A sleek owl logo representing zenCELL, symbolizing wisdom and innovation in health and wellness.
In-Incubator Microscope · Stage Top Alternative

The Smarter
Incubator Microscope

Your lab shares one expensive live cell imaging system. Every researcher deserves their own. zenCELL owl sits inside your incubator, images 24 wells simultaneously, and costs less than a stage top incubator alone.

Book free demo → See full comparison ↓
5×
More labs equipped for the same budget as one traditional HCS system
24
Wells imaged simultaneously — no booking queue
0
Cell transports — cells never leave the incubator
€0
Annual licence fee — software included
Why labs are switching

The 4 real problems with shared live cell imaging systems

These are not theoretical problems. They are the everyday reality in labs that share one expensive live cell imaging microscope between 10–20 researchers.

01

The system is always booked

One system, twenty researchers. You plan your experiment around the microscope slot — not around the biology. Cells that reach confluence on Tuesday get imaged on Thursday because that was the first available booking.

02

Transport = contamination risk

The live cell imaging microscope is in a separate room — often a core facility on another floor. Every transfer from cell culture lab to imaging room is a contamination opportunity.

"We often faced contamination issues — the transport between rooms was a recurring problem." — Research customer, Germany
03

Price prevents multiplication

Traditional in-incubator HCS systems cost significantly more than zenCELL owl. Most labs buy one and share it. zenCELL owl can be purchased in multiples — one per researcher, one per project, one per incubator.

04

Sterilization is difficult

Large stage incubation chambers with complex geometry are hard to fully sterilize. Every shared user introduces a contamination vector. Decontamination protocols are time-consuming and rarely complete.

Live Cell Imaging Options — Price Overview

Contact manufacturers for current pricing · Overview based on publicly available information
zenCELL owl — complete in-incubator microscope
On request
24 wells simultaneously · Leasing available
Inside your incubator — no transport
Stage Top Incubator System — microscope not included
On request
1 well at a time
Separate microscope required · transport risk
Traditional In-Incubator HCS System
On request
Plate-based · fluorescence available
Dedicated incubator · annual licence typically required
Budget comparison

One system or five — same budget, different outcomes

Same budget — very different outcomes

1× Traditional HCS system — shared by entire department 1 booking queue · cells transported each session
5× zenCELL owl — one per researcher 5 independent experiments simultaneously · no transport
Full comparison

zenCELL owl vs. Stage Top Incubator System

CriterionzenCELL owlStage Top Incubator + Microscope
PriceOn request · leasing availableOn request — contact manufacturer
LocationInside your existing incubatorCore facility / separate room
Cell transport requiredNo — cells never leave incubatorYes — contamination risk each session
Wells imaged simultaneouslyUp to 24 simultaneously1 position at a time
Access / bookingDedicated — always availableShared — booking queue
Temperature stabilityConstant 37°C — door stays closedControlled but disturbed on each opening
CO₂ controlFull incubator CO₂ — 5% constantLocal chamber — requires optimization
SterilizationStandard incubator wipe-downComplex chamber geometry
SetupPlug & Play — USB-C · minutesSpecialist installation required
ScalabilityOne device per researcherOne system per lab
Annual fees€0 — software includedService contracts + software licences typically required
Brightfield live cell imagingYes — brightfield, up to 24 channelsYes — high-resolution widefield
High-resolution fluorescenceBrightfield only — fluorescence scope needed separatelyYes — full fluorescence capability
Honest assessment

When zenCELL owl is — and is not — the right choice

zenCELL owl — right choice when:
  • Continuous brightfield time-lapse of adherent cells
  • Scratch assays, confluency monitoring, cytotoxicity
  • 24 parallel conditions simultaneously needed
  • Dedicated device — no booking queue tolerated
  • No dedicated microscope available or needed
  • Budget-conscious solution needed quickly
High-end microscope system — right choice when:
  • High-resolution fluorescence (confocal, super-res)
  • Single-cell resolution of rare specimens
  • Complex multi-channel fluorescence time-lapse
  • 3D volumetric imaging of thick samples
  • Core facility access and budget are not constraints

See zenCELL owl live inside a real incubator

Free 30-minute remote demo via MS Teams — twice per week.
Real cells, real incubator, your questions answered live.

✓ No sales pressure ✓ See real wound healing data live ✓ Q&A with our scientists ✓ Available this week
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zenCELL owl in action

See zenCELL owl
Live — 30 Min.
- Free -

Real cells. Real data. AI cell counting,
XYZ stage & full software — live inside the incubator. Twice a week via MS Teams.

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Watch zenCELL owl image live inside an incubator. Available.

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e.g. confluency monitoring, scratch assay, spheroids...