Sandstone Diagnostics

High-Level Overview

Sandstone Diagnostics is a healthtech startup founded in 2012 as a spin-out from Sandia National Laboratories, developing portable, lightweight centrifuge platforms for rapid point-of-care diagnostic testing.[1][2][3] The company builds products like the FDA-cleared Trak® Male Fertility Testing System and Torq™ technology for zero-delay plasma separation, serving patients, clinicians, and healthcare providers by enabling on-site sample processing of blood, semen, and other fluids.[1][2][3] It solves key problems in traditional lab-based diagnostics—such as delays, sample degradation, high costs, and limited access—by bringing centrifuge technology directly to the point of care, improving sample stability, test accuracy, and decentralization, with reported $500K in trailing twelve-month revenue and applications now available via GSA Schedule for government use.[2][3]

Growth momentum includes expanding distribution for Trak®, advancing plasma separation tech for automated blood prep at collection, and participation in initiatives like Stanford StartX Med COVID-19 Task Force and StartUp Health, positioning it in the burgeoning point-of-care diagnostics market.[2][3]

Origin Story

Sandstone Diagnostics emerged in April 2012 from Sandia National Labs, where government scientists pioneered miniaturized centrifuge technology to apply centrifugal force efficiently with reduced size and power.[1][2][3] Key founders include Greg J. Sommer (Founder & CSO, PhD engineer with 10+ years in diagnostic solutions), Ulrich Y. Schaff (Founder & CTO, lead inventor of core tech, PhD biotech expert), Sara Naab (Founder & Director of Marketing, serial entrepreneur and 2013 Female Entrepreneur of the Year), and Paul Manners (CFO, healthcare finance veteran).[2] The idea stemmed from lab innovations to "bring the centrifuge to the patient," humanizing diagnostics by enabling home or bedside testing; early traction came via FDA clearance for Trak® and pivots to plasma tech amid growing POC demand.[1][2][3]

Core Differentiators

• Portable Centrifuge Innovation: Lightweight platforms reduce size/power needs for separating/stabilizing clinical samples (e.g., blood, semen), enabling rapid POC processing vs. lab delays.[1][2][3]
• FDA-Cleared Products: Trak® for male fertility and Torq™ for zero-delay plasma separation at blood draw, boosting sample stability, test sensitivity, and reliability.[1][2][3]
• Decentralized Access: GSA Schedule availability for government; focuses on cost reduction, patient proximity, and enhanced bodily fluid analysis performance.[2][3]
• Expert Team & Network: PhD-led founders with deep biotech experience; advisors from Stanford Medicine and biotech consulting; backed by RueOne Investments.[1][2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Sandstone rides the point-of-care diagnostics trend, accelerated by pandemics like COVID-19, where its tech supported Stanford StartX Med Task Force efforts for decentralized testing.[3] Timing aligns with market forces favoring rapid, lab-independent diagnostics—driven by telemedicine growth, supply chain vulnerabilities, and demand for at-home health monitoring amid aging populations and chronic disease rises.[2][3] It influences the ecosystem by enabling "ubiquitous high-quality lab testing," lowering barriers in healthtech for fertility, blood analysis, and beyond, while competing in a medical devices sector projected for expansion via portable biotech spin-outs.[1][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Sandstone is poised to scale its centrifuge platforms amid POC diagnostics boom, potentially expanding Trak® distribution, Torq™ government contracts, and new apps like pandemic response or chronic monitoring.[2][3] Trends like AI-enhanced testing and global health equity will shape its path, with influence evolving via partnerships (e.g., StartUp Health) and revenue growth beyond $500K TTM. As a Sandia spin-out miniaturizing core lab tech, it exemplifies how national lab innovations propel accessible healthcare, tying back to its mission of putting "a new spin on healthcare."[1][2]