Optical Microscopes - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The Optical Microscopes Market size is estimated at USD 2.76 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.66 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 5.83% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The outbreak of COVID-19 showed a significant impact on the optical microscopes market as they were used in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection and vaccination development process. The advancement of optical microscopes helped in the detection and identification of COVID-19 virus morphology, contributing to the growth of the market. For instance, per the NCBI article published in August 2021, the study used diffraction-unlimited fluorescence microscopy to analyze how SARS-CoV-2 infection exploits and repurposes the subcellular architecture of primary airway cells. Also, the increasing adoption of microscopy in the COVID-19 vaccination development is expected to contribute to the growth of the market over the pandemic period. According to the article published in Microscopy Australia 2020, the University of Queensland's facility was supporting COVID-19 work by providing microscopy to the vaccine development group. Optical microscopy and staff expertise at the University of South Australia are being used to develop methodologies and equipment, and to test the quality and effectiveness of locally manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE). Such employment of microscopy in PPE development contributed to the growth of the market during the pandemic period. In addition, the use of optical microscopes is expected to be on the rise due to the emergence of a mutant strain of the COVID-19 virus leading to the rise in research and development activities, thereby contributing to the growth of the market over the coming five years.

The major factors attributing to the growth of the optical microscopes market include technological advancements in optical microscopes and increasing funding for research and development in cell biology and biotechnology. Optical microscopes are used in many research areas comprising microbiology, microelectronics, nanophysics, biotechnology, laboratories in educational institutes, and pharmaceutical research. They are also used to view biological samples for medical diagnosis in diagnostic centers, thereby contributing to the growing demand for optical microscopes in end-user industries.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services 2021, the National Institute of Health and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) funded 'Research on Interventions that Promote the Careers of Individuals in the Biomedical Research Enterprise". Through this funding announcement, NIGMS intends to enhance the evidence base for effective, high-impact, scalable interventions, and to improve understanding of the elements contributing to the advancement of individuals pursuing biomedical research careers. Thus, increasing biotechnology career opportunities over the forecast period is expected to increase the demand for optical microscopes.

Various strategic initiatives undertaken by the major players, including mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, and product launches, are expected to contribute to the growth of the market. For instance, in October 2020, Takagi Ophthalmic Instruments Europe Ltd launched the OM-6 Operating Microscope. OM-6 is the most excellent entry-level operating microscope, offering the world's first LED light source in the entry-level/compact ophthalmic operating microscope. Also, in May 2020, Miltenyi Biotec launched the Ultra Microscope Blaze, the world's first fully automated light sheet microscope. The new instrument enables users to image an entire mouse or multiple samples at subcellular resolution in 3D.

Thus, the global optical microscope market is expected to expand at a substantial rate, driven by an increase in demand from innovation science. However, limitations of optical microscopes compared to the electron microscope and low-cost products by small-scale manufacturers are the reasons expected to restrain the optical microscopes market during the forecast period.

Optical Microscopes Market Trends

Inverted Microscopes Segment is Expected to Hold the Largest Market Share in the Optical Microscopes Market

Inverted Microscopes are expected to hold a significant share in the growth of the market during the forecast period owing to the increasing usage at the end-user industries. Inverted microscopes are used to view the sample from underneath. This is useful during the examination of liquid cell cultures. The demand from the pathological sector and the rise in advanced technology options are expected to positively aid in segment development.

Also, inverted microscopy remains a very useful technique for the live imaging of cells. In inverted microscopes, the living cells are observed through the bottom of a cell culture vessel. There are various advantages while using inverted microscopes that are responsible for their demand.

Additionally, many research studies are being conducted in the field that is expected to boost innovation in the segment. For instance, an article published in Elsevier in July 2020. The researchers developed a low-cost inverted optical microscope prototype with simple functioning, whose parts were manufactured using 3D printing techniques. Innovations such as these are expected to boost market growth.

Many companies are undertaking a variety of strategic initiatives like product launches, partnerships, collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions to boost their market share. For instance, in November 2021 Nikon instruments increased the AX R M multiphoton confocal microscope, a type of inverted microscopy that can acquire high-resolution, large field-of-view images, within living organisms at high speed.

Thus, the above-mentioned factors are expected to drive the growth of the studied segment during the forecast period.

North America is Expected to Hold Significant Share in the Market During the Forecast Period

North America is expected to dominate the overall optical microscopes market throughout the forecast period. This is due to factors such as strong research and development activities conducted in the region. In the North American region, the United States holds the largest market share due to the factors such as large demand from the country's life sciences and material sciences application market. Furthermore, high GDP and growing investment are likely to have a positive impact on the growth of the North American optical microscopes market in the coming years.

For instance, as per the June 2021 report National Institute of Health, the total budget of funding for various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDC) was USD 2.9 billion in 2020, and it is expected to increase in 2021 at an estimated value of USD 3.2 billion and USD 3.3 billion in 2022.

Also, in November 2021, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced nearly USD 5 million in funding to advance bioimaging technologies, increase access to these tools, and build capacity for biomedical researchers in North American Countries. This includes increasing collaboration between biologists and technology experts, improving microscopy tools and expanding access to these tools, and supporting increased training and community building, thereby, helping in driving the growth of the studied market.

Moreover, in the life science segment, the use of optical microscopy devices in the identification and diagnosis of microorganisms and viruses causing diseases in humans, animals, or plants is increasing, which will complement the growth of the market. Aid from government agencies for research and development activities further accelerates the growth of the market. For instance, in August 2020, The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded 11 grants with a total first-year value of approximately USD 17 million to establish the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID). This will involve multidisciplinary investigations on viruses and other disease-causing microorganisms. NIAID also intends to provide approximately USD 82 million over five years to support the network.

Thus, owing to the growing R&D in the field of optical microscopy in the United States, supported by the regulatory authority, and the continuous launch of new technologically advanced techniques, the optical microscopes market is expected to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period.

Optical Microscopes Industry Overview

The optical microscopes market is moderately competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players are currently dominating the market. Some of the companies that are currently dominating the market are Carl Zeiss AG, Leica Microsystems, Meiji Techno, Nikon Instruments Inc., Olympus Corporation, Labomed, Inc., Oxford Instruments Asylum Research Inc., Bruker, and CAMECA.

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