What Crest Optics does

CrestOptics S.p.A. is a privately held Italian bioscience instrumentation company headquartered in Rome that designs and manufactures advanced fluorescence microscopy systems for life sciences research, pharmaceutical/biotech applications, and OEM integration into leading global microscopy platforms. The product portfolio centers on two technology pillars: spinning disk confocal systems (X-Light V3, X-Light V2, and CICERO) optimized for high-speed, low-phototoxicity live-cell imaging with a flagship 25 mm ultra-large field of view and >1,000 fps acquisition; and the DeepSIM module, a Lattice SIM super-resolution add-on achieving ~100 nm lateral resolution that is compatible with any microscope bearing a camera port. The company also markets Brillouin Light Scattering technology for label-free measurement of mechanical properties in biological samples, and supplies custom-engineered optical modules to OEM partners such as Nikon, Zeiss, Leica, and Evident (formerly Olympus).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining direct branded hardware sales (DeepSIM, X-Light V3, X-Light V2, CICERO and accessories such as the Lifting Arm) with an OEM/embedded motion supplying co-developed modules to global microscope manufacturers, plus after-sales technical support and OEM custom design/manufacturing services. Distribution is global across ~50 countries via a trained commercial-partner network, three regional Business Development teams (EMEA, US, APAC), direct enterprise sales with quote-based pricing and demo booking, and a Chinese-language subsidiary (crestoptics.cn). Customers are predominantly academic and research institutions (ETH Zurich, MRC LMB Cambridge, Karolinska, Northwestern, Human Technopole, VIB, and others), with pharmaceutical/biotech and industrial metrology (semiconductor, PCB inspection) as secondary segments.

The company was founded in 2011, achieved 2.5x revenue growth between 2020 and 2025, and operates from a 2,200+ sq.m. manufacturing facility in Rome with 60+ employees as of 2025. Following Apposite Capital's November 2021 majority investment, CrestOptics has professionalized its executive bench (new CFO in 2024, new Head of ODM in 2025, dedicated Head of OEM from 2026) while maintaining ISO 9001 quality certification and consecutive EcoVadis Bronze Medals for sustainability.

Name

Crest Optics

Legal name

CrestOptics S.p.A.

Website

https://crestoptics.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CrestOptics is a privately held Rome-based bioscience instrumentation company that designs and manufactures advanced fluorescence microscopy systems — spinning disk confocals, Lattice SIM super-resolution modules, and Brillouin light scattering tools — serving academic researchers, pharmaceutical/biotech customers, and OEM microscope manufacturers across ~50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Microscopy Instruments

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Fluorescence microscopy systems
• Spinning disk confocal
• Super-resolution imaging
• Structured illumination microscopy
• OEM optical modules

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Branded Microscopy Products: Sale of proprietary branded microscopy systems including DeepSIM, X-Light V3, X-Light V2, and CICERO spinning disk confocal systems. Revenue from system sales, upgrades, and accessories.
2. OEM Custom Design & Manufacturing: Custom imaging modules engineered for seamless integration into partners' high-end platforms. Services include co-development, prototyping, and large-scale manufacturing for microscopy manufacturers and industrial clients.
3. Industrial Partner Solutions: Branded spinning disk and super-resolution SIM solutions integrated with systems from global microscopy leaders. Continued partnerships with multiple generations of products.
4. Technical Support & After-Sales Services: Comprehensive after-sales support including system integration assistance and end-user support through technical support team.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

CrestOptics designs, manufactures, and sells advanced fluorescence microscopy systems for life sciences research and OEM integration. Its core product lines are spinning disk confocal systems (X-Light V3, X-Light V2, CICERO) and the DeepSIM Lattice SIM super-resolution module. The company also provides customized optical modules as an OEM/industrial partner for leading global microscopy manufacturers, plus related accessories, technical support, and after-sales services.

Product overview

CrestOptics develops and manufactures advanced fluorescence microscopy systems organized around two core product pillars: spinning disk confocal microscopes (X-Light V3, X-Light V2, CICERO) for high-speed, gentle live-cell imaging, and super-resolution microscopy modules (DeepSIM) using Lattice SIM technology. The X-Light V3 represents the flagship spinning disk system featuring a 25 mm ultra-large field of view and dual-camera capability, while the DeepSIM provides super-resolution imaging down to 100 nm lateral resolution and can be integrated with X-Light V3 for multimodal imaging. The Lifting Arm accessory extends compatibility to upright microscope configurations. All products are supported by compatibility with major microscope manufacturers (Nikon, Leica, Zeiss, Evident/Olympus) and software platforms (NIS-Elements, MicroManager, VisiView).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DeepSIM Lattice Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) super-resolution module that upgrades any existing upright or inverted microscope with a camera port to deliver ~100 nm lateral and ~300 nm axial resolution, with three tunable illumination patterns for high-throughput, standard, or deep imaging. Targeted at life sciences research labs, pharma/biotech, and core imaging facilities needing super-resolution without replacing their microscope fleet.
• X-Light V3 Flagship spinning disk confocal system with an industry-first 25 mm ultra-large field of view, dual-camera capability, sealed motorized disk box with 15,000 rpm rotation, uniform illumination via microlens array, and acquisition speeds above 1000 fps. Designed for high-speed, low-phototoxicity live-cell and volumetric imaging in life sciences research, pharma, and core facilities; upgradable to super-resolution through DeepSIM integration.
• X-Light V2 Universal plug-in spinning disk confocal unit providing fast and gentle confocal imaging with up to 25 mm field of view and >1000 fps acquisition speed, compatible with CCD, EMCCD, and sCMOS cameras across upright and inverted microscope platforms. Targets research labs requiring high-speed, gentle live-cell imaging.
• CICERO Entry-level compact spinning disk confocal system designed to make high-end fluorescence imaging accessible to every laboratory, offering full spinning disk functionality in a smaller footprint for budget-conscious or space-constrained research labs.
• Lifting Arm Universal lifting arm bracket accessory for mounting X-Light V3 and DeepSIM stand-alone systems on upright microscopes, compatible with all upright microscope brands and supporting weights up to 30 kg.
• OEM Custom Optical Modules & Industrial Partner Solutions Customized, high-complexity spinning disk and super-resolution SIM optical modules co-developed, prototyped, and manufactured for integration into global microscopy manufacturers' flagship platforms (e.g., Nikon, Zeiss, Leica, Evident/Olympus). Services include co-development, prototyping, large-scale manufacturing, and continued multi-generation product partnerships.
• Technical Support and After-Sales Services Comprehensive after-sales technical support service covering system integration assistance and end-user support for CrestOptics microscopy systems and OEM modules, delivered by an in-house technical support team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ systems installed worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.

• NikoncoreTechnology or IntegrationMicroscope compatibility and integration partner. CrestOptics systems are compatible with Nikon microscopes and products are featured at Nikon Centres of Excellence.
• ZeisscoreTechnology or IntegrationMicroscope compatibility partner. CrestOptics spinning disk systems integrate with Zeiss microscopes.
• Leica MicrosystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationMicroscope compatibility partner. CrestOptics products compatible with Leica microscope platforms.
• Evident (Olympus)coreTechnology or IntegrationMicroscope compatibility partner. CrestOptics systems compatible with Evident (formerly Olympus) microscopes.
• Teledyne PhotometricscoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on Kinetix camera integration with DeepSIM and X-Light systems. The Kinetix camera is recommended for DeepSIM due to its speed and large field of view capabilities.
• Teledyne PhotometricscoreTechnology or IntegrationDetector compatibility partner for CCD, EMCCD, and sCMOS cameras used with X-Light V2 and other systems.
• HamamatsucoreTechnology or IntegrationDetector compatibility partner for microscopy camera systems.
• Andor TechnologycoreTechnology or IntegrationDetector compatibility partner for scientific cameras.
• PCOcoreTechnology or IntegrationDetector compatibility partner for cameras.
• 89NorthcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminator compatibility partner providing LDIL (Laser Diode Illuminator) light sources.
• LumencorcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminator compatibility partner providing CELESTA light engine and SPECTRA light engine for fluorescence microscopy.
• CoolLEDcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminator compatibility partner providing pE800 LED illumination system.
• ExcelitascoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminator compatibility partner providing Novem LED illumination.
• Nikon (NIS Elements)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware compatibility partner. NIS Elements software integrated with CrestOptics systems.
• MicroManagercoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen-source software compatibility partner for microscope control and imaging.
• VolocitycoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware compatibility partner for 3D image analysis and visualization.
• VisiViewcoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware compatibility partner for automated microscope control.
• MetaMorphcoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware compatibility partner for microscope automation and image analysis.
• CoolLEDcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint webinar partner for OEM Network integrated solutions presentation in September 2025.
• TissueGnosticscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative webinar partner for high-throughput tissue cytometry solutions.
• Klein ScientificminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVirtual event partner for live webinar collaboration.
• EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerARISE2 Postdoctoral Programme collaboration. CrestOptics supports EMBL's ARISE2 program for postdoctoral training in imaging technologies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Leica Microsystems: Leica's STELLARIS and Thunder systems provide confocal and super-resolution imaging, and Leica is one of CrestOptics' four major OEM microscope integration partners — addressing the same life-science imaging use cases from a broader portfolio angle.
• Evident (Olympus Life Science): Evident (formerly Olympus) sells the FV3000 confocal and IXplore live-cell imaging systems, and is one of CrestOptics' confirmed microscope compatibility partners — overlapping in target customer base while remaining a broader instrument vendor.
• Nikon: Nikon sells the AX/AXR confocal and Ti2-E inverted microscope platforms, and is both a CrestOptics OEM partner and a competing end-to-end microscope vendor serving the same academic and core-facility buyers.
• Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Zeiss offers the LSM and Elyra super-resolution product lines, alongside spinning disk-ready platforms, and is one of CrestOptics' OEM integration partners — competing in the same end-customer accounts while also being a channel.

Emerging players

• 3i (Intelligent Imaging Innovations): 3i builds multi-modal fluorescence microscopy platforms and SlideBook software, addressing the same live-cell and super-resolution imaging use cases as CrestOptics but from a software-driven systems-integration angle.
• Cairn Research: Cairn Research manufactures modular optomechanical components and imaging platforms used in fluorescence microscopy — a comparable niche OEM specialist with a similar application-focused, modular product philosophy.
• Nanolive: Nanolive offers label-free holotomography systems for live-cell imaging; CrestOptics' Marketing Director previously led marketing at Nanolive, signalling overlap in the live-cell imaging buyer profile and complementary positioning.
• PhaseView: PhaseView develops quantitative phase imaging and multi-modal microscopy systems, overlapping with CrestOptics in advanced optical imaging for life-science research.

Direct peers

• Bruker: Bruker's Luxendo line delivers light-sheet and super-resolution microscopes for live-cell imaging, directly competing with CrestOptics' DeepSIM/X-Light combination in advanced live-cell and 3D biology applications.
• Yokogawa Electric: Yokogawa manufactures the CSU series of spinning disk confocal units — the historical benchmark for high-speed live-cell spinning disk imaging and CrestOptics' most direct competitor in spinning disk confocal hardware.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crestopt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_xqkLkCmTn2DINk7p9R1ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/crestopt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crestoptics
• Instagraminstagram.com/crestoptics

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Crest Optics