In this interview, Kevin Knopp, CEO of 908 Devices, answers a few questions as submitted by customers and employees alike.  Read on!

Q: Why 908 Devices? What is the reason behind the name?
A:  Interestingly enough, naming the company was one of our biggest hurdles in the beginning. Not ownership or who does what or how we’re going to accomplish the vision or what the vision is. It was the name that stumped us! We finally settled on 908 Devices—a reference to 0.908 which is a point of stability and instability within ion trap mass spectrometers – the point at which the magic happens!

Q: Why is ZipChip important to the life sciences?
A:  Scientists and researchers are really looking for information and answers, not instruments per se. Our customers want simple, easy-to-use devices that can be directly applied to the specific problems they have – and fast. We love solving problems and offering focused solutions! We see the ZipChip separations platform as a game-changer in the sense that it allows researchers to do more, see more, and solve more problems – faster.

Q: What has the reception been like for the ZipChip in the life sciences community?
A: We’ve been humbled by the buzz amongst the mass spec community and delighted by industry adoption. In less than twelve months after launching ZipChip, seven of the top twenty-five global pharmaceutical companies are using the platform to accelerate productivity throughout the drug discovery and development processes.  Seeing our customers succeed gets us excited. It really motivates us to keep thinking about what’s next for the platform – what more can we do?, what can we do better?

Q: What’s next for 908 Devices?
A:  Oh that I can’t share. I can say that we have an exciting roadmap ahead of us. I can also say that we recognize that everything in our life is smaller, faster, smarter – and we want our devices to be too! We want to deliver the total package. The best analytical technique. The best total user experience. No compromise.

Q: What do you like best about your team?
A:  An interesting question, actually our team is what above all I am personally most proud of. Over the last 6 years, we have assembled a talented group that brings a unique and insightful viewpoint. Being first to market with new technology is tough work. But, beyond the smarts, they have humor. It’s great to work with a group of talented people that can laugh through stressful times but at the same time be so driven to innovate and always improve.

Want to submit your own question for our next AMA with Life Sciences VP, Trent Basarsky? Complete the Get in Touch fields to the right and place your questions in the message box!