Hyperspectral imaging firm SPECIM wins €3.5M funding
source:optics.org
release:Nick
keywords: Hyperspectral imaging
Time:2017-08-28
New investment of €3.5 million from Finnish investor Bocap.
Specim is a pioneer in hyperspectral imaging technology and developing related products. Its cameras are widely used in industrial, environmental and security applications, such as in drill core scanning and for producing mineral maps, in agriculture to screen the crops for disease, and they are key components in the latest waste-sorting robotics. Specim’s products also help to authenticate artworks, detect explosives, and in forensic investigation.
Since 2015, Specim has invested about €6M in developing a new generation of cameras and it will complete the rollout of a new product family by the end of 2017. The cameras are said to offer hyperspectral imaging technology for industrial OEM-clients. Specim plans to invest the latest funding in further strengthening its position in the global markets.
“I am proud to say that Specim will be investing nearly as much in sales and marketing as in R&D. With this latest move we will take full commercial advantage of our superior knowledge, the entire R&D investment, and the new camera family,” said Specim’s Chairman Risto Kalske, who has already brought several high-tech companies into rapid growth.
During Specim’s 22 years of existence, its clientele and customer solutions have all seen significant change besides the rapid development of the technology. The originally large items of research equipment, typically weighing tens of kilos and offering challenging usability, have been transformed into more compact, portable instruments now weighing less than one kilo and with high-specifcation data-processing capabilities.