Pacific Channel’s Post

From lasers to life-changing diagnostics... At Pacific Channel, we’re fortunate to have Professor Cather Simpson as a partner and integral member of the Pacific Channel team. An internationally respected scientist, founder, Te Whai Ao - Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies Board Member and commercialisation leader, Cather has played a key role in shaping New Zealand’s deep tech ecosystem. Her BusinessDesk NZ profile this week is a timely recognition of her role in building some of New Zealand’s most successful deep tech companies: ✅ Engender Technologies Limited – acquired by Dutch animal genetics giant CRV, brought precision to dairy breeding with photonic sperm sorting. ✅ Quantifi Photonics – recently acquired by a NASDAQ-listed company, built cutting-edge optical testing solutions critical for data, telecoms, and AI systems. 🌍 Luminoma Diagnostics Ltd – improving early skin cancer detection through non-invasive photonics. 🔬 Orbis Diagnostics – combining world-class photonics with engineering to develop a compact, point-of-care testing platform, and as Cather describes, is “the Nespresso of diagnostics.” Initially designed for high-throughput animal health screening, Orbis is now expanding its reach, with applications in human health where speed, accuracy, and portability are increasingly critical. It’s a strong example of how deep tech, backed by the right expertise, can deliver scalable, real-world impact. Cather’s ability to help build companies at the intersection of science and commercial opportunity is central to Pacific Channel’s investment philosophy- and a big reason we believe in the potential of companies like Orbis. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gufUtwnB #DeepTech #Photonics #Diagnostics #OrbisDiagnostics #CatherSimpson #PacificChannel #ScienceToImpact #VentureCapital #WomenInSTEM #HealthTech #StartupExits #RealWorldSolutions