New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) announced the launch of PureTrace Labs, a startup created to bring NJIT-developed technology for rapid detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to market.
The company marks the first official launch from NJII’s Venture Studio, supported by an investment of up to $1 million.
The launch event took place on Oct. 29 at the Profeta Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where leaders from NJIT and NJII formalized the agreement through an exclusive startup license for NJIT Technology ID 24-016, “Method for Rapid Detection of PFAS.” The license was signed on NJIT’s behalf by NJIT President Teik Lim and NJII President Michael Johnson for PureTrace Labs.
“PureTrace Labs is the perfect embodiment of what the NJII Venture Studio was designed to do in commercializing intellectual property, and I am very proud of the team in building and starting to deploy a venture fund so quickly,” said Johnson.
PureTrace Labs is built upon the research of Hao Chen, professor of chemistry and environmental science at NJIT, whose team developed a paper-spray mass spectrometry method capable of detecting PFAS compounds in water, soil and packaging materials in under three minutes. That breakthrough, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, slashes the time, cost and complexity of traditional PFAS testing.
PFAS — often called “forever chemicals” — are used in applications from firefighting foams to food packaging and have been linked with long-term environmental persistence and health concerns. Traditional laboratory testing can take days and requires costly infrastructure, but PureTrace’s approach offers the potential for portable, on-site analysis in minutes.
The company will initially focus on developing field-ready PFAS detection devices for environmental monitoring agencies, municipalities and industrial partners.
The launch of PureTrace Labs illustrates NJIT and NJII’s shared mission to expand the university’s impact through innovation and entrepreneurship. NJII’s Venture Studio is a model for turning New Jersey-based research discoveries into high-growth startups tackling global challenges. By 2030, Venture Studio aims to launch 10 companies, each with up to $1 million in support.
“Venture Studio aligns perfectly with NJIT and our 2030 strategic plan, which calls for the university to expand our role as a nexus of innovation,” said Lim. “Innovation creates solutions to practical problems, which is the focus here today.
“Venture Studio is a critical addition to NJIT’s efforts to turn R&D into products and services that can improve people’s lives and, more importantly, bring joy to living. We are indeed strengthening and expanding that nexus of innovation.”
