This is Steve Battista, Principal, Operational Excellence, here at Anzu Partners. I wanted to highlight a series of recent milestones from Nirrin Technologies, a developer of analytical tools designed to transform bioprocess workflows.
Atlas®is Nirrin's multi-component quantitation system, built on the company's proprietary High-Precision Tunable Laser Spectroscopy (HPTLS) technology. It measures samples directly, without dilution or sample preparation, and returns quantitative results in under a minute, standing in for testing that traditionally takes far longer using manual wet chemistry.
At the end of June, Hyaltech, a Carl Zeiss Meditec company, purchased an Atlas system to perform, in under a minute, a measurement that currently takes hours of manual testing. I wanted to share why that purchase says more about Nirrin's platform than about a single customer.
Hyaltech manufactures more than one million hyaluronic acid devices each year, including products used in cataract surgery. Its existing testing method relies on manual wet chemistry, hazardous reagents, and significant technician time. The interesting part is what Hyaltech bought Atlas to measure. Nirrin's technology was originally developed for protein measurement in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and hyaluronic acid is not a protein, placing this application outside the company's initial focus. It's an early result, but a useful public example of the same instrument being applied to a different molecule and market. Each validated application like this can open another opportunity for the underlying platform.
Biopharma remains Nirrin's core market. Protein concentration is measured repeatedly throughout biologic drug development and manufacturing, but the measurement is more error-prone than it looks: reliable results depend on instrument settings and method choices that many users don't realize they need to make. Nirrin launched TALOS™ in June to remove that hidden complexity, providing a purpose-built workflow for reliable protein measurement across a broad range, from low-concentration process samples to highly concentrated drug products. It's a focused product built around a measurement these labs already run every day, aimed at making that measurement more reliable.
Nirrin also expanded its commercial reach this quarter. S.T. Japan became the company's exclusive distributor in Japan and purchased a demonstration system, giving Nirrin a local partner that can sell, service, and demonstrate the technology without building a commercial organization in Japan from scratch. The company also completed its transfer of production to a contract manufacturer, and the first units built are performing to specification. Manufacturing transitions are easy to overlook, but this one matters - it reduces execution risk and gives Nirrin a stronger foundation for meeting demand as it grows.
The next step is moving further into regulated production environments, which requires the documentation, controls, and customer qualification work expected in GMP manufacturing. It takes time, but it's what allows a technology used in development and process labs to become part of routine manufacturing.
What I find most interesting is the question customers tend to ask after seeing the technology: they start with the measurement in front of them, then quickly move to, "What else can it measure?" Hyaltech is one example of that question turning into a sale. It's still early, but it's a good sign. Between Atlas, TALOS, and the Japan expansion, Nirrin is building tangible commercial and technical momentum, and we are excited to see where the platform goes from here.
Sincerely,
Steve Battista, Principal, Operational Excellence, Anzu Partners
PORTFOLIO COMPANY UPDATES
Niron Magnetics and ASPINA to Develop Rare-Earth-Free Motor Solutions Across Global End Markets
Niron Magnetics, the leader in rare-earth-free Iron Nitride permanent magnets, and ASPINA, a global manufacturer of precision motors, actuators and system solutions, have entered a supply agreement to support rare-earth-free motor solutions across automotive, industrial, consumer, and emerging space applications.
The agreement combines ASPINA's precision motor design and application engineering with Niron's proprietary permanent magnet platform, targeting high-volume brushless DC motors, hybrid stepper motors, and centrifugal fan blowers. "Niron's collaboration with ASPINA, a globally respected leader in precision motor technologies, is an important step for both companies," said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics. Programs are already underway, with a path to large-scale production established.
6K Additive Appoints AMPERE Alloys as European Distributor to Expand Reach of High-Performance Sustainable Metal Powders
6K Additive (ASX: 6KA), a leader in the domestic production of high-performance metal powders, announced it has appointed AMPERE Alloys as an official distributor for the European market. The partnership gives European manufacturers direct, streamlined access to 6K Additive's full suite of sustainably produced metal powders, including titanium, nickel-based superalloys, and refractory metals.
AMPERE Alloys brings distribution logistics, regional expertise, and a commercial network built around ISO 9001:2015 certification and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, and will handle sales, first-line technical support, and localized distribution through its network of 12 European warehouses. 6K Additive produces its metal powders using its proprietary UniMelt® microwave plasma production system, which upcycles industrial and defense-related scrap metal into high-performance, spherical powders.
"AMPERE Alloys is the ideal partner to champion our sustainable metal powders in Europe," said Frank Roberts, CEO of 6K Additive. "Their established logistical network and technical expertise will ensure that aerospace, defense, medical, and energy customers across the continent can rapidly integrate our premium materials into their production workflows."
NTx Bio Introduces NTxscribe® FLEX: Continuous-Flow RNA Production That Scales to Your Workflow
NTx Bio, a leader in next-generation biomanufacturing technologies, introducedNTxscribe® FLEX, a flexible benchtop continuous-flow RNA production system designed to serve the needs of process development scientists, translational researchers, and RNA therapeutic developers. NTxscribe FLEX extends NTx's proven NTxscribe platform, built on the same patented continuous-flow, hollow fiber bioreactor (HFBR) architecture that powers its NTxscribe CORE system.
The result is a more flexible, purpose-built system that gives researchers and development teams direct control over their RNA production process, customizable to the quantities and parameters each program requires. "By bringing our core technology into a more flexible, affordable and open format, we're meeting a much broader range of customers where they are," said Joan Haab, Ph.D., CEO of NTx Bio.
NTxscribe FLEX is available for research use beginning Summer 2026, with GMP availability expected in early 2027.
GelSight, a pioneer in surface analysis technology, announced the release of GelSight Remote Assist, a new standalone application that lets additional users on the same network view the GelSight live sensor feed in real time and trigger scans remotely. Built on the GelSight API, Remote Assist connects the person at the part with the person who needs to make the decision, no matter where they sit in the facility.
"Your engineering experts can't be everywhere. Now they don't have to be," said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO of GelSight. "We believe Remote Assist is the first capability of its kind in the surface metrology and inspection space."
XGS Energy Adds Key Operations Executives to Deliver Near-Term Geothermal Infrastructure Projects
XGS Energy, a developer of next-generation geothermal power systems, announced two new senior leaders: Al Vickers, Chief Operating Officer, and Kurt Fricker, Chief Procurement Officer. Alongside these appointments, Dr. Ghazal Izadi steps into the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer.
The hires come close on the heels of CFO Richard Chong's appointment in May and round out an operations team built to execute at scale as XGS advances one of the largest geothermal development platforms in the nation — with over 150,000 acres of site control across the western U.S. and 300 MW of offtaker commitments including Meta and CC Power. "I'm excited to roll up my sleeves and apply best practices from both oil and gas and infrastructure development to deliver gigawatt-scale geothermal projects," said Vickers.
Please reach out to info@anzupartners.com if you’re interested in meeting with us at any of these events.
ADDITIONAL PC MEDIA COVERAGE
Niron Magnetics earned Product Innovation of the Year in the Minnesota Manufacturing Awards by Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal*. Niron also broke ground on its rare-earth-free magnet future, per Rare Earth Exchanges, and was profiled by MinnPost on its potential to boost manufacturing on Minnesota's Iron Range.
XGS Energy was featured in a Press Democrat* piece on whether idle wells at The Geysers could help meet California's clean power needs. XGS was also included in a Canary Mediapiece on the newfound popularity of geothermal.
EnCharge AI was featured in a Towards Data Science piece on the resurgence of analog AI and was mentioned in a Noah News piece on analog computing.
Liquid Instruments’ technologywas featured in EE Journal.
6K Additive’s record second quarter revenue was covered by Metal AM. named Ampere Alloys as its EU metal powder distributor, covered by Metal AM.
6K Energy’s partnership with NCAME at Auburn University was featured by Metal AM.
E-Zinc was included in a Battery Magazine piece on zinc-air batteries and the future of long duration energy storage.
Xendee was featured in an Energy Tech piece on PJM's capacity auction and power constraints.
Nirrin Technologies was featured in a BioPharma International piece on rethinking protein quantitation for biomanufacturing. Nirrin’s TALOS system was also named a finalist in the 2026 R&D WorldR&D 100 awards.
MedCrypt's Axel Wirth joined DOTmed's UPtime podcast to discuss HTM and cybersecurity.
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ABOUT ANZU PARTNERS
Anzu Partners is an investment firm that focuses on industrial and life science technology companies with the potential to transform their industries. Anzu works with entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize technological innovations by providing capital alongside deep experience in business development, market positioning, intellectual property, global connectivity, and operations. For more information, please visit https://anzupartners. com/.
The information contained in this newsletter is being provided by Anzu Partners for informational purposes only. The information was obtained from various sources, but Anzu Partners cannot assure its accuracy. This is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation for an offer to buy an interest in any fund managed by Anzu Partners. Any such offer or solicitation will only be made to qualified potential investors pursuant to a private placement memorandum. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.
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