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SiriusXT develops and commercializes the world's first laboratory-based soft X-ray microscope, a bench-top system that enables high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of whole, hydrated biological cells. This technology provides unprecedented insight into subcellular structures and processes, allowing researchers to visualize cellular components without the need for destructive staining or sectioning. The instrument offers a high-throughput capability, producing detailed tomographs within minutes and significantly advancing cellular imaging capabilities in research settings.
The company was co-founded by Dr. Kenneth Fahy, Dr. Paul Sheridan, Dr. Fergal O'Reilly, and Tony McEnroe. Originating from the University College Dublin School of Physics, their collective expertise and vision led to the development of this pioneering soft X-ray imaging system. Their foundational insight stemmed from the need to make powerful, high-resolution X-ray microscopy accessible beyond large synchrotron facilities, bringing advanced imaging directly into research laboratories.
SiriusXT's product serves a critical need for researchers across various life science disciplines. Its primary users are scientists and innovators in disease research, drug discovery, and nanomedicine, who require detailed insights into cellular and subcellular mechanisms. The company's long-term vision is to democratize soft X-ray microscopy, empowering more researchers to explore fundamental biological questions and ultimately contribute to a healthier world through deeper understanding of cellular processes.
SiriusXT has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
SiriusXT has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
SiriusXT has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
SiriusXT's investors include Act Venture Capital.
SiriusXT is a biotechnology company developing the SXT-100, the world's first commercially available lab-based soft X-ray microscope for high-resolution 3D imaging of whole cells in their native hydrated state.[1][3][4][5] It serves disease researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and bio-technologists by enabling nanoscale imaging (up to 40 nm resolution) of intact cells up to 15μm thick without stains or extensive preparation, accelerating drug discovery and disease research.[1][2][5][7] The company, a spin-out from University College Dublin (UCD), has raised $11.19M in funding, with the last round of $2.78M four years ago, and achieved its first commercial deployment at UCD's Conway Institute in 2023, forecasting orders in 2025.[1][2]
Targeting a global market of around 3,000 disease research and drug discovery organizations, SiriusXT aims to revolutionize cell and tissue imaging by making soft X-ray microscopy accessible in standard labs, rather than relying on synchrotron facilities.[2][5]
SiriusXT was founded in 2015 as a spin-out from the UCD School of Physics Spectroscopy Group in Dublin, Ireland, where its core vacuum-based laser-produced plasma technology had been developed since 2005 by a team of plasma physicists.[1][5] The founders—Tony McEnroe (CEO and managing director with prior experience in three venture-funded startups and an FTSE 100 company), Dr. Fergal O’Reilly, Dr. Kenneth Fahy, and Dr. Paul Sheridan—leveraged this research to commercialize soft X-ray microscopy.[1][2]
The idea emerged from advancing lab-based imaging to overcome limitations of traditional methods like electron microscopy, which require dehydration or sectioning. Early traction included trials with over 30 customers and the pivotal 2023 deployment of the SXT-100 at UCD's Conway Institute, marking the first commercial installation and a breakthrough for global lab access to this technology.[1][2]
SiriusXT rides the wave of nanomedicine and advanced biological imaging, where understanding whole-cell structures in native states is critical for drug discovery amid rising demand for precision medicine.[2][5] Timing aligns with post-pandemic biotech investments in tools that speed up R&D, as traditional methods like cryo-EM or light microscopy fall short on whole-cell, label-free 3D nanoscale imaging.[1][7]
Market forces favoring it include a $3,000-lab global addressable market in disease research and the shift from expensive synchrotron access to affordable lab instruments, potentially transforming workflows in pharma and biotech.[2] By democratizing soft X-ray tech, SiriusXT influences the ecosystem, empowering faster scientific breakthroughs in cell function and therapeutics, much like how CRISPR tools reshaped genomics.[1][2]
SiriusXT is poised for commercial scaling in 2025 with forecasted SXT-100 orders following trials and its landmark UCD deployment, potentially capturing significant share in biotech imaging.[1][2] Trends like AI-driven analysis of cellular data and expanding nanomedicine will amplify its impact, as labs seek native-state imaging for complex diseases.
Its influence may evolve from pioneer to standard tool, fostering global health innovations—echoing its founding vision of a healthier world through accessible microscopy, much like its high-level promise of revolutionizing cell imaging for drug discovery.[2][4]
SiriusXT has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in August 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2016 | $3.0M Seed | Act Venture Capital |