QDI Systems, a Dutch tech company, has secured €5M in Series A funding to expand its quantum dots technology for medical imaging. The funding round was led by the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) and included previous investors Carduso Capital, RuG Ventures, and Nordic venture capital fund Maki.vc. QDI Systems, founded by physicist Artem Shulga, is the first company to use quantum dots, tiny semiconductor nanoparticles, in medical imaging processes like X-rays, making them safer and more precise. The company is also developing technology for shortwave infrared (SWIR) applications, including facial recognition for mobile phones.
QDI Systems Secures Funding for Quantum Dots Technology
QDI Systems, a deep technology company based in Groningen, has secured €5 million in Series A funding to scale up its quantum dots technology for the medical sector and new markets. The funding round was led by the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) and included participation from previous investors Carduso Capital, RuG Ventures, and the Nordic venture capital fund Maki.vc.
QDI Systems is known for its innovative application of quantum dots in medical imaging processes such as X-ray imaging. Quantum dots are tiny, solution-processable semiconductor nanoparticles that convert photons into electronic signals efficiently. The company is the first in the world to apply quantum dots technology to medical imaging such as X-rays and mammography screening.
Founding and Mission of QDI Systems
QDI Systems was founded in 2019 as a spin-off of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials at the University of Groningen by physicist, PhD Artem Shulga. The company’s mission is to provide high-quality images for radiologists for more precise and early-stage diagnostics. Shulga believes that quantum dots have enormous potential to revolutionise medical imaging, especially in the area of X-ray imaging.
Expansion into New Markets
In addition to X-ray applications, QDI Systems is also developing technology that utilises shortwave infrared (SWIR). The use of SWIR presents significant new potential markets for the company, including industrial applications, such as image sensors for sorting processes, and consumer applications like facial recognition for mobile phones.
Collaboration with Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology
Recently, QDI Systems, in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), developed the first quantum dots-based CMOS imaging chip for X-rays. This breakthrough innovation has potential applications in healthcare, machine vision, and more. Nadim Maamari, Group Leader Edge, AI, and Vision systems at CSEM, praised the collaboration with QDI Systems and the potential of the innovation.
Funding and Future Plans
The funding round was led by NOM and joined by previous investors Carduso Capital, RuG Ventures, and Maki.vc. The funding also includes an innovation loan of €1.97 million from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This prestigious R&D loan is designed for the development of innovative science-based projects with substantial technical risks and excellent market prospects.
With the backing of this investment, QDI Systems plans to double its team size in the coming years, on both the commercial and production fronts, as well as in R&D. The company aims to become a technology provider for various X-ray applications and is excited to work on existing and new applications of its quantum dots technology worldwide.
“Quantum dots have enormous potential to revolutionise medical imaging, especially in the area of X-ray imaging. Compared to other technologies, they offer higher image quality with significantly lower radiation doses. The technology can greatly improve the quality, safety and speed of procedures such as mammography screening and diagnostics,” says QDI Systems’ CEO and founder Artem Shulga.
“We work with image sensing and semiconductor companies, which typically focus on image sensors beyond X-ray. With the shortwave infrared market on the brink of significant growth due to consumer market adoption, this application unlocks a significant market opportunity for us,” Shulga says.
“Our collaboration with QDI Systems has been outstanding. This innovation offers great potential and excites our shared customers in medical and industrial imaging,” says Nadim Maamari, Group Leader Edge, AI, and Vision systems at CSEM.
“QDI Systems has shown significant potential to revolutionise medical imaging through the innovative use of quantum dot technology. The team has a unique scientific background, profound technical knowledge, and extensive commercial experience, providing a strong foundation for success,” says Ytsen van der Meer, Investment Manager at NOM.
“QDI Systems’ groundbreaking application of quantum dots technology is setting new standards in the field of medical imaging. We are thrilled to continue backing Artem Shulga and his team in becoming the leading company in the industry,” says Paavo Räisänen, Partner at Maki.vc.
“With the backing of this investment, we plan to double our team size in the coming years, on both the commercial and production fronts, as well as in R&D. We are working our way to become the leading technology provider for various X-ray applications. We are excited to work on existing and new applications of our quantum dots technology worldwide,” Shulga concludes.
Summary
QDI Systems has secured €5M in funding to expand its use of quantum dots technology in medical imaging, such as X-ray imaging, which promises to make these processes safer, faster, and more precise. The company is also developing technology for shortwave infrared (SWIR) applications, opening up potential new markets in industrial and consumer sectors.
- QDI Systems, a deep technology company based in Groningen, has secured €5M in Series A funding to scale up its quantum dots technology for medical imaging and new markets.
- The funding round was led by the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) and included previous investors Carduso Capital, RuG Ventures, and Nordic venture capital fund Maki.vc.
- QDI Systems is the first company to use quantum dots, tiny semiconductor nanoparticles, in medical imaging processes such as X-ray imaging and mammography screening. This technology offers higher image quality with significantly lower radiation doses.
- The company was founded in 2019 by physicist Artem Shulga as a spin-off of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials at the University of Groningen.
- In addition to medical applications, QDI Systems is developing technology for shortwave infrared (SWIR) applications, which could be used in industrial processes and consumer applications like facial recognition for mobile phones.
- QDI Systems recently collaborated with the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) to develop the first quantum dots-based CMOS imaging chip for X-rays, which has potential applications in healthcare and machine vision.
- The funding will be used to scale up the quantum dots technology and double the team size in the coming years.