Clarus Labs builds a portable kinetic-fluorogenic platform that delivers on-site, lab-grade oxidation (rancidity) testing for meat and pet food in under 10 minutes.
This enables manufacturers to verify freshness, optimize antioxidant dosing, and reduce waste—while creating a scalable platform for future tests in food, environmental, and diagnostic applications.
Clarus Labs commercializes a kinetic, light-based testing platform that transforms slow, lab-bound chemical analysis into rapid, on-site quantification.
Our first product delivers oxidation testing for meat and pet food in under 10 minutes, replacing traditional assays that require skilled chemists, expensive instruments, and hours of processing.
Current industry methods are inefficient and impractical for real-time quality control, leading to waste, inconsistent quality, and higher recall risk. Through over 200 customer interviews, we confirmed strong demand for rapid, portable solutions.
Our kinetic-fluorogenic method tracks fluorescence changes in near real-time, providing laboratory-grade accuracy via a simple three-step kit and portable instrument. The technology is protected by an issued patent (WO 2025072944 A2) and supported by NSF-funded research.
Current NSF STTR Phase I work focuses on prototype portability, assay robustness, and AOAC International standards compliance. By bringing reproducible, affordable testing to the factory floor, Clarus Labs empowers manufacturers to reduce waste, extend shelf life, and make data-driven decisions—while expanding into broader food, environmental, and bioscience markets.
Leadership Team
- Dr. Max Wamsley – Founder & CEO
Ph.D. in Chemistry, co-inventor of the core technology, author of multiple peer-reviewed papers. Completed NSF I-Corps and pursuing an MBA for commercialization expertise. - Dr. Dongmao Zhang – Co-Inventor (Mississippi State University)
Leads research and instrument validation with decades of spectroscopic expertise and academic resources. - Christopher Yoler – Principal Investigator
Oversees R&D and validation, providing technical rigor and experimental oversight. - Nicholas Wright – Operations & Finance
Seven years of federal budgeting and program management experience to ensure on-schedule, compliant development. - Jessica Flowers – Marketing Strategist
Former VP at World Trade Center New Orleans with 15 years of commercialization and partnership experience; leads go-to-market and strategic alliances.
Supported by academic and industry advisors, this multidisciplinary team combines scientific innovation, operational discipline, and market expertise to scale from validated prototype to commercial success.
Clarus Labs’ go-to-market strategy drives recurring revenue through three pillars: pilot validation, targeted direct sales, and channel scale-up.
Strategy Pillars
- Pilot Validation
Co-validation pilots with collaborators (Kalsec, Camlin Fine Sciences, Simmons Foods) and academic partners generate AOAC-grade data, ROI case studies, and operational playbooks. Pursuing paid pilots with premium pet-food brands to validate on-site quality checks. - Targeted B2B Sales
Initial focus: antioxidant suppliers, premium/frozen pet-food brands, and meat researchers. Consultative sales cycle—paid pilot → ROI demonstration → instrument sale ($5–10K) + recurring kit subscriptions (~$30/test). Post-seed: hire dedicated sales team and Sales & Marketing Lead. - Channels & Partnerships
Scale via service labs, distributors, OEMs, and contract manufacturers. Leverage research/government partners (MCITy, MSU, ERDCWERX) for credibility and AOAC readiness.
Demand generation builds on AOAC alignment, publications, pilot case studies, and named collaborators as anchor proof points.
Clarus Labs employs a hybrid hardware + consumables model: one-time instrument sales combined with high-margin recurring assay kits.
Key Economics
- Instrument Pricing
$5–10K per unit (gross margins 5–20%) - Assay Kits
~$30 per test (gross margins 50–70%) - Early Revenue
Paid pilots and initial orders from collaborators and adopters in pet food, antioxidants, and meat research - Customer Potential
A single large facility could generate >$430,000 annual consumable revenue (based on reported volumes)
Long-term growth via upselling assay packages, menu expansion, and channel partnerships. Targeting multi-million ARR by 2029 with 15–30 installed instruments and strong recurring subscription revenue.
Investment Opportunity
Clarus Labs is seeking $1.5M in seed capital (preferably convertible note) to reach TRL-7 and commercial entry within 18 months.
Requesting $200K first-close in escrow to support NSF SBIR Phase II review (Phase I NOA: $300,562; Phase II ~$1.2M anticipated but not assumed).
Use of Proceeds
| Category | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Product Development, Certification & Validation | $270K | Prototype miniaturization, auto-calibration, AOAC-aligned validation |
| Manufacturing & Tooling | $220K | Scale production readiness |
| Hiring & Salary (CEO, COO, CTO, CMO) | $500K | Build core commercial team |
| Lab Readiness | $135K | Compact hood, HVAC, instruments, fit-out |
| Marketing & Pilots | $135K | Run 5–10 paid pilots |
| G&A, IP, Regulatory | $60K | Compliance and protection |
| Contingency & Working Capital | $180K | Buffer for execution |
Seed proceeds will complete key milestones: AOAC submission, paid pilots, and initial production/sales. Desired terms: 24-month maturity, 5% interest, 20% discount, $6M cap.
Clarus Labs has developed a kinetic-fluorogenic methodology that delivers rapid, quantitative oxidation measurement for meat-based products in under 10 minutes—an order-of-magnitude improvement over traditional assays.
Bench validation shows excellent reproducibility (R² > 0.99) across samples and runs. Current status: TRL-4 (benchtop validation complete; peer-reviewed studies published).
Near-Term Milestones (NSF STTR Phase I)
- Miniaturization and automation of portable prototype
- Enhanced robustness across diverse pet-food and meat matrices
- Auto-calibration and embedded QA routines
- Preparation for AOAC accreditation
Key risks mitigated through industry pilots (Kalsec, Camlin Fine Sciences, Simmons Foods, Kansas State University) and on-site lab testing.
Future enhancements include modular assay compatibility for additional analytes.
Clarus Labs has received the following non-dilutive funding:
| Date | Source | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | National Science Foundation (NSF) STTR Phase I Award | $300,562 |
