What Mars Bioimaging does

MARS Bioimaging Ltd is a Christchurch, New Zealand–based medical imaging company founded in 2007 to commercialize spectral photon-counting CT technology originating from CERN's particle physics research. The company holds an exclusive licence from CERN to deploy Medipix3 photon-counting detector technology for medical imaging in point-of-care settings, developed through the Medipix3 Collaboration with the University of Canterbury. Its technology captures and differentiates multiple X-ray energy levels in a single scan, enabling identification and quantification of intrinsic materials (bone, soft tissue) and extrinsic materials (contrast agents, nanoparticles). The flagship product, the MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System, is a portable photon-counting CT scanner that received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance in March 2026 for upper extremity imaging in community and point-of-care settings, including clinical offices, sports medicine clinics, and ambulatory service units. A secondary product, the Mars Microlab, extends the portable CT platform to broader point-of-care applications.

The company operates a hardware-sales revenue model, selling photon-counting CT scanner systems through direct enterprise sales to clinical and research customers. Named customers include Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York, a development partner and the world's leading academic musculoskeletal center, and Bracco Imaging in Italy, a research buyer using the system for contrast agent and AI-enhanced diagnostic imaging research. Revenue mechanics are quote-based and pricing is not publicly disclosed. GTM combines enterprise field sales (clinical offices, sports medicine, ambulatory units) with channel-style sales to research institutions for contrast agent and AI research applications.

Mars Bioimaging employs 20 people in Christchurch and plans to add five more over the next six months. It completed a $15 million oversubscribed Series A in 2024 with backing from New Zealand, Singapore, and Switzerland investors, with Pacific Channel as a strategic board-level investor. The Series A funded FDA pursuit and commercial expansion into the United States (the largest CT market), India, and continued New Zealand operations. Physical production is handled by local Christchurch engineering firm Argus ManuTech, and leadership is anchored by Group CEO Dr. Ojas Mahapatra, Co-Founder/CTO Prof. Anthony Butler, and Chairman Christopher Stoelhorst.

Name

Mars Bioimaging

Legal name

MARS Bioimaging Limited

Website

https://marsbioimaging.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MARS Bioimaging is a New Zealand medtech company that develops portable photon-counting CT scanners using CERN-licensed Medipix3 detector technology. It sells the FDA-cleared MARS Extremity Scanner System to clinical offices, sports medicine clinics, and research institutions for point-of-care musculoskeletal imaging.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Imaging Equipment

NAICS

Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing (334517), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus (3844), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Computed Tomography (CT) Systems (HLAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Portable, Mobile & Point-of-Care Imaging Systems (HLAHABAL)

Keywords

• Photon-counting CT scanners
• Medical imaging equipment
• Spectral CT imaging
• Musculoskeletal imaging systems
• Portable point-of-care CT

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Photon-Counting CT Scanner Sales: Sale of portable photon-counting CT scanner systems to clinical and research institutions. The company sells its MARS Extremity Scanner System and mobile scanners for research applications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MARS Bioimaging designs, manufactures, and sells portable photon-counting CT scanners based on Medipix3 detector technology licensed from CERN. The company's flagship MARS Extremity Scanner System is a compact spectral CT system that delivers high-resolution 3D X-ray images with material differentiation (bone, soft tissue, contrast agents, implants) in community and point-of-care clinical settings, and the Mars Microlab CT Scanner offers a portable unit for advanced imaging outside hospital radiology departments.

Product overview

MARS Bioimaging offers a portfolio of portable photon-counting CT scanners based on Medipix3 detector technology licensed from CERN. The core product is the FDA-cleared MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System, a compact spectral CT system for upper extremity imaging designed for point-of-care and community-based settings. The Mars Microlab CT Scanner is a portable unit that brings diagnostics closer to patients with exceptional spatial resolution and low radiation dose. Both products leverage spectral photon-counting technology to deliver high-resolution 3D color images with material decomposition capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System FDA-cleared portable photon-counting CT scanner designed for upper extremity imaging in community and point-of-care settings. Delivers high-resolution 3D X-ray images with clear material differentiation, visualizing soft tissue, bone, blood vessels, and metallic implants. Features spectral imaging and material decomposition capabilities at lower radiation dose.
• Mars Microlab CT Scanner Portable CT scanner offering greater portability compared to traditional CT scanners that can weigh up to three tonnes. Enables advanced imaging at point-of-care and in community-based settings with exceptional spatial resolution and low radiation dose.

Quantifiable outcome

• FDA 510(k) clearance achieved March 2026, enabling commercial rollout in the United States as the world's largest CT market

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bracco ImagingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Bracco Imaging S.p.A. purchased a mobile photon-counting CT scanner from MARS Bioimaging to support its contrast agent and artificial intelligence research at its research center in Colleretto Giacosa, Italy. The MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System will be used to investigate how AI and advanced imaging can enhance diagnostic outcomes through spectral imaging and material decomposition capabilities.
• Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSS in New York City, the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health, collaborated with MARS Bioimaging on the portable photon-counting CT scanner for upper extremities. The collaboration supported the development of imaging technology aimed at enhancing diagnostic patient care. HSS welcomed the FDA clearance news.
• CERN / Medipix3 CollaborationcoreTechnology or IntegrationMARS Bioimaging holds the exclusive licence from CERN to commercialize Medipix3 photon-counting detector technology for medical imaging in point-of-care settings. The technology was developed originally through particle physics research at CERN by the Medipix3 Collaboration, which includes the University of Canterbury.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Philips: Major CT and image-guided therapy vendor pursuing photon-counting detector research, competing broadly with MARS in diagnostic imaging while offering very different scale and distribution.
• Canon Medical Systems: Offers a broad CT portfolio including advanced detector research and is a relevant incumbent competitor for both standard CT and emerging photon-counting applications.
• GE HealthCare: Global CT leader with active photon-counting detector research and a broad installed base of hospital CT systems, representing both competitive overlap and a potential partner/acquirer given MARS's niche.
• Hologic: Focused on specialty imaging (women's health, skeletal health) including dedicated extremity and 3D imaging systems, comparable to MARS in specialty-imaging positioning but broader in scale.
• Siemens Healthineers: Operates broadly in medical imaging with the NAEOTOM Alpha photon-counting CT, overlapping with MARS at the technology level (photon-counting) but serving a much wider CT portfolio and customer base.
• Carestream Health: Provides portable and point-of-care X-ray and imaging solutions with an orthopedic/specialty focus, comparable to MARS in targeting community and ambulatory imaging workflows.

Direct peers

• Curvebeam: Specializes in point-of-care extremity CT systems (e.g., LineUP, pedCAT) for orthopedic imaging, directly competing with MARS in the same clinical workflow and target customer base of orthopedic and sports medicine clinics.
• Planmed: Develops dedicated extremity and mammography imaging systems including orthopedic CT, competing with MARS for community-based orthopedic imaging volume.
• Samsung Neurologica: Manufactures portable CT scanners such as BodyTom and CereTom for point-of-care imaging, directly overlapping with MARS's portable, point-of-care musculoskeletal and clinical-use positioning.

Emerging players

• Koning Health: Develops dedicated cone-beam CT systems for breast and specialty imaging, an emerging player with comparable technology philosophy (dedicated point-of-care CT) intersecting with MARS's niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marsbioimaging
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mars-bioimaging-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 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 Mars Bioimaging