Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal, Flash Tissue Diagnostics: Flash Tissue Diagnostics revolutionizes tissue analysis in pathology. Our proprietary flash technology makes biological tissue highly transparent and enables high-resolution detection of individual cells and subcellular structures, even deep within the tissue.
This is particularly crucial in cancer diagnostics, for example in sentinel lymph node analysis, where early and precise diagnoses can be crucial for treatment decisions and ultimately for patients' lives. Our goal is to take diagnostics to a new level – faster, more precise, and three-dimensional.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: No, not at all – and that’s exactly why we founded the company!
Previous methods of tissue analysis are two-dimensional, time-consuming, and often limited in their informative value. The Flash method combines tissue clearing and routine capability in a workflow that can be automated on existing platforms. Our technology opens up entirely new possibilities in 3D spatial biology, particularly in the analysis of organoid animal models and human tumor tissue. Something of this form and quality has never existed before in clinical practice or translational research.
From research to startup in record time
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: The scientific basis of Flash was published in Nature in 2019 by our founders, Prof. Axel Behrens and Dr. Hendrik Messal. Both are internationally recognized experts in cancer research.
The idea of turning this into a startup arose because we realized that this technology could help patients—but it needed to get out of the lab and into the clinic. We founded Flash Tissue Diagnostics in July 2024. Just one year later, we launched our first product, an RUO kit for organoid detection. An incredibly fast path from research to application.
A key milestone on this path was the arrival of Dr. Karim Tabiti as CEO of Flash TDKarim brings over 25 years of experience in the diagnostics industry, including leadership roles at Roche and as CEO of a QIAGEN joint venture, and has played a key role in bringing our scientific vision to market.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: One of the biggest challenges was and remains getting investors excited about the field of diagnostics. Although the potential is enormous – both medically and economically – diagnostics is often considered "difficult terrain" in the startup and investment world. Long development cycles, regulatory hurdles, and high standards for validation and quality deter many. Yet this is precisely where there is enormous potential for real progress in cancer medicine – through earlier, more precise, and personalized diagnoses. But it's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
We had to do a lot of educational work to convey the added value of our technology, both in terms of patient benefits and market opportunities. At the same time, we further developed our flash technology so that it is also relevant to the research market, industrially scalable, and economically attractive. This balance between scientific excellence and commercial feasibility was and remains a challenging but crucial task.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: In one year, we want to have established our Flash system in leading research laboratories worldwide, especially in the field of 3D spatial biology and cancer modeling.
In five years, we aim to offer clinically approved diagnostic solutions based on Flash technology, which will be used in pathology departments and cancer centers worldwide. Our goal is to make a measurable contribution to increasing cancer survival rates through earlier and more precise diagnoses.
Munich as an ideal environment for life science innovations
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: Munich offers ideal conditions for life science startups: a strong research landscape, excellent infrastructure, access to talent and proximity to industry.
What helps us particularly is the network: The combination of scientific excellence and entrepreneurial support, for example through incubators like MAXL, as well as investor and industry events organized by Baystartup and UnternehmerTUM, make Munich a place where medical innovation can truly be driven forward.
Munich Startup: Risk or security?
Karim Tabiti, Axel Behrens and Hendrik Messal: Quite clearly: controlled risk with scientific substantiation. We are convinced of our approach, but we don't rely on gut feeling – we rely on hard data, validated methods, and clear goals. Diagnostics involves human lives, which requires the courage to innovate, but also a sense of responsibility, structure, and quality. Our approach combines both.
