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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.8

      FORM OF GRANT AGREEMENT FOR 1999 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION
                                      PLAN

                           CALIPER TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
                 1999 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                           (NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION)

      Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice ("Grant Notice") and this Stock
Option Agreement, Caliper Technologies Corp. (the "Company") has granted you an
option under its 1999 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") to
purchase the number of shares of the Company's Common Stock indicated in your
Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice. Defined terms
not explicitly defined in this Stock Option Agreement but defined in the Plan
shall have the same definitions as in the Plan.

      The details of your option are as follows:

      1. VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your option will
vest as provided in your Grant Notice, provided that vesting will cease upon the
termination of your Continuous Service.

      2. NUMBER OF SHARES AND EXERCISE PRICE. The number of shares of Common
Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share referenced in
your Grant Notice may be adjusted from time to time for Capitalization
Adjustments, as provided in the Plan.

      3. EXERCISE. You may elect at any time during the term of your option to
exercise all or part of your option

      4. METHOD OF PAYMENT. Payment of the exercise price is due in full upon
exercise of all or any part of your option. You may elect to make payment of the
exercise price in cash or by check or by one or more of the following:

            (a) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is
publicly traded and quoted regularly in The Wall Street Journal, pursuant to a
program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board
that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of
cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay
the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds.

            (b) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is
publicly traded and quoted regularly in The Wall Street Journal, by delivery of
already-owned shares of Common Stock either that you have held for the period
required to avoid a charge to the
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Company's reported earnings (generally six months) or that you did not acquire,
directly or indirectly from the Company, that are owned free and clear of any
liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and that are valued at Fair
Market Value on the date of exercise. "Delivery" for these purposes, in the sole
discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, shall include
delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of
Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
you may not exercise your option by tender to the Company of Common Stock to the
extent such tender would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or
agreement restricting the redemption of the Company's stock.

      5. WHOLE SHARES. You may exercise your option only for whole shares of
Common Stock.

      6. SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, you may not exercise your option unless the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon such exercise are then registered under the Securities Act
or, if such shares of Common Stock are not then so registered, the Company has
determined that such exercise and issuance would be exempt from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act. The exercise of your option must also comply
with other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, and you may
not exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not
be in material compliance with such laws and regulations.

      7. TERM. The term of your option commences on the Date of Grant and
expires upon the EARLIEST of the following:

            (a) three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous
Service for any reason other than your Disability or death, provided that if
during any part of such three- (3-) month period your option is not exercisable
solely because of the condition set forth in the preceding paragraph relating to
"Securities Law Compliance," your option shall not expire until the earlier of
the Expiration Date or until it shall have been exercisable for an aggregate
period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service;

            (b) twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous
Service due to your Disability;

            (c) eighteen (18) months after your death if you die either during
your Continuous Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service
terminates; or

            (d) the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or

            (e) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Date of
Grant.

      8. EXERCISE.

            (a) You may exercise your option during its term by delivering a
Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) together with the
exercise price to the Secretary
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of the Company, or to such other person as the Company may designate, during
regular business hours, together with such additional documents as the Company
may then require.

            (b) By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any
exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter into an
arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax
withholding obligation of the Company arising by reason of the exercise of your
option.

            (c) TRANSFERABILITY. Your option is not transferable, except (i) by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution, (ii) by instrument to an inter
vivos or testamentary trust, in a form accepted by the Company, in which the
option is to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustor (settlor)
and (iii) by gift, in a form accepted by the Company, to your "immediate family"
as that term is defined in 17 C.F.R. 240.16a-1(e). The term "immediate family"
is defined in 17 C.F.R. 240.16a-1(e) to mean any child, stepchild, grandchild,
parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law,
son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and includes
adoptive relationships. Your option is exercisable during your life only by you
or a transferee satisfying the above-stated conditions. The right of a
transferee to exercise the transferred portion of your option after termination
of your Continuous Service shall terminate in accordance with your right to
exercise your option as specified in your option. In the event that your
Continuous Service terminates due to your death, your transferee will be treated
as a person who acquired the right to exercise your option by bequest or
inheritance. In addition to the foregoing, the Company may require, as a
condition of the transfer of your option to a trust or by gift, that your
transferee enter into an option transfer agreement provided by, or acceptable
to, the Company. The terms of your option shall be binding upon your
transferees, executors, administrators, heirs, successors, and assigns.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a
form satisfactory to the Company, you may designate a third party who, in the
event of your death, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise your option.

      9. OPTION NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT. Your option is not an employment or
service contract, and nothing in your option shall be deemed to create in any
way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the
Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your
employment. In addition, nothing in your option shall obligate the Company or an
Affiliate, their respective stockholders, Boards of Directors, Officers or
Employees to continue any relationship that you might have as a Director or
Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate.

      10. NOTICES. Any notices provided for in your option or the Plan shall be
given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the
case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after
deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last
address you provided to the Company.

      11. GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. Your option is subject to all the provisions
of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, and
is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations
which may from time to time be promulgated
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and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the
provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan
shall control.