Pushing the research further and expanding farther – Monospektra

When it comes to helping the scientific and research community, sometimes it can be just a hands-down order – if a mirror, a lens, or a fiber is required. “However, sometimes it is a stranger, when we are asked to help with a DIY device to test the effects of drugs on brain and heart damage on mice. Or sometimes it can be a project for a state-of-the-art electron microscope for silicon wafer inspection, the only one of its kind not just in the country but in all of Eastern and Central Europe,” Tomas Mosteikis, co-founder of Monospektra, a dedicated supplier of scientific equipment and industrial solutions to clients within the Baltic region, told The Baltic Times Magazine.

It's been seven years since you co-founded the company with Arturas Belickas, your business partner. Talk about what has been achieved already!

The biggest achievement, of course, is a long list of happy returning customers. Knowing that you are held in high regard by the research community is also an achievement in itself, when they recommend you abroad as the best company to do business with in the region you know that you have done something right. We have always said that our goal is to help the scientists and not just to make money. We want to know that we are doing something good, and our example has inspired other people to start their own companies in other European countries.

Have there been any setbacks along the way and why? Of course, if you are willing to speak about that!

The biggest setback we faced was changing the perception that the distributor is just a middleman who does nothing but increase the end price. When we started out people still thought that if they go directly to the manufacturer they will get a better price or service, only to realize that the price is the same and the manufacturer chooses to work with us for a reason. We spend a lot of time becoming experts not just on the products but on the market and research as well. Monospektra has been an exemplary distributor for most of its suppliers, winning yearly awards and helping develop business strategies that are implemented all over the world.

I guess the COVID pandemic has given a boost to medical research communities worldwide, hasn’t it? Is the medical community your client No1?

Even though the medical research community has gained a big boost during the pandemic it had the opposite effect for us. Researchers working in this field usually prefer of the shelf one button solutions and not modular devices. However, the manufacturers of those one button solutions do use the devices we sell, but they are not in the Baltic States. For this reason, we are facing supply chain pressure as a big number of the manufacturing capabilities are allocated to them.

What are some of the high-tech movers and shakers you represent?

Every company we represent is unique and has a long list of outstanding achievements. Andor Technology cameras are responsible for the discovery of more than 80% of exoplanets, Ocean Insight helped NASA discover water on the moon, Physic Instrumente’s piezo transducers are on the Mars Rover and the list is very long.

How do you pick the companies you want to work with? And who never makes it on your list? Why?

We get a lot of requests to work with and represent other companies, but our criteria is very simple - you have to be the best company in the market. Period. We want to push the research further and help our clients achieve more and for this reason we need to know that we are working not just with the high-end but with the best industry has to offer.

Are there any Lithuanian high-tech firms blazing a trail that you work with too?

We can say that we work with practically every laser or photonics company in the region. We are also really proud that from the beginning we started working with such outstanding companies as Light Conversion, Ekspla and others that are the pride and joy of the Lithuanian laser industry.

Who are some of the great people on your team?

Since we are a small team, we would have to name them all. Artūras, Luka and Elžbieta, everyone brings a unique set of skills to the table, and I am very happy that I have the chance to work with them every day.

What do you expect from the year 2023? 

The biggest challenge and goal of 2023 will be expanding the region of the business. We have been working hard to prove ourselves and earn the right to expand to Poland, it took us two years but we finally achieved it.

And what is Monospektra’s strategy and vision for the next 10 years?

We really hope Ukraine wins the war and we pray that the horrors that the Ukrainian people face will pass. We want to see Ukraine becoming a part of the EU and NATO and I would be really proud if Monospektra could play a part in helping the scientific community of Ukraine rebuild and become stronger than ever.