Silveray

Silveray is a spin-out from the University of Surrey, founded in 2018 by Professor Ravi Silva CBE to commercialize a novel X-ray sensitive material. The company is developing next-generation direct conversion X-ray detectors for healthcare, industrial, and security applications. In January 2022, Dan Cathie, who has a background in semiconductor design and previously led the X-ray detector spin-out vivaMOS, joined as co-founder and CEO. The firm's core technology is a material trademarked as NPX, a polymer doped with X-ray sensitive nanoparticles. This material is used to create a printable semiconductor ink, enabling a direct conversion process that translates X-ray energy directly into a digital signal. This method avoids the image-quality trade-offs associated with traditional indirect conversion detectors, which first convert X-rays to light. Silveray's technology promises high-resolution imaging in a flexible format, which is also more cost-effective compared to existing rigid direct conversion detectors. The initial product, termed Digital X-ray Film (DXF), is a flexible detector aimed at the industrial radiography market for applications like inspecting welds and corrosion in pipes. This digital solution enhances productivity by providing instant images without the need for chemical film processing. The company plans to enter the market in 2025. Beyond industrial use, Silveray is exploring medical applications, such as flexible mammography detectors that conform to the body for a more comfortable experience and real-time monitoring for radiotherapy treatments. Silveray has secured a total of $7.48 million in funding over three seed rounds. Its latest seed extension in November 2024 raised £4 million, led by Northern Gritstone and included participation from ACF Investors, Empirical Ventures, Deeptech Labs, and Hamamatsu Ventures. The company is headquartered in Stockport, UK, and collaborates with specialists at the University of Manchester to refine its technology. Keywords: direct conversion X-ray, flexible X-ray detectors, digital radiography, semiconductor ink, nanoparticle-based sensor, NPX material, industrial inspection, medical imaging, mammography, radiotherapy, non-destructive testing, weld inspection, corrosion detection, digital x-ray film, Ravi Silva, Dan Cathie, University of Surrey spin-out, Northern Gritstone