Two teams from the Gamma and Neutron Spectroscopy Group at the Institute for Corpuscular Physics (IFIC), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Valencia, GN-Vision and LINrem, have been awarded €20,000 each in the final of the CSIC’s Activa-T Hackathon, held on Friday, June 13, at the CSIC’s Casa de la Ciencia in Seville.
CSIC selected GN-Vision, LINrem, OncoLiCure, and Selva-Si as winners of this edition, recognizing their high innovation potential and supporting their journey to market. Each project will receive financial support and mentoring to help turn their business idea into a spin-off company.
The two IFIC teams that reached the final Pitch Competition were: GN-Vision, led by Víctor Babiano Suárez and Jorge Lerendegui Marco, and LINrem, represented by Ariel Tarifeño-Saldivia.
This initiative is part of Converge, CSIC’s open innovation hub that fosters the creation of startups based on in-house scientific knowledge.
During the hackathon, participants refined and validated their business proposals with guidance from business acceleration experts and mentors from Andalucía Emprende and Sevilla Emprendedora. In the final round, eight teams presented their Elevator Pitch before a panel of expert judges.
🔬 Awarded IFIC Projects
GN-Vision is a patented (WO2021229132A1), portable and scalable device that revolutionizes the characterization of radioactive waste by overcoming the limitations of current instrumentation. This cutting-edge solution integrates advanced computational imaging and artificial intelligence techniques to identify and locate radioactive sources, generating high-resolution gamma-neutron images and enabling in situ, non-invasive isotope identification. It transforms waste classification into a safer, more efficient process, allowing operators to work remotely and obtain instant graphical results—optimizing resources and protecting personnel in a critical sector.
Researcher Víctor Babiano Suárez, project spokesperson, stated: “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 meaningful, as it not only highlights our institute’s work but also underlines our strong 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, offering improvements in portability, energy sensitivity, and temporal resolution compared to current technologies on the market. LINrem addresses a key challenge: monitoring secondary neutron doses in cancer treatments using proton therapy. The aim is to integrate these optimized technologies into therapy centers, supporting clinical decision-making during treatment planning to reduce the long-term risk of secondary cancers.
Ariel Tarifeño-Saldivia, spokesperson for the project, commented: “The Hackathon experience in Seville was incredible. We went through very intense days, working against the clock with business mentors, developing a business model, creating audiovisual materials, and competing with truly brilliant projects from across CSIC. We learned a lot. I also believe this program has significantly improved our approach to knowledge transfer and the potential formulation of a technology-based company (TBC) for each of our projects.” The researcher also emphasized that the results are great news for IFIC, a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence, as they bring visibility to the transfer work being carried out at the institute—especially in front of the CSIC’s Vice Presidency for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer.
📌 Program
The CSIC Activa-T program aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Spain and foster networking with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In the 2025 edition, 18 teams from across CSIC were selected in the first phase, including 3 from the Valencian Community—among them, the two winning IFIC teams.