September 15th marked 25 years since the founding of Fluid Imaging Technologies—the company created to bring FlowCam technology to market. As we commemorate our 25th anniversary, it’s a fitting moment to reflect on the remarkable journey of our company, our people, our customers, and the evolution of FlowCam.
Last week we invited our FlowCam team and their loved ones to Portland, Maine from around the globe to celebrate the history and continued growth of our company—one that has always been about people: both the customers that 
we serve and the team behind every instrument. The evening was a heartfelt recognition of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration that define our company culture. With employees and their partners gathered together, it was a night filled with laughter, shared stories, and appreciation for the community we've built over the past quarter-century.
At Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies, we believe that our success stems from the people behind our innovations. The gala was a reflection of that belief, serving as both a celebration of our shared achievements and a reaffirmation of our commitment to fostering a supportive, people-first environment. As we look to the future, this core value will continue to guide us, ensuring that our people remain at the heart of everything we do.
"Over the past quarter-century, we have grown from a small startup to a leader in our field. This history has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and countless moments of hard work and dedication. Our success is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our employees, the trust of our customers, the cooperation of our global business partners, and the support of our shareholders." —Ross Bryant, President & CEO
The Early Days: 1500 Dollars and a Dream
FlowCam originated in 1995 with a vision to improve plankton analysis, a $1,500 budget and three scientists at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Boothbay, Maine.
Prior to FlowCam, a variety of technologies were used for plankton monitoring. Light microscopy was (and remains) the standard method for taxonomic identification. However, when other data is needed, such as plankton size and count, light microscopy becomes a time-consuming task. Because of the drawbacks of manual microscopy, the flow cytometer was the most popular instrument for plankton ecology research at the time. This method also posed some issues for plankton analysis: the narrow flow cell (designed for cells to pass through in a single line) would frequently clog, and low-concentration samples took too long to analyze.
With the goal of improving technology for plankton research by using automation, accommodating a larger size range, and capturing more parameters per particle, the founder of Bigelow Laboratory, Charles Yentsch, and Bigelow Senior Research Scientist, Mike Sieracki, invited Mike's cousin, Chris Sieracki, into a post-doctoral position at Bigelow Labs. Chris Sieracki (hereafter referred to as Dr. Sieracki) had just earned his PhD in laser scanning confocal microscopy, and Bigelow Labs believed he had the knowledge and expertise they needed to build a faster and more efficient plankton monitoring instrument.
Equipped with preliminary hardware for image acquisition (all sourced from the local RadioShack) and software for digital image analysis, Dr. Sieracki developed the first FlowCam prototype. This early instrument had a much larger flow-through chamber and higher flow-through rate than any existing flow cytometer. The prototype performed successfully during a trial run aboard the RV Edwin Link in 1997.
Did you know?
"The name 'FlowCam' was meant to refer to the combined features of a Flow Cytometer and Microscope." —Chris Sieracki, Fluid Imaging Technologies founder
Bigelow Labs debuted the first FlowCam at the 1997 ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At the conference, the attendees were able to remotely view the plankton communities being analyzed by a FlowCam deployed in Boothbay Harbor—a new and exciting experience!
Bringing FlowCam to the World
In 1999 Dr. Sieracki took a bold step by founding Fluid Imaging Technologies, setting up operations in a modest garage studio in East Boothbay, Maine. Here, he continued to refine FlowCam technology, advancing its potential as a cutting-edge imaging tool. By 2002, Kent Peterson joined forces with Dr. Sieracki as Fluid Imaging's President and CEO, contributing his expertise in expanding FlowCam’s reach into new markets such as chemicals, food, minerals, and petroleum. That same year saw the release of the first commercial FlowCam particle analyzers, the VS1 and VS4 models. The headquarters soon relocated to Edgecomb, Maine, as our company outgrew its humble beginnings and brought in additional staff.
Fluid Imaging's new sales team began to travel widely to bring FlowCam to a variety of conferences and introduce the concept of high-throughput imaging to the aquatic research community. We also embraced collaboration, partnering with scientists and research institutions to push the boundaries of what was possible. Our commitment to innovation has been evident as our portfolio of instrumentation continues to grow and evolve.
"Introducing FlowCam - especially in the early days - had us attending many conferences. The confluence of the sales process, science, and relationship building, not only proved to be a successful way to bring FlowCam to our customers, it was also a lot of fun!" —Harry Nelson, former Aquatic Sales Manager
Innovation Fuels Growth
Over the next decade, Fluid Imaging Technologies experienced rapid growth, particularly in the aquatic and biopharmaceutical sectors. This expansion drove the need for a larger facility, leading to a move to Yarmouth, Maine. Meanwhile, international sales surged, with the company receiving prestigious awards, including the U.S. Small Business Administration's Exporter of the Year in 2008 and the Maine International Trade Center's Exporter of the Year in 2010.
In 2012, a development award from the Maine Technology Institute Business Innovation Program enabled further advancements, financing the development of the next-generation FlowCam. This growth fueled the expansion of the R&D team, leading to significant product innovations, particularly for biotherapeutics. The following year, we welcomed 16 new employees across various departments, further enhancing the company’s ability to innovate and grow. A new 18,000-square-foot facility in Scarborough, Maine (pictured here in 2018), opened in 2013, housing a state-of-the-art testing lab, product development areas, and expanded production capabilities.
Innovation continued with the release of the FlowCam 8000 Series, FlowCam Cyano, and FlowCam Macro in 2016, introducing enhanced optical configurations and a more sensitive laser system. These advancements pushed the boundaries of particle analysis technology. FlowCam 5000 was added to the FlowCam family of products in 2019, introducing a more streamlined and economical particle analysis option.
"2016 was an exciting time to join the company. We had just launched a series of new instruments and were expanding into new markets with fresh applications. You could really feel the energy!" —Cybèle Brooks, Marketing Operations Strategist
Going Global: A New Partnership with Yokogawa
In April 2020, Fluid Imaging Technologies entered a transformative new era when it became part of Yokogawa Electric Corporation of Japan. At the time, the world was still navigating the pandemic, making the acquisition all the more significant. 
Fluid Imaging wasn't just joining a larger entity; we were stepping onto the global stage alongside a 115-year-old leader in automation and measurement technology.
Yokogawa’s integration of Fluid Imaging Technologies into their life innovation business has given us access to new resources and expertise. With a broad global network, Yokogawa has brought significant support to our FlowCam services, and an impressive commitment to global sustainability and the life sciences has allowed us to accelerate the development of key initiatives.
"FlowCam is highly appreciated by many companies and research institutions. I believe our product will continue to contribute to research and development activities worldwide." —Hiroshi Nakao, Vice President & Executive Officer, Yokogawa Life Business Headquarters
Despite joining a larger organization, Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies has remained rooted in Maine and dedicated to our employees, continuing to provide the world-class technical customer support our clients have come to rely on. We continue to maintain a personal connection with each of our customers—in fact we are now better equipped to support them than ever before.
"Even after joining a global company, our principles have remained the same—we are still a small company at heart. Our customers have always been at the core of what we do." —Nicole Stephens, Customer Service Manager
A Future of Collaborative Innovation
The years since joining Yokogawa have been especially transformative. In 2021, we welcomed Ross Bryant as our new President and CEO, bringing new leadership, life science experience, and a visionary approach to the company's future. Under Ross's guidance, we've continued to push the boundaries of flow imaging microscopy technology, introducing innovative products including FlowCam Nano and FlowCam LO.
From expanding our flagship FlowCam product line to integrating automated liquid handling with ALH for FlowCam and cutting-edge artificial intelligence with VisualAI for protein therapeutic analysis, we have accelerated our product development efforts to meet the evolving needs of our clients in diverse industries. Our commitment to research and innovation remains as strong as ever, positioning us as a leader in particle analysis solutions as we look forward to the next 25 years.
FlowCam instruments have now been deployed in over 50 countries, supporting research, development, and environmental monitoring in the life sciences, materials research, and industrial applications—a broader reach and impact than anyone at Bigelow Labs could have predicted when Chris Sieracki started his project back in 1995.
Pictured above: some of our wonderful FlowCam customers and employees who have helped us grow into the company we are today.
As we look back on our journey, we are grateful to everyone who has been a part of it—our dedicated employees, visionary leaders, loyal customers, and supportive partners. Each of you has played a vital role in shaping our story.
We invite you to join us as we continue to explore new frontiers in the study of subvisible particles and organisms. Here’s to the next 25 years of innovation and impact!
