SenseAI Vision Ltd., a University of Liverpool spin-out developing breakthrough imaging software for electron microscopes, has closed a seed investment round led by Foresight Group’s Ventures team, with participation from the University of Liverpool, Sivananthan Laboratories, Wren Capital, Haatch, LYVA Labs, and the Liverpool City Region Seed Fund (managed by AXM Venture Capital).
The funding will accelerate SenseAI’s development of its world-leading compressive sensing technology, which can improve the speed and quality of electron microscopy (EM) imaging by up to 100x in some areas. This breakthrough will enable researchers and industry to investigate and design nanostructures faster, more accurately, and with significantly less damage to delicate samples.
Electron microscopy remains the gold standard for imaging at the nanoscale, with applications across semiconductors, life sciences, and advanced materials. However, capturing images at high resolution is slow and can damage samples due to prolonged exposure to electron beams.
SenseAI’s software, based on pioneering research from Professor Nigel Browning, Chief Scientific Officer at SenseAI and Head of Electron Microscopy at the University of Liverpool, tackles these challenges head-on. By extracting high-quality images from vastly reduced datasets, SenseAI enables both faster acquisition and less beam damage. Unlike AI-based approaches, its method requires no training datasets and avoids the risk of false “hallucinations.”
Professor Browning is joined by Dan Somers, SenseAI’s Co-founder and CEO, an exited founder and experienced venture builder. Together, they are targeting a rapidly growing $5bn global electron microscopy market projected to almost double by 2031.
Since spinning out in April 2024, SenseAI has already deployed its software across leading research institutions, including King’s College London and CNR-IMM, where researchers are reporting reduced consumable usage, less sample damage, and improved experimental outcomes.
The seed round will enable SenseAI to enhance its core technology, scale its commercial rollout, and strengthen partnerships with major hardware OEMs.
Dan Somers, CEO of SenseAI, said:
“We’re delighted to partner with such experienced investors. They bring not just capital, but also valuable synergies with their portfolio companies, which we are already exploring. Their support will help us realise our full potential.”
Desmond Cheung, Investment Manager at Foresight Group, said:
“We were really impressed by Dan and Nigel’s expertise in electron microscopy and company building, and the traction already achieved with world-leading research institutions.”
Rupert Wingate-Saul, Investment Director at Liverpool City Region Seed Fund, and Akshay Bhatnagar, Head of Investment at LYVA Labs, added:
“We are proud to support a disruptive deep-tech spinout from the Liverpool City Region. Working alongside leading investors ensures this world-class research can scale internationally.”
This investment is another example of how the Liverpool City Region is nurturing globally relevant innovation. LYVA Labs and the Liverpool City Region Seed Fund, both backed by the Combined Authority, are ensuring that cutting-edge research from the region receives the support it needs to scale.
Emma Nolan, Head of Enterprise, University of Liverpool, said:
“SenseAI is a great example of how the University’s world-leading research can be translated into innovation with global impact. The University’s Enterprise Team is proud to have supported the company from the very beginning, and we are delighted by its success in attracting investment from such a strong syndicate.”
Akshay Bhatnagar, Head of Investment at LYVA Labs, added:
“We’d like to congratulate Dan and the entire SenseAI team on achieving this milestone. Their vision and technology have the potential to transform multiple industries, and we’re proud to be supporting them on their journey from the Liverpool City Region to the global stage.”
View the Foresight Group announcement here: https://www.foresight.group/news/foresight-leads-seed-investment-round-into-senseai-vision-ltd