Waveguide

About Waveguide

WaveGuide Corporation operates at the intersection of advanced instrumentation and diagnostics, providing a portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) platform for on-site chemical analysis. Founded in 2015 by Marcus Semones and Gregg Hershenson, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company originated from pioneering research conducted at Harvard University's Physics Department. Dr. Semones, leveraging his background as a faculty member at Harvard, secured an exclusive license for the micro-NMR analyzer technology, laying the groundwork for the company. The firm is led by President and CEO Nelson Stacks, a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in biopharma, diagnostics, and medical devices, who has been instrumental in raising over $30 million to productize the technology.

The company's core offering is the WaveGuide Formμla™, a handheld, battery-powered NMR device. This instrument is designed to bring a complex analytical method, traditionally confined to specialized laboratories, directly to the point of use. It functions by using time-domain NMR to measure how atomic nuclei return to equilibrium after excitation, allowing for rapid, non-destructive, and highly reproducible analysis of small samples with minimal preparation. The device delivers results in under 10 minutes and features HIPAA-compliant cloud connectivity through a partnership with AT&T for real-time data analytics. This portability and speed represent a significant departure from larger, more expensive benchtop NMR systems that often require lengthy stabilization times.

WaveGuide's business model centers on selling this device to a diverse client base that includes biopharmaceutical manufacturers, hydrocarbon processors, food producers, and government agencies. The technology has broad applications, from ensuring the quality and authenticity of pharmaceuticals and consumer goods to monitoring the condition of industrial lubricants to prevent equipment failure. In the medical field, the platform is being developed for the detection of infectious diseases and cancer, with programs for tuberculosis and ovarian cancer having received 513(g) acknowledgment from the FDA, indicating the device is a predicate for future submissions. The device is also positioned as a tool to combat the distribution of counterfeit and substandard medicines by enabling rapid field testing.