laboratory automation
Founded	2014
Founder	Will Canine, Nicholas Wagner, Chiu Chau
Headquarters	Queens, New York, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jonathan Brennan-Badal (CEO)
Products	Liquid handling robots (OT-1, OT-2, Flex, Flex Prep)
Website	opentrons.com

Opentrons Labworks, Inc. (commonly known as Opentrons) is a biotech firm that produces liquid handling robots powered by open-source software. These robotic systems aid researchers in precisely managing minute liquid quantities for biochemical and chemical processes. Their current lineup features the OT-2 and Flex models, which are widely utilized by scientists and DIY biology practitioners, with increasing adoption throughout the broader life sciences research sector.

Products

Available models:

OT-2 – Introduced in 2018, the OT-2 played a significant role in COVID-19 research initiatives. While its electronic micropipettes and hardware components are proprietary, only basic enclosure CAD files have been released publicly, meaning it no longer qualifies as open hardware. However, its software remains openly accessible.
Flex – Debuted in 2023 as the OT-2’s successor, the Flex occupies a volume of two cubic feet and is offered through a one-time purchase rather than a subscription. Its open-source API facilitates seamless integration with artificial intelligence applications.
Flex Prep – Launched in 2024, this model features no-code software enabling users to set up pipetting protocols via an intuitive touchscreen interface.

Discontinued models:

OT-1 – Released in 2015 after a Kickstarter campaign priced at $2,000, the OT-1 was the pioneering commercial open-source liquid handling robot for life science laboratories and complied with open hardware requirements. It operated using adapters to manipulate handheld micropipettes but did not provide editable CAD files. The OT-1 is no longer available on the market.

History

Opentrons was founded out of Genspace, a community biology laboratory located in Brooklyn, New York. Biohacker and former Occupy Wall Street activist Will Canine teamed up with Nicholas Wagner and Chiu Chau, whom he connected with through a DIY biology mailing list.

In 2014, the company launched with investment from HAXLR8TR, a Shenzhen-based hardware accelerator. That same year, they successfully crowdfunded via Kickstarter to demonstrate their device's capability to insert DNA into E. coli. Jonathan Brennan-Badal, ex-VP of strategy at ComiXology and Genspace board member, joined as CEO in 2014.

By 2016, Opentrons was selected for Y Combinator's Winter batch.

Impact

Opentrons’ robotic platforms have gained widespread acceptance among both academic researchers and DIY biologists. At UCSD, scientists adapted the OT-1 to automate reagent dispensing and imaging during cell signaling studies. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University used the OT-2 alongside Opentrons’ Python API and OpenAI's GPT-4 to autonomously plan and carry out experiments.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Opentrons supported Queens-based Pandemic Response Lab (PRL) by accelerating COVID testing turnaround times from 7–14 days down to just 12 hours while reducing costs from $2,000 to below $28 per test. Prominent institutions employing Opentrons robots for COVID diagnostics include the Mayo Clinic, Harvard University, Stanford University, Caltech, MIT, and BioNTech.

Subsidiaries

Opentrons maintains several subsidiaries that extend its technological reach and service offerings:

Opentrons Robotics – specializes in developing accessible laboratory automation tools.
Pandemic Response Lab (PRL) – collaborated with NYU Langone Health to deliver diagnostic testing services nationwide; ceased operations as of December 31, 2022.
Neochromosome (Neo) – acquired in March 2021; focuses on large-scale genome engineering for therapeutic development.
Zenith AI – acquired in June 2021; integrates no-code artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning technologies into Opentrons’ platform.

References

External links