CipherX is a biotech start-up pioneering the next generation of microneedle technology for high-impact products across lifestyle, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical markets. CipherX’s proprietary MicroDot Technology™ platform redefines minimally invasive skin technology (skin-tech) and is poised to be the first advanced microneedle system to reach the market.
CipherX’s first product, the MicroDot tattoo patch, offers a pain-free, safe, and scalable alternative to traditional tattooing, unlocking significant opportunities in a rapidly growing consumer market. This breakthrough product is designed as a commercial entry point for CipherX’s broader skin-tech roadmap, spanning cosmeceuticals, transdermal drug delivery, and non-invasive health sensing.
Our values
Human-Centered Innovation We design around real people — addressing meaningful needs and enhancing quality of life.
Precision & Craftsmanship Micro-scale work demands rigorous attention to detail. We are committed to accuracy, reliability, and high standards of execution.
Bold Simplicity The most impactful innovations operate subtly — refined, intuitive, and naturally integrated into daily life.
Ethical Responsibility The technologies we develop maintain safety, transparency, and alignment with societal interests.
Accessibility & Inclusion We make advanced technologies broadly available by lowering the barriers to adoption and participation.
Curiosity-Driven Exploration We support experimentation and interdisciplinary approaches to discover novel applications and advances.
Founders
Ferdinand Kohle, PhD
CEO & Founder
Ferdinand Kohle is a materials scientist, designer and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience developing and commercialising emerging technologies. Originally from Tübingen, Germany, Kohle studied Theoretical Chemistry at Heidelberg University before completing a PhD in Materials Science at Cornell University, NY. He authored and co-authored multiple scientific publications and patents, and contributed to Cornell Dots, one of the first inorganic nanoparticle technologies to enter human clinical trials. He later completed a Master's degree in Innovation Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, combining science, engineering and product design. Prior to founding CipherX, Kohle worked as a customer project manager at Vetter Pharma, supporting the development and commercial launch of injectable medicines. His work on skin-based technologies, together with his own lifelong needle and blood phobia, inspired the creation of CipherX as a minimally invasive, more accessible approach to tattooing. Kohle has a long-standing interest in working at the intersection of materials science, engineering and design. He collaborated with internationally renowned artist Kimsooja on the development of novel iridescent nanomaterials for the installation A Needle Woman: Galaxy Was a Memory, Earth Is a Souvenir, exhibited at Frieze London and now part of the permanent collection at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Karl-Anton Harms
CTO & Co-Founder