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Microbial monitoring includes tracking bacteria and other microorganisms that affect water quality, food production, and environmental systems. It’s traditionally been slow, expensive, and often restricted to specialized laboratories. Water samples often need to be shipped off-site, where testing could take days or even weeks. During that time, contamination risks grow, and critical decisions about water safety, food production, or environmental health are delayed. 

In response, researchers in the Pinto Lab at �鶹�� Tech set out to reimagine the monitoring process. They began developing a portable technology that allows teams to see and understand what microorganisms are present in a sample almost immediately. That work has now moved beyond the lab and into the marketplace through a newly launched startup called Skopii. 

Research Driven by Real-World Needs 

Skopii was launched by the research group of , the Carlton S. Wilder Associate Professor in the . Pinto also serves as the faculty director for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration at the . 

The idea for Skopii grew directly from challenges Pinto encountered in his environmental microbiology research. Traditional tools used to study microorganisms often cost tens of thousands of dollars and require specialized facilities, putting them out of reach for many professionals responsible for water safety and environmental monitoring. 

“We needed a way to quickly understand what was in a sample without investing days of lab work,” said Pinto, co-founder of Skopii. “The existing tools were too expensive and too stationary. We wanted something small, affordable, and smart enough to provide real-time insight wherever the sample is collected.” 

What Skopii Does 

Skopii helps water utilities, environmental teams, and industry partners quickly understand what is happening with microbiology in the environment and engineered systems without waiting for complex lab tests. The platform combines a compact imaging device with built-in artificial intelligence that analyzes samples on the spot. 

Instead of sending samples away for sequencing or advanced lab work, operators can place a sample directly into the device and receive fast, visual information about the microorganisms present. This early insight helps communities, utilities, and industry partners make informed decisions sooner, whether they are monitoring drinking water, wastewater systems, algae growth, or biological processes used in manufacturing. 

How the Technology Works 

Skopii’s technology pairs a small, modular, portable imaging device with built-in artificial intelligence. The imaging tool, called ARTiMiS, captures detailed pictures of microorganisms in a sample, much like a microscope that can be taken into the field. 

Those images are analyzed immediately by Skopii’s AI software, PhycoSight, which identifies and counts microorganisms without the need for lab testing or long processing times. 

Together, these tools, licensed through �鶹�� Tech’s Office of Technology Licensing, allow operators and researchers to see microorganisms, measure changes, and identify potential issues within minutes rather than days or weeks. The goal is not to replace advanced laboratory testing, but to provide fast, early information that helps guide decisions before more time-consuming analysis is needed. 

For example, a water utility operator could use Skopii’s technology to quickly assess phytoplankton in their drinking water sources to determine the presence and quantities of harmful algae, or engineers could monitor large-scale biological processes to evaluate the health and productivity of microalgal cultures for biofuel production or wastewater treatment instead of waiting for days for results. 

Advancing From Lab to Market 

Skopii’s development has been supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Water Research Foundation. This support allowed the team to refine the imaging system, train its artificial intelligence models, and test the platform with real-world partners. 

The work also gained national recognition in 2023 when two of Pinto’s students, Benjamin Gincley (co-founder and CEO of Skopii) and Farhan Khan (co-founder and CTO of Skopii), were named national champions in the Department of Energy’s Algae Prize competition, helping accelerate early development and visibility for the venture. They also received the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Higginbotham Entrepreneurship Award in 2022. 

Students played a key role in moving Skopii from research toward commercialization. Two team members advanced the startup through CREATE-X and VentureLab, applying customer discovery, market validation, and early business modeling to help prepare the technology for market use. 

Supported by �鶹�� Tech’s Commercialization Ecosystem 

Skopii’s progress reflects the strength of �鶹�� Tech’s commercialization ecosystem and the coordinated support researchers receive as they move innovations from the lab to the market. 

After refining the technology through research and field testing, the team worked with the Office of Technology Licensing, part of �鶹�� Tech’s Office of Commercialization, to protect intellectual property and outline a clear path forward. Licensing associate Ali Asgar Yunus supported the team through the patent process and the early commercialization steps. 

“Our role is to help researchers protect their work and create the right pathway for real-world use,” said Mary Albertson, director of the Office of Technology Licensing. “Skopii is a strong example of �鶹�� Tech innovation moving toward meaningful market impact.” 

Looking Ahead 

The team is already in early discussions with bioprocessing and algae reactor manufacturers interested in integrating Skopii’s technology into commercial equipment. They are also supported by the �鶹�� Research Alliance and �鶹�� Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing to advance their technology and its commercialization. They are seeking support from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research program as they continue expanding the platform’s reach. 

For Pinto, long-term success is measured by adoption and sustained use. 

“When people are using Skopii’s technology in the field and relying on its insights as part of their daily work, that’s when we know we’ve made an impact,” he said. “Our goal is to help people make better decisions about water systems and biological processes in ways that were not possible at this cost or speed before.”