Karsa

Karsa Oy operates as a developer of highly sensitive chemical detectors, rooted in technology originally conceived for environmental science and atmospheric research. The company's journey began in 2014 at the University of Helsinki with a project focused on detecting explosives. This led to the official founding of Karsa in 2016 as a spin-off by a team of ten co-founders, including sampling and detection experts from the university, with CEO H.J. Jost, who brought prior experience from NASA and a Silicon Valley startup, joining to help establish the company. Initial financial backing was provided by venture capital firm Lifeline Ventures, the University of Helsinki's funds, and partner companies, later supplemented by crowdfunding and strategic investors.

The core of Karsa's business is the development and manufacturing of instrumentation for the molecular detection of airborne chemicals, primarily leveraging expertise in mass spectrometry. The firm's technology is designed for dual-use applications, serving both the security sector and scientific research communities. For security clients, such as homeland security agencies, civil aviation, and customs and border patrol, Karsa offers solutions for detecting trace amounts of explosives, illicit drugs, and chemical warfare agents. A key product in this segment is the 'Scenthound' system, which includes an air sampling unit and a mass spectrometry-based analyzer to screen cargo at the truck level by detecting vapors from contraband. In June 2024, Karsa announced a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a non-contact explosive detection system for applications in aviation checkpoints and air cargo screening.

For the research market, Karsa provides instruments like the MION2 Orbitrap, a turnkey bundle for direct air analysis that offers high resolution and sensitivity for comprehensive chemical profiling. This technology enables scientists to better understand climate change and air pollution by analyzing harmful chemicals and atmospheric molecules. The company serves academic institutions, law enforcement, and military clients, and established a German enterprise in 2020 to better cater to these users in Germany. Karsa's business model involves selling complete systems, integral parts, and accessories, supported by data analysis software that provides users with timely information through a simple interface. The technology's benefits include the ability to identify hundreds of different chemicals in near real-time and detect minuscule quantities down to parts-per-quadrillion levels without extensive sample preparation.

Keywords: airborne chemical analysis, mass spectrometry, explosives trace detection, homeland security technology, environmental monitoring, air pollution analysis, chemical ionization, molecular detection, cargo screening solutions, climate change research, contraband detection, aviation security, customs and border patrol technology, chemical warfare agent detection, atmospheric science instrumentation, direct air analysis, trace gas analysis, security screening, scientific research instruments, vapor detection