Innovation award for University of Glasgow spin-out

A University of Glasgow spinout which creates advanced 3D images of inaccessible structures using cosmic rays has won a national award.

Lynkeos Technology Ltd has received the Business Innovation Award from the Institute of Physics (IOP) in recognition of the company’s work to turn fundamental research in the field of muography into cutting-edge commercial applications.

The IOP’s prestigious Business Awards are unique in the UK and Ireland in recognising the significant contribution that physicists and physics make in industry and this year’s cohort of awardees contains the 100th IOP business award winner.

Impact

The Business Innovation Award, presented by the IOP annually, recognises and celebrates large, medium and small companies that have excelled in innovation, delivering significant economic or societal impact through the application of physics.

Lynkeos was established in 2016 to build on research on muons – charged particles which constantly shower the Earth from space - led by Dr David Mahon of the School of Physics & Astronomy, based within GRID.

The Lynkeos team is the first in the UK to develop sensitive muon detectors which can measure the deflection of incoming muons as they travel through solid objects. Different densities of material deflect the muons to different degrees, allowing the team to use sophisticated algorithms to create 3D images of the interiors of structures which would be impossible to image using conventional techniques like X-rays.

The IOP’s award citation says that Lynkeos has been presented with the honour ‘For pioneering the commercial development of muography into a nuclear industry adopted technology for the condition monitoring and inspection of waste containers during long-term storage.’

It is the innovations of physics-powered businesses that are driving our economy, creating jobs and addressing the challenges that face us today.

Institute of Physics President Professor Michele Dougherty

Lynkeos’ CEO, Professor Dan Wright MBE, said: “Lynkeos Technology is delighted to be awarded with an Institute of Physics Business Innovation Award in recognition of our pioneering technical and commercial development of muography to improve nuclear waste inspection and monitoring. Having our technology adopted by the UK nuclear industry is a major development in our emerging field and wouldn’t be possible without the hard work, skill and dedication of our amazing team and collaborators.

“We’d like to thank everyone that has contributed to this success and to the IOP for its continued support and championing of physics innovations.”

The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. With a rich history of supporting business innovation and growth, it is committed to working with ‘physics-powered’ businesses, and companies that apply and employ physics and physicists.

Challenges

Institute of Physics President Professor Michele Dougherty said: “Physics drives discovery and innovation, transforming our understanding of the world. And it is the innovations of physics-powered businesses that are driving our economy, creating jobs and addressing the challenges that face us today.

“In the coming years, physics will continue to shape our lives, hopefully making a better world for us all, and it is companies like those we are honouring with a 2025 IOP Business Award that are leading the way towards a prosperous, sustainable future. My sincerest congratulations to them all. “