Scentian Bio is building a biosensor platform that detects and interprets volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with high precision, enabling chemical sensing that is cheaper, faster, more sensitive, and easier to use than traditional methods. The technology uses synthesised insect olfactory receptors integrated into electronic systems, leveraging the remarkable selectivity and speed of insect smell. Originating from nearly two decades of research at Plant & Food Research New Zealand, the platform translates biological specificity into scalable, practical instrumentation for industrial and scientific use.

Scentian Bio’s sensors are already in use for food quality assurance to support early detection of spoilage and contamination. The same core platform also underpins applications in pest and biosecurity monitoring, enabling rapid identification of insect species through distinctive odour signatures. In the longer term, the technology is intended to support non‑invasive medical diagnostics through analysis of chemical biomarkers that act as early indicators of disease.