Clarity Sensors raises £2.1M non-dilutive grant from EIC

Clarity Sensors, a University of Cambridge spin-out, has won new funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to accelerate the development of its ultra-low dose, high-resolution X-ray detectors.

The company, spun out from Professor Sam Stranks’ research group in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, says its detectors could transform the use of Computed Tomography (CT) for preventative screening, enabling earlier and less invasive detection for diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

CT imaging is a cornerstone of modern medicine, with over 375 million scans performed globally each year. This number is expected to grow as populations age and healthcare policies increasingly focus on preventative diagnostics, but concerns about the radiation exposure from carcinogenic X-rays currently limit the use of CT for widespread disease screening.

Clarity Sensors are developing next-generation X-ray detectors which could massively reduce the level of X-ray exposure during routine screening. Their technology is based on materials called halide perovskites: cheap, semiconducting materials that are being developed for a range of different applications.

“Halide perovskites continue to surprise us with their performance – first for high-performance energy applications, and now as extremely sensitive detectors for medical imaging,” said Stranks. “This opens up exciting avenues towards early-stage disease detection – with potential to transform medical imaging.”

“By enabling high-resolution imaging at ultra-low X-ray doses through cutting-edge X-ray detector technologies, more frequent and accessible CT screening will become possible,” said Hayden Salway, CEO and Co-Founder of Clarity Sensors. “These will detect diseases at their earliest, most treatable stages, ultimately saving lives and reducing healthcare costs.”

The company has been awarded a €2.5M (£2.1M) Transition grant from the EU European Innovation Council (EIC), Europe’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and game changing innovations.

“Clarity Sensors is a child of the pandemic – our first meetings were at the picnic table by the duck pond outside the Cavendish Laboratory because we couldn’t meet inside,” said Executive Chairman and Co-founder Stuart Evans. “But those challenging times made us realise we wanted to focus on the health sector as our first market opportunity.”

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