Specto Photonics, the “deep tech startup” that revolutionizes diagnostics.


“This startup can be a game-changer in diagnostics, in line with our mission: we want to identify, grow and bring to market companies that can be perceived as a watershed, to create a ‘before’ and an ‘after’.”LIFTT, together with the Progress Tech Transfer fund has entered the capital of Specto Photonics, a start-up that has developed a proprietary technology capable of revolutionizing medical diagnostics.

A total investment of 750,000 euros (500,000 euros the contribution of LIFTT) that aims to support the production of next-generation spectrometers capable of measuring in a non-destructive and high-resolution fundamental properties of matter and biological systems such as cells and tissues.

The project is classified as “Pure Deep Tech” and is part of the mechano-biology: it combines the traditional characteristics of the microsocope with the Brillouin spectroscopy, a technique to measure non-invasively – through light – the fundamental properties of matter such as mechanical properties, or viscosity and stiffness.

The result is the obtainment of useful information also for diagnostic purposes without the invasiveness of the technologies currently used. The technology, covered by patent, at the base of these devices is also originated from the research activity carried out at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) while the injection of liquidity, therefore, allows to build a bridge between public research and the market.

Telling us about the genesis of Specto Photonics is Giuseppe Antonacci, who is its founder, CEO and Scientific Director.

How was your project born?

“The idea was born much earlier than 2 years ago when Specto Photonics took shape. It can be said that it was the result of my research path born from my PhD at Imperial College London where I started working on microscopy and spectroscopy and more specifically on Brillouin spectroscopy, a non-invasive technique that allows to optically measure fundamental properties of matter. In particular, the so-called mechanical properties such as viscosity and stiffness, which essentially characterize the physical properties of a material.

All my research has been based on this technique and although it is already known for a long time, thanks to the discovery in 1922 by Leon Brillouin, my goal was to apply this technique to microscopy making it faster and creating a new imaging system for microscopy.

You could call it a sort of “passage of species”: the microscope becomes a dynamic diagnostic object.

“I would call it an evolution: what I’ve demonstrated through my PhD research is that it’s possible to optically capture images of the mechanical properties within cells and tissues. This means that – unlike how you can see a sample with the naked eye through light intensity – this technique allows you to generate a unique contrast to visualize regions with fundamentally different mechanical properties.”A “Deep tech” start-up that opens up new frontiers of development in a totally new field of research such as mechano-biology, where it can be a game-changer in the diagnostic field.

How did you refine your insight?

“Subsequent to my Ph.D., I took this research to the Italian Institute of Technology, where I implemented optical systems to improve spectral contrast and applied the technique in several areas of biology. In a second moment – he continues – I went to Imec and Gent University in Belgium where I specialized in the field of integrated photonics technology. This experience gave me the necessary skills to develop the technology behind Specto Photonics, which aims to simplify the use of Brillouin spectrometers in different areas. It was therefore a path that has lasted more than 10 years, which started as research and is now turning into innovation.

 What industries might be affected by your product?

“The biomedical sector, as I said, is the main target, considering that in this sector our technology can play a decisive role, because it can give and create something that other existing technologies cannot do. For example, standard techniques to measure mechanical properties need to touch the sample, if you imagine a cell, it is obvious that touching such a fragile structure can damage it. Another advantage is that, by touching the sample, obviously you cannot create a three-dimensional mapping because you have only a surface, but thanks to our optical technology we can make mappings in 3 dimensions without damaging the cell. So we see a huge potential in this area, although there is still a lot of work to be done and to bring the research and development phase to a higher level. In addition to this kind of application, of course there may be other uses in industry that we absolutely do not exclude.

 Next steps?

“Definitely the realization of a prototype: we will use the resources of the investment to continue the research and development of this technology that is still at a suboptimal level since a first prototype is there, but making it work will still require a lot of work.”

 How is your team organized?

“Our team consists of myself and three other researchers: a professor of physics at the Politecnico di Milano, a researcher at the University of Vienna and a researcher based in Lyon. There is also a figure who takes care of the coordination and administrative aspects. We are a lean team, but extremely competent and strongly oriented towards finalizing the result of our insights.”