Prime Highlights
- mu-ray.tech has emerged from stealth mode after raising €325,000 in seed funding to bring its Muon Beam Imaging (MBI) technology to market.
- The startup’s innovation aims to revolutionize both industrial diagnostics and medical imaging with safer and more precise 3D scanning solutions.
Key Facts
- The funding round was led by Nordic Science Investments, with support from Peaksjah, a Swiss CERN angel investor, and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency.
- mu-ray.tech’s MBI technology is based on Laser Plasma Accelerator expertise developed at DESY and CERN, capable of analyzing material composition for applications across aerospace, defense, and healthcare.
Background:
Deeptech startup Mu-ray.tech, founded by researchers from DESY and CERN, has come out of stealth after raising €325,000 in seed funding. The investment will drive the company’s mission to bring Muon Beam Imaging (MBI) technology to market, an innovation set to transform both industrial diagnostics and medical imaging.
The funding round was led by Nordic Science Investments partners Mart Maasik and Matti Hautsalo, with participation from Peaksjah’s Toomas Bergmann and Swiss CERN angel investor Michele Battistin. Additional support came from the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency.
mu-ray.Tech’s MBI technology uses advanced Laser Plasma Accelerator expertise to create highly penetrative imaging systems. These systems can study what materials are made of, helping industries like aerospace, automotive, and defense with safer and more accurate inspections. The technology could also make medical scans safer and clearer, especially for children, pregnant women, and early cancer detection.
Co-founder Kristjan Põder, who leads Laser Plasma Accelerator-based applications at DESY, described MBI as a breakthrough innovation. “Muon radiation allows us to identify the composition of materials, creating new opportunities across industries and healthcare. It could become the next major evolution in imaging after CT, MRI, and PET,” he said.
Fellow co-founder Andi Hektor, a veteran from GScan, emphasized the strategic advantage of the company’s dual-location setup. “Being based in Hamburg gives us close access to potential partners like Airbus, Philips, Rheinmetall, and Siemens, enabling faster technology validation. Meanwhile, our AI and software team in Tallinn benefits from Estonia’s vibrant startup ecosystem,” he explained.
According to lead investor Mart Maasik, the founders combine “world-class scientific expertise with proven commercial acumen,” merging AI, advanced sensors, high-power photonics, and particle physics to create a globally competitive product.
With its new funding, mu-ray.tech plans to speed up the development and launch of its MBI technology, bringing safer and more precise 3D imaging to industry and healthcare.