An interview with Pim Vos, CEO at Confocal.nl
Without resorting to clichés, 2021 has been a tumultuous year for everyone, for Confocal.nl no exception. However, no matter how eventful the year has been, it will be a year to remember. Why? Because 2021 has been a very fruitful year for Confocal.nl. In this blog, Pim Vos, CEO at Confocal.nl, shares his view on the past year and gives a sneak peek into what’s to come in the upcoming year.
Few people, big accomplishments
“2021 has been a great year for Confocal.nl. We initially expected 2021 to be the start of the post-corona era. Despite this not being the case, we managed to make it a year to remember. Due to the fact that everyone was forced to work at a distance, we weren’t able to promote our products through live demos. However, we did manage to double our numbers and reach an all-time high over the course of 2021. We were able to adapt to this unlooked-for situation by hosting webinars. Our webinars were successful, resulting in a lot of new contacts and inquiries, which lead us to focus more on online demo’s. Something to be proud of! Moreover, for a small company, it is quite an accomplishment to realise 3 consecutive product releases within the same year. So, to answer the question in short: 2021 will be a year to remember, due to the unusual circumstances, but even more so to our outstanding achievements.”
“Our webinars were quite successful, as these resulted in a lot of new contacts and inquiries, which lead us to focus more on online demo’s and eventually an acceleration in installed base, also in famous centres. Something to be proud of!”
A winning strategy in live cell imaging
“I think our solutions contribute to facilitating confocal research in a very accessible and flexible way. With our easy to use confocal microscopes, a researcher can approach several research questions with the same microscope. This is largely because our solutions cater to the needs of researchers in such a way that they can conduct live cell imaging for a very long time, while keeping the cells happy. The fact that Confocal.nl allows for super-resolution in combination with very low laser intensity has proven to be the winning strategy in live cell imaging.”
“The fact that Confocal.nl allows for super-resolution in combination with very low laser intensity has proven to be the winning strategy in live cell imaging.”
Releasing 3 top-notch solutions for diverse research topics
“For the most part, Confocal.nl consists of academics in the fields of either microscopy or biology. This means that we are closely involved in and up to date with the latest developments and ongoing research regarding confocal microscopy. We know which questions remain unanswered, we know what’s on the minds of academics. And if we don’t, we make sure to proactively ask what researchers need in order to successfully conduct their research. We also experience that researchers tend to feel free to ask us to cooperatively dive into their specific needs. They know they can come to us to guide their confocal research in the right direction.”
Making a lasting impact on the academic field of confocal research
“One of the goals we set for 2021 was to leave an indelible footprint on the world of live cell imaging. We want people to know we are here to stay. We believe that Confocal.nl is a key player when it comes to setting the agenda in the world of confocal research. And we wanted other people to share that opinion. One way we contributed to achieving this goal was by streamlining a steady and predictable agenda for new product releases. We were able to make a lasting impact on the academic field of confocal research by consistently releasing top-notch solutions for very diverse research topics.”
Pim adds to this: “Also noteworthy, I think our team managed to stimulate an open culture and strengthen the overall team environment by a great deal. It hasn’t been an easy year, but I’m very proud of the bond we managed to maintain and enhance with one another, despite the physical distance between us. Once everything goes back to normal, I’m convinced our team outings and Friday afternoon drinks will contribute even more to this.”
Confocal.nl actively caters to the needs of researchers
“What stands out for me is the fact that we managed to release 3 top of the line solutions, despite not being able to get in touch with people as much as we wanted. I’m proud to say that RCM2, NL5 and RCM2.5 were all successful product releases. Confocal.nl was able to keep close contact with the market. And more importantly, people active in the field of confocal microscopy wanted to keep in touch with us. There is a great sense of mutual trust, which makes cooperating at a distance that much more pleasant. By constantly being in the loop of developments in our field, we were able to cater to the needs of our clients and actively contribute to their challenges. And not to mention, adding Wyss Institute of Harvard University and Max Planck institute to our portfolio is a great accomplishment on its own.”
“By constantly being in the loop of developments in our field, we were able to cater to the needs of our clients and actively contribute to their challenges.”
Constantly innovating and improving
“One of the goals I wish to pursue in 2022, is to start working on a two-sided development line. Currently, one Confocal.nl technology is one product. I want to work towards developing a tabletop system, which allows its users to choose one solution for their research project. We are already in the process of getting in touch with interested parties to realise this goal. I think that is what characterises Confocal.nl; we are constantly looking to innovate and improve our clients’ imaging experience. And by doing so, we are always on the lookout for new partners and investors who share our vision to make a lasting impact on the world of confocal microscopy and life sciences.”
“The door is always open!”
“For now, keep an eye on us. Great technology and things are on the way. And feel free to get in touch with me. I am always open to new ideas, challenges researchers face, or just a quick chat. The door is always open!”
“I am always open to new ideas, challenges researchers face, or just a quick chat”