Smart Iranian Germinator Enables Real-Time Growth and Drug Testing

A knowledge-based company has successfully designed and manufactured a smart germinator equipped with online control capabilities, introducing a locally developed version of this advanced laboratory device to the market. The innovation not only reduces dependence on imported equipment but also addresses limitations caused by international sanctions and restricted access to foreign technical support.

Germinators are considered essential laboratory instruments, playing a critical role in simulating controlled environmental conditions for plant germination studies, biological testing, and pharmaceutical stability assessments. Precise regulation of temperature, humidity, and light is a fundamental requirement for their use across research, agricultural, and pharmaceutical applications.

Arash Mazarei, the company’s Production Director, stated that the firm has been active in the manufacturing of laboratory equipment for more than three decades. He noted that, in recent years, a number of products have been developed through a knowledge-based approach relying on domestic expertise, with the smart germinator standing out as a key example.

Explaining the technical features of the device, Mazarei said the germinator is equipped with communication technology that allows real-time online monitoring and management of operating conditions. By installing a SIM card, up to three users can simultaneously oversee the system and remotely access performance data.

He added that the product has been designed in two specialized versions—plant-focused and pharmaceutical. In the plant model, environmental conditions required for growth are fully simulated, including programmable day and night cycles. In the pharmaceutical version, the germinator is used for stability testing and for evaluating the effects of temperature and humidity on medications and their packaging.

Mazarei highlighted the localization process of the equipment, noting that germinators were previously imported mainly from European countries. Today, the device is produced entirely within Iran, with several domestic companies now active in this field.

According to him, one of the major drawbacks of foreign-made germinators is their reliance on external after-sales services and vulnerabilities linked to sanctions. In some cases, imported devices connected to the internet become inoperable after identifying their geographical location. These issues do not affect the domestically produced germinator, which, he emphasized, offers competitive quality comparable to international models.

He further stated that the company’s germinators are manufactured in various sizes and can be customized for universities and research centers. More than 90 percent of the components and raw materials used in their production are locally sourced. The product entered the commercialization phase in 2021 and has since been welcomed by scientific and research institutions in several Iranian cities.

Addressing ongoing challenges in the laboratory equipment manufacturing sector, Mazarei pointed to fluctuations in raw material prices, supply difficulties, and lengthy standardization procedures as key obstacles. He noted that obtaining certification for the germinator took several years, placing additional pressure on domestic producers.