Two teams from the Gamma and Neutron Spectroscopy Group of the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC), a joint centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Valencia, GN-Vision and LINrem, have each been awarded €20,000 at the final of the CSIC Activa-T Hackathon, held last Friday, June 13, at the CSIC’s Casa de la Ciencia in Seville.

The CSIC selected GN-Vision, LINrem, OncoLiCure and Selva-Si as this edition’s winners, recognising their high innovation potential and supporting their path towards market entry. Each project will receive financial support and expert advice to materialise their business idea and establish a spin-off company.

The two IFIC teams that reached the final Pitch Competition were: GN-Vision, made up of Víctor Babiano Suárez and Jorge Lerendegui Marco, and LINrem, represented by Ariel Tarifeño-Saldivia.

The initiative is part of Converge, the CSIC’s open innovation hub, which fosters the creation of companies based on knowledge generated within the institution.

During the Hackathon, participants validated and refined their business proposals with the support of hackathon facilitators and mentors from Andalucía Emprende and Sevilla Emprendedora. In the final stage, eight teams presented their Elevator Pitch before a specialised jury.

Awarded IFIC projects

GN-Vision is a patented (WO2021229132A1), portable and scalable device that revolutionises the characterisation of radioactive waste by overcoming the limitations of current instrumentation. This cutting-edge solution integrates advanced computerised imaging techniques and artificial intelligence to identify and locate radioactive sources, generating high spatial resolution gamma-neutron images and enabling in situ, non-invasive identification of neutron-emitting isotopes. This redefines waste classification in a safer and more efficient way, allowing operators to work remotely and obtain graphical results instantly, optimising resources and protecting personnel in a critical sector.

Researcher Víctor Babiano Suárez, spokesperson for the project, said: "We are immensely happy and proud to receive this recognition. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Gamma and Neutron Spectroscopy Group. This award is highly significant, as it not only highlights the work of our institute but also underscores our firm commitment to transferring scientific knowledge from research to society."

LINrem is a joint development between IFIC and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. The LINrem dosimeters represent an innovative technology in the field of neutron dosimetry and radiation protection, standing out for their improvements in portability, energy sensitivity and time resolution compared to currently available technologies. LINrem aims to address a major challenge: monitoring secondary neutron doses in cancer treatments using proton therapy. The goal is to integrate these optimised technologies into therapy centres, thereby facilitating decision-making during treatment planning to minimise the long-term risk of secondary cancers.

Ariel Tarifeño-Saldivia, spokesperson for this project, points out that “the experience at the Hackathon in Seville has been incredible. We took part in very intense days, working against the clock together with business mentors, developing a business idea, creating audiovisual material and competing with other CSIC projects that are truly brilliant. We learned a lot. Likewise, I believe this programme has allowed us to positively evolve our approach to knowledge transfer and the potential creation of a spin-off for each of our projects.” The researcher also highlights that the results are excellent news for IFIC, recognised as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, as they give visibility to the technology transfer work being carried out at the institute, especially in front of the CSIC Vice-Presidency for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer.

Programme

The CSIC Activa-T programme aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship nationwide and foster networking with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In the 2025 edition, 18 teams from across the CSIC were selected in the first phase, three of them from the Valencian Community, including the two awarded IFIC teams.