Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	2. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies *Basis of Presentation* The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, NanoString Technologies International, Inc., NanoString Technologies Asia Pacific Limited, NanoString Technologies Europe Limited and NanoString Technologies SAS. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2012 were derived from audited financial statements not included in this report. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for unaudited condensed consolidated financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring adjustments which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position and results of its operations, as of and for the periods presented. Unless indicated otherwise, all amounts presented in financial tables are presented in thousands, except for per share and par value amounts. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the prospectus that forms a part of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-188704), which prospectus was filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 on June 26, 2013. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of the Company’s operations for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or for any other period. *Revenue Recognition* The Company recognizes revenue when (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, (3) the price to the customer is fixed or determinable and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. The Company generates revenue from the sale of products and services. The Company’s products consist of its proprietary nCounter Analysis System and related consumables. Services consist of extended warranties and service fees for assay processing. A delivered product or service is considered to be a separate unit of accounting when it has value to the customer on a stand-alone basis. Products or services have value on a stand-alone basis if they are sold separately by any vendor or the customer could resell the delivered product. Systems product revenue is recognized upon installation and calibration in geographic regions where such services are only available from specialized Company technicians. In these regions, systems and related installation and calibration are considered to be one unit of accounting, as systems are required to be professionally installed and calibrated before use. In certain geographic regions, installation and calibration services are available from other vendors, and in such regions they are considered separate revenue elements. Consumables are considered to be separate units of accounting as they are sold separately. Consumables product revenue is recognized upon shipment. Service revenue is recognized when earned, which is generally upon the rendering of the related services. Extended warranties and service fees for assay processing are each considered separate units of accounting as they are sold separately. The Company offers extended warranties on its nCounter Analysis System for periods ranging from 12 to 36 months after the end of the standard 12-month warranty period. Extended warranties are generally separately priced. Revenue from extended warranties are deferred and recognized in income on a straight-line basis over the warranty period. The Company allocates the contract consideration at the inception of the contract to the deliverables based upon their relative selling prices. To date, selling prices have been established by reference to vendor specific objective evidence based on stand-alone sales transactions for each deliverable. Vendor specific objective evidence is considered to have been established when a substantial majority of individual sales transactions within the previous 12 month period fall within a reasonably narrow range, which the Company has defined to be plus or minus 15% of the median sales price of actual stand-alone sales transactions. The Company uses its best estimate of selling price for individual deliverables when vendor specific objective evidence or third-party evidence is unavailable. Allocated revenue is only recognized for each deliverable when the revenue recognition criteria have been met. *Recent Accounting Pronouncements* The Company has reviewed recent accounting pronouncements and concluded that they are either not applicable to the business, or that no material effect is expected on the consolidated financial statements as a result of future adoption.

2. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, NanoString Technologies International, Inc., NanoString Technologies Asia Pacific Limited, NanoString Technologies Europe Limited and NanoString Technologies SAS. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2012 were derived from audited financial statements not included in this report. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for unaudited condensed consolidated financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring adjustments which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position and results of its operations, as of and for the periods presented.

Unless indicated otherwise, all amounts presented in financial tables are presented in thousands, except for per share and par value amounts.

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the prospectus that forms a part of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-188704), which prospectus was filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 on June 26, 2013.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of the Company’s operations for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or for any other period.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, (3) the price to the customer is fixed or determinable and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. The Company generates revenue from the sale of products and services. The Company’s products consist of its proprietary nCounter Analysis System and related consumables. Services consist of extended warranties and service fees for assay processing. A delivered product or service is considered to be a separate unit of accounting when it has value to the customer on a stand-alone basis. Products or services have value on a stand-alone basis if they are sold separately by any vendor or the customer could resell the delivered product.

Systems product revenue is recognized upon installation and calibration in geographic regions where such services are only available from specialized Company technicians. In these regions, systems and related installation and calibration are considered to be one unit of accounting, as systems are required to be professionally installed and calibrated before use. In certain geographic regions, installation and calibration services are available from other vendors, and in such regions they are considered separate revenue elements. Consumables are considered to be separate units of accounting as they are sold separately. Consumables product revenue is recognized upon shipment.

Service revenue is recognized when earned, which is generally upon the rendering of the related services. Extended warranties and service fees for assay processing are each considered separate units of accounting as they are sold separately. The Company offers extended warranties on its nCounter Analysis System for periods ranging from 12 to 36 months after the end of the standard 12-month warranty period. Extended warranties are generally separately priced. Revenue from extended warranties are deferred and recognized in income on a straight-line basis over the warranty period.

The Company allocates the contract consideration at the inception of the contract to the deliverables based upon their relative selling prices. To date, selling prices have been established by reference to vendor specific objective evidence based on stand-alone sales transactions for each deliverable. Vendor specific objective evidence is considered to have been established when a substantial majority of individual sales transactions within the previous 12 month period fall within a reasonably narrow range, which the Company has defined to be plus or minus 15% of the median sales price of actual stand-alone sales transactions. The Company uses its best estimate of selling price for individual deliverables when vendor specific objective evidence or third-party evidence is unavailable. Allocated revenue is only recognized for each deliverable when the revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has reviewed recent accounting pronouncements and concluded that they are either not applicable to the business, or that no material effect is expected on the consolidated financial statements as a result of future adoption.