Genoa Instruments, a deep-tech startup specializing in super-resolution optical microscopy and a spin-off from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), has successfully closed a €1 million investment round. The funding, announced on February 5, 2025, will fuel the company’s growth strategy, enabling Genoa Instruments to broaden its market presence and introduce its pioneering technology to top research centers worldwide.
The investment round was led by Deep Ocean Capital SGR SpA through its Deep Blue Ventures (DBV) fund, a venture capital initiative supporting startups and innovation in aerospace, healthcare, and sustainability. DBV contributed €800,000 to the round, with an additional €200,000 provided by a network of Italian entrepreneurs and investors.
Founded by a team of IIT researchers with over two decades of experience in imaging technologies, Genoa Instruments has revolutionized optical microscopy with its flagship product, PRISM – the Photon-Resolved Image Scanning Microscope. This microscope uniquely combines spatial and temporal super-resolution, enabling detailed structural and functional imaging of living samples. Its user-friendly, plug-and-play design facilitates seamless integration with existing microscopy systems, thereby lowering costs and reducing complexity.
Deep Blue Ventures’ investment underscores Genoa Instruments’ ambition to become a key international player in the field. The new funding will enable the startup to bolster its sales team, expand its customer pipeline, accelerate the development of enhanced PRISM product versions, and secure patents to maintain its competitive edge in the advanced optical microscopy market, particularly in clinical, pharmacological, and preventive medicine.
Emilia Garito, Chairman and Co-Founder of Deep Ocean Capital SGR SpA, emphasized the significance of the investment: “We are delighted to support Genoa Instruments in its journey. Its innovative technology in super-resolution microscopy signifies a substantial advancement in biomedical and healthcare research and is a source of pride for Italy.”
Simonluca Piazza, CEO and Founder of Genoa Instruments, shared his enthusiasm: “With the support of Deep Ocean Capital and the new investors, we are eager to attract top talent, augment our R&D capabilities, and accelerate product launches, making our solutions available to a wider array of researchers and professionals.”
Marco Castello, CTO and Founder of Genoa Instruments, highlighted the transformative potential of their technology: “The imaging technology developed by Genoa Instruments is revolutionary, as evidenced by the growing interest in our imaging techniques at major international industry conferences. By democratizing access to super-resolution microscopy, we enable researchers at every level and budget to equip themselves with the best imaging technology available, thus fostering potentially groundbreaking scientific discoveries.”
Giorgio Metta, Scientific Director of the Italian Institute of Technology, noted the importance of Genoa Instruments as a bridge between research and industry: “Startups born within the Italian Institute of Technology represent a bridge between advanced research and industry, transforming frontier ideas into tangible solutions for the future. Genoa Instruments is an example of how innovation developed in our laboratories can evolve into a company with a global impact.”
For Deep Blue Ventures, the investment in Genoa Instruments marks its seventh in the first 18 months of its operation. The fund anticipates closing six more deals by the end of 2025.
