From fundamental physics to the development of breaktrough technologies able to lead a highly innovative and specialised market segment. This is the success story of PIXIRAD, the first spin-off of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics that signed an agreement for its acquisition with PANalytical, a Dutch compay, part of Spectris plc , that is leading the global market in supplying technologies to analyse and characterise materials with X-rays.

PIXIRAD was founded in 2012 by a research group, led by Ronaldo Bellazzini (INFN, Pisa), specialised in the development of radiation sensors based on advanced particle physics and space research technologies. PIXIRAD was born with the objective to bring on the global market highly innovative radiation detectors to enhance the social and economic development of digital radiography and scientific and industrial imaging with X-ray diffraction and cristallography.

"A partnership with the Dutch company has been active for a couple of years, PIXIRAD detectors are employed in PANalytical leading system for X-Ray diffraction. The parthership has obtained major results in fields that have a high impact on society and economics, such as the improvement of Lithium batteries or the development of new drugs "Ronaldo Bellazzini (INFN, Pisa) states "Due to the previous positive experience and to the increasingly growing demand of systems with PIXIRAD technologies, PANalytical and its parent company Spectris have chosen to acquire PIXIRAD" Bellazzini ends.

"PIXIRAD acquisition by a strong multinational coorporation shows that technological progresses led by fundamental physics research have a crucial impact on solving primary socio-economic problems" Fernando Ferroni, INFN president, adds.