A sleek owl logo representing zenCELL, symbolizing wisdom and innovation in health and wellness.
For Academic Institutions

How universities
order zenCELL owl –
step by step

From first contact to first image – a transparent, fully documented process designed for university procurement, DFG grant compatibility and institutional accounting requirements.

Process overview
1
Day 1
Contact & quote request
2
Day 2
Formal offer received
3
Day 3–14
Internal approval (PI / procurement)
4
Day 14–16
Contract signed & confirmed
5
Day 16–23
Device dispatched & delivered
6
Day 24
Remote setup & first image
24h
Quote turnaround
DFG
Grant compatible
€0
No deposit required
6×
Payment option (biannual)
Step-by-step process

From first contact
to first image

Every step is documented and all required documents are provided by innoME. Nothing is left unclear.

1
Principal Investigator
Contact innoME and request a quote
The PI contacts innoME via the contact form on this website or by e-mail to info@zencellowl.com. Provide: desired lease term, number of devices, billing address and contact person for procurement.
Day 1
No commitment at this stage. The quote request is completely free and non-binding. You will receive a formal offer within 24 hours.
2
innoME
Formal offer sent within 24 hours
innoME sends a complete, formal offer package by e-mail as PDF. This includes all documents required by university procurement departments and grant accounting.
Day 2 – within 24 hours
Documents included in the offer package:
— Formal offer letter with device description, lease term, monthly rate, total amount
— Draft lease contract (ready for signature)
— Technical data sheet for grant applications
— Template text for DFG / BMBF grant applications
— SEPA mandate form (or biannual invoice option)
3
PI / University Procurement
Internal approval process
The PI submits the offer to the relevant internal department. The required approval level depends on the monthly rate and the university's procurement policies.
Day 3–14 (varies by institution)
Typical approval paths:
— Monthly rate below €500: PI decision in most universities – no procurement department involvement required
— Monthly rate €500–2,000: department head or institute director approval
— Above €2,000/month: full university procurement process

Important: Leasing rates are operating costs (Opex), not capital expenditure (Capex). This means they are typically approved faster and can be funded directly from project budgets, DFG grants or institute operating funds.
4
University / innoME
Contract signed – two options
Once approved internally, the contract is signed. innoME accepts two routes depending on the university's procurement structure.
Day 14–16
Option A – Direct contract with PI:
PI signs the lease contract directly. This is the faster route, suitable when the monthly rate is within the PI's signing authority.

Option B – Purchase Order via university procurement:
University procurement department issues a formal Purchase Order (PO). innoME accepts POs from all accredited universities and research institutes. The lease contract is then countersigned by innoME against the PO.
5
innoME
Device dispatched and delivered
After contract confirmation, the device is dispatched within 5 working days. Within Germany: innoME covers shipping both ways (Pick & Return – free of charge). Outside Germany: shipping costs are borne by the customer. All shipments are insured and tracked.
Day 16–23
The device is dispatched insured and tracked. The tracking number is sent by e-mail. The device arrives pre-configured with software installed and ready to use.
6
innoME + Lab
Remote setup call and first image
innoME offers a remote setup call (20–30 minutes) to walk the lab through installation, software setup and first imaging run. From delivery to first data: typically under 2 hours.
Day 24 – within 2 hours of delivery
The setup call is optional but recommended. It is included at no extra cost for all university customers. Further training sessions can be arranged on request.
Payment

Two payment options –
adapted to university accounting

Universities often cannot process SEPA direct debits or require invoices for their accounting systems. Both options are fully supported.

Option A – Monthly SEPA direct debit
—Automatic monthly debit on the 1st of each month
—SEPA mandate signed at contract start
—Monthly invoice issued automatically for accounting
—Suitable for: Biotech, CRO, private research institutes
—No administrative effort after setup
Option B – Biannual invoice (recommended for universities)
—Invoice issued every 6 months in advance
—Example: €290/Mo × 6 = €1,740 per invoice
—Payment by bank transfer within 30 days
—Suitable for: universities, public research institutes, hospitals
—Compatible with most university accounting systems
No deposit required

zenCELL owl leasing requires no deposit from any customer – academic or commercial. The lease begins with the first monthly rate after contract signature. Proof of laboratory insurance covering the device (declared value: €14,000) is required before dispatch.

Grant applications

DFG and BMBF
grant compatible

zenCELL owl leasing is designed to fit standard German and European research funding cycles. Use the text below directly in your grant application.

Ready-to-use text for DFG grant applications (Sachbeihilfe)
"For continuous automated monitoring of live cell cultures, we request funding for the rental of a zenCELL owl incubator microscope system (innoME GmbH, Espelkamp, Germany). The system provides 24-channel brightfield imaging with AI-based cell counting and remote monitoring capabilities. Rental cost: €290/month × 36 months = €10,440 total, allocated under 'Other costs – equipment rental' (Sonstige Kosten – Gerätemiete). The 36-month rental period aligns with the proposed project duration."
For BMBF Verbundprojekte
"Gerätemiete: zenCELL owl Live-Cell-Imaging-System (innoME GmbH) zur automatisierten 24/7-Überwachung von Zellkulturen im Brutschrank. Laufzeit: 36 Monate. Monatliche Rate: €290. Gesamtkosten: €10.440. Kostenkategorie: Sonstige Sachkosten / Gerätenutzungskosten."
Need a customised grant text?

Contact us and we will prepare a customised description of the device and its scientific justification for your specific grant application – free of charge. We have supported grant applications to DFG, BMBF, ERC, Horizon Europe and NIH.

Publication bonus

Publish with zenCELL owl –
receive free months

Academic publications are at the heart of what we do. We reward labs that publish their results – with free leasing months credited directly to your contract.

Application Note
1
free month credited per application note
—Internal or published application note featuring zenCELL owl
—Minimum 500 words with methods and results section
—zenCELL owl and innoME GmbH must be named
—Submit via e-mail to info@zencellowl.com
—Credit applied to next invoice within 14 days
Peer-reviewed Publication
3
free months credited per peer-reviewed paper
—Published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal
—zenCELL owl cited in Materials & Methods section
—innoME GmbH named as device manufacturer
—Submit DOI or preprint link to info@zencellowl.com
—Credit applied to next invoice within 14 days
Important – usage limits

Publication bonus credits are limited to a maximum of 3 free months per 12-month contract period, regardless of the number of publications submitted. This limit applies across all bonus types combined. Credits cannot be carried forward beyond the current contract term and have no cash value.

Documents

All documents –
available on request

All documents required for university procurement, grant applications and institutional accounting are prepared and sent by innoME within 24 hours of your quote request.

01
Formal offer letter

Signed offer from innoME GmbH with full device description, lease term, monthly rate, total contract value and payment schedule. Suitable for internal approval and grant accounting.

PDF on request
02
Lease contract

Full lease agreement ready for signature. Available in German and English. Covers all terms: payment, insurance, return conditions, publication bonus and purchase option.

PDF on request
03
Technical data sheet

Full technical specification of zenCELL owl for grant applications: sensor resolution, magnification, channel count, software capabilities, compatible vessels and dimensions.

PDF on request
04
Grant application text

Ready-to-use text for DFG Sachbeihilfe, BMBF Verbundprojekte and EU Horizon grant applications. Available in German and English. Customised versions on request.

German + English
05
SEPA mandate / Invoice request

SEPA direct debit mandate for monthly automatic payment. Alternatively: biannual invoice template for universities that require payment by bank transfer.

PDF on request
06
Insurance declaration template

Template declaration for the university's insurance department confirming coverage of the leased device (declared value: €14,000) under the existing laboratory equipment insurance.

PDF on request
Frequently asked questions

Questions from university
procurement departments

Can a university PI sign the lease contract directly? +
Yes. If the monthly rate is within the PI's signing authority (typically below €500/month at most German universities), the PI can sign the lease contract directly without involving the procurement department. For higher amounts, the contract can be signed by the department head or processed via a Purchase Order from university procurement.
Can the leasing costs be funded from DFG or BMBF grants? +
Yes. Monthly leasing rates are operating costs (Betriebskosten / Sachkosten), not capital investment. DFG Sachbeihilfe and BMBF grants allow operating costs for equipment rental. We provide ready-to-use grant application texts in German and English. The 36-month plan is designed to align with standard DFG project durations.
Is a deposit required? +
No. zenCELL owl leasing requires no deposit from any customer – academic or commercial. The lease starts with the first monthly rate after contract signature. No upfront security payment is needed.
Our university requires invoices – is SEPA mandatory? +
No. We offer biannual invoicing as an alternative to SEPA direct debit, specifically designed for universities and public research institutions. Invoices are issued every 6 months in advance and paid by bank transfer within 30 days. This is compatible with most university accounting systems.
What happens if our project ends before the lease term? +
Early termination is possible. An exit fee of 50% of remaining monthly rates applies. For example, terminating 12 months early on a 36-month plan at €290/month results in an exit fee of €290 × 12 × 50% = €1,740. We recommend choosing a lease term that matches your project duration to avoid this. Contact us if your funding situation changes – we will find a solution.
How is the publication bonus processed? +
Send the published paper (DOI or PDF) or application note to info@zencellowl.com with your contract number. We verify that zenCELL owl and innoME GmbH are named in the publication. Within 14 days, a credit note is issued and deducted from your next invoice. Maximum 3 free months per 12-month contract period.

Request your university
leasing quote today

We respond within 24 hours with a complete offer package including all documents required for university procurement and grant accounting.

No deposit required DFG grant compatible Biannual invoicing available Response within 24 hours