US firm 908 Devices acquires Lausanne narcotics-detection start-up NIRLAB

908 Devices, a US-based pioneer of handheld devices for chemical analysis, has completed the acquisition of NIRLAB AG, a Lausanne-based start-up specializing in narcotics detection. The transaction comprises an upfront payment of $15 million, in cash and 908 Devices stock, with up to an additional USD 8 million in stock tied to performance milestones over the following 20 months.

Founded in 2021 as a spin-out of the University of Lausanne (UNIL), a recognized leader in forensic science, NIRLAB employs 15 people. The company develops AI-powered, cloud-connected near-infrared spectroscopy that performs handheld chemical analysis of narcotics in seconds. Its device enables point-and-click identification of more than 400 common drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine, through thin plastic bags or glass, and can also quantify drug purity and analyze cannabis, including THC and CBD content.

For 908 Devices, the acquisition expands its analytical portfolio beyond trace detection to include rapid, high-volume screening for everyday law enforcement use, combining NIRLAB’s integrated hardware and cloud subscription platform with its own product range. NIRLAB’s co-CEOs, Florentin Coppey and Matteo Delbrueck, will help bring the technology to 908 Devices’ global commercial network.