Automating tomorrow's biology

Bionomous is the world’s first provider of automated, AI-powered solutions for the screening, sorting, and plating of small biological entities—utilizing patented technology developed by an innovative, agile team of biologists and engineers.

We provide labs with a customizable, easy-to-use solution to free up valuable time, increase experiment efficiency, and support the quality and integrity of scientific work.

Our mission

We develop easy-to-use automation solutions for screening, sorting, and plating small biological entities — accelerating ethical, sustainable, and cost-effective progress in life sciences and healthcare.

Our vision

To shape a future where life sciences and healthcare are more ethical, sustainable, and affordable through next-generation models and smart automation

Our story

How it started

Founded in 2019 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, Bionomous was created to make the time-consuming, labor-intensive task of sorting small biological entities faster and easier for lab workers.

The idea for the EggSorter came in 2017, when CEO and Co-Founder Frank Bonnet was collaborating on a project with zebrafish researchers. He noticed the manual sorting of zebrafish embryos took up hours of valuable time, and knew there had to be a way to improve the process.

As an expert in robotics and intelligent systems, he turned to automation.

CMO and Co-Founder Ana Hernando, a biologist specializing in molecular and cellular biology, joined the project in 2019. In November of that year, Frank and Ana co-founded Bionomous.

Since 2019, Bionomous has been working on the design, development, and production of the EggSorter. Initially intended to sort zebrafish eggs, Bionomous has since adapted the EggSorter’s core technology to work with other species and entities such as killifish and medaka eggs, 3D cell cultures, and even flower seeds.

Where we are today

In 2021, we closed a 1.3M CHF seed round that allowed us to finish developing the EggSorter and commercialize it at an industrial scale. In December 2022, we launched the CE version of the EggSorter with new enhancements based on user feedback. And in January 2023, we closed a $2.7M USD Series A funding round that allowed us to scale production and start deploying the EggSorter globally.

Today, Bionomous is the world’s first provider of automated, AI-powered solutions for the screening, sorting, and plating of small biological entities—using patented technology developed by an innovative, agile team of biologists and engineers.

Meet our team

Leadership

Frank Bonnet

CEO & Co-founder

Frank Bonnet is the CEO and co-founder of Bionomous, where he applies his background in robotics and bioinspired systems from EPFL to develop automated solutions for life science research. Since founding the company in 2019, he has led its global expansion and the successful launch of the EggSorter.

Ana Hernando

CMO & Co-founder

Ana Hernando Ariza is the CMO and co-founder of Bionomous, where she leverages her background in Biology and Biomedicine to bridge the gap between the company’s technology and customer needs.

Fady Saad

Board Member

Fady Saad is a General Partner at Cybernetix Ventures and Co-founder of MassRobotics, where he helped build the first and largest robotics & AI startup escalator in the world. With a background in engineering and leadership roles at Nokia Siemens, he has guided numerous startups and secured global partnerships and investments.

Wolfgang Trautwein

Board Member

Wolfgang Trautwein brings over 40 years of experience in the Life Science and Diagnostics industry, including leadership roles at Dynex Technologies and expertise in laboratory automation. He now supports Bionomous with strategic insights to drive growth.

Christian Walter

Board Member

Christian Walter, Managing Director of Toolpoint for Lab Science, brings over 30 years of experience in the life science tools industry, bridging science and business through strategic advisory roles. Based in Zurich, he supports Bionomous with deep industry expertise and a strong global network.

Raghu Behara

Strategic Advisor

Raghu Behara brings over 20 years of global leadership experience in life sciences and industrial automation, most recently as Head of Life Sciences North America at Festo. His expertise in strategy and market expansion supports Bionomous’ commercial growth and scalability.