What Petsys Electronics does

PETsys Electronics SA is a Portuguese microelectronics company that designs and produces radiation detector readout systems, with a core focus on positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and adjacent scientific instrumentation. Founded in 2013 as a spin-off of PETsys Systems SA, the company is headquartered in Taguspark, Oeiras, and builds mixed-signal Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) using 110nm and 130nm CMOS technology. Its flagship TOFPET2 ASIC is a 64-channel chip integrating 30 ps Time-to-Digital Converters, ADCs, charge integrators, and dark-count rejection circuitry for digitizing signals from Silicon Photomultipliers and Micro-Channel Plate photodetectors. The next-generation TOFPET3 ASIC was demonstrated in prototype form in 2024 with sub-100 ps coincidence time resolution.

The company's product portfolio is built around TOFPET2 and spans Front-End Modules (FEM128 with 128 channels and FEM256 with 256 channels), aggregation boards (FEB/D-1K handling up to 1,024 channels and FEB/D-8K handling up to 8,192 channels with daisy-chain capability to over 100,000 channels), a Clock & Trigger Module with onboard coincidence filtering, and the DAQ4 PCIe data acquisition card reaching 230 Mevents/s and 14.7 Gbps throughput. PETsys also offers complete SiPM-based PET Detector Modules using LYSO or BGO scintillation crystals and a TOFPET2 Evaluation Kit (256-channel development platform with personalized training). The software stack is open-source under an MIT license (Python/C++), with FPGA firmware providing energy and coincidence trigger filtering that reduces data rates by an order of magnitude.

PETsys sells through a quote-based enterprise sales motion ([email protected]) complemented by exclusive regional resellers TOFTEK in China and TECHNOAP in Japan. End customers include medical imaging equipment developers, hospitals and cancer centers, university research groups, and high-energy physics laboratories (including CERN, where PETsys contributed the TOFHIR ASIC for the CMS Barrel MIP Timing Detector). Reported customer locations span 40+ countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America, and Africa. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of ASICs, modular electronics, detector modules, and evaluation kits, with no public pricing list and no disclosed revenue figures; the company has captured approximately €6M in public R&D and business development funding alongside a ~€1.26M Portugal Ventures investment in 2013.

Name

Petsys Electronics

Legal name

PETsys Electronics, Medical PET Detectors, S.A.

Website

https://petsyselectronics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PETsys Electronics SA designs mixed-signal ASICs and modular readout electronics for PET medical imaging scanners and high-energy physics detectors, selling TOFPET2-based systems to research institutions, hospitals, and detector developers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oeiras

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. ASIC and Microelectronics Sales: Sale of Application-Specific Integrated Circuits including TOFPET2 ASIC and TOFPET3 (when available). ASICs are sold as components for integration into customer detector systems.
2. Electronic Readout System Components: Complete set of electronic boards for reading out radiation detectors including Front-End Modules (FEM128, FEM256), Front-End Type D Modules (FEB/D-1K, FEB/D-8K), Clock & Trigger Module, and DAQ Cards. Systems are modular and scalable.
3. PET Detector Modules: Complete Detector Modules for PET scanners based on scintillation crystals (LYSO or BGO) coupled to Silicon Photomultipliers, with configurations including light sharing and/or double readout.
4. TOFPET2 Evaluation Kit: Complete 256-channel readout system for exploring TOFPET2 ASIC features. Includes FEB/D board, two FEM128 modules, SiPM pixels, LYSO crystals, cooling box, and training session. One-day personalized training for one or two users included.
5. Firmware and Software: Proprietary firmware for FPGA-based boards and open-source software (Python/C++) under MIT license. Firmware includes intelligent coincidence filtering and energy triggers. Software includes GUI and command-line tools with scripting support.
6. PETsys Systems SA Corporate Structure: PETsys Systems SA (Medical Device Company) was incorporated in 2008 and set up PETsys Electronics SA in 2013 to focus on PET detector modules and related electronics. Public funding of 6M EUR captured for R&D and business development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PETsys Electronics designs and manufactures Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), front-end electronics, complete PET Detector Modules, and scalable SiPM readout systems for positron emission tomography (PET) scanners and high-energy physics experiments. Its commercial core is the TOFPET2 ASIC (64-channel, 30 ps TDC binning), packaged with FEM128/FEM256 front-end modules, FEB/D aggregation boards, Clock & Trigger Module, DAQ4 cards, and proprietary FPGA firmware plus open-source acquisition software. The product portfolio is sold as configured, quote-based systems to medical imaging OEMs, hospitals, cancer research centers, and physics laboratories worldwide.

Product overview

PETsys Electronics offers a modular, scalable readout architecture for PET imaging and scientific research applications. The product portfolio centers on the TOFPET2 ASIC (64-channel chip for signal digitization) as the core technology, complemented by Front-End Modules (FEM128 with 128 channels and FEM256 with 256 channels) that interface directly with SiPM photosensors. These connect to FEB/D aggregation boards (FEB/D-1K handling up to 1,024 channels and FEB/D-8K handling up to 8,192 channels) which provide power, configuration, and data aggregation. The Clock & Trigger Module ensures system-wide synchronization and coincidence filtering, while DAQ4 PCIe cards deliver high-speed data transfer to computers. The TOFPET2 Evaluation Kit provides a complete 256-channel development platform for system exploration. The Complete SiPM Readout System integrates all components into a unified solution scalable from small systems to installations exceeding 100,000 channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TOFPET2 ASIC High-performance 64-channel ASIC designed for readout and digitization of fast photon detector signals, featuring dual processing paths for timing and energy measurement with 30 ps TDC time binning and 8.2 mW per channel power consumption. It supports dual thresholds for timing (t1) and dark-count rejection (t2, up to 2 MHz) and a validation threshold (tE), targeting SiPM and MCP photosensor signal processing for PET, SPECT, and high-energy physics applications.
• FEM128 Front-End Module 128-channel front-end module built from two TOFPET2 ASICs (64 channels each), designed for high per-channel data rates with up to 500 kcps per channel and 14.2 mW per channel power consumption. Provides the analog interface between SiPM photosensors and the digital readout chain with tileable sensor adapter boards for large continuous detector surfaces.
• FEM256 Front-End Module 256-channel front-end module integrating four TOFPET2 ASICs on a compact 50x50 mm board, optimized for large-scale systems with simplified cooling and lower cost per channel, supporting up to 300 kcps per channel. Designed for use with tileable SiPM adapter boards to build large continuous detector surfaces.
• FEB/D-1K Front-End Type D Module Compact 104.5x104.5 mm aggregation board supporting up to 1,024 channels from eight FEM128 modules, featuring Kintex-7 FPGA, SFP+ ports at 6.6 Gbit/s, and a Gigabit Ethernet option for smaller systems. Provides power, configuration, clock distribution, and data aggregation for medium-scale PET and physics detector systems.
• FEB/D-8K Front-End Type D Module Large-scale aggregation board handling up to 8,192 channels from 16 front-end modules, featuring both Kintex-7 and Spartan-7 FPGAs with pre-installed firmware and daisy-chain capability for up to 32 modules. Designed for total-body and large-scale PET scanners as well as high-energy physics detector systems.
• Clock & Trigger Module Central timing and synchronization hub distributing 200 MHz clock signals and implementing real-time coincidence filtering using Kintex-7 FPGA firmware, supporting up to 16 FEB/D modules with 4 trigger regions each. Enables firmware-level energy and time-window triggers that reduce data rates by a factor of 10 while preserving relevant events.
• DAQ4 Card High-performance PCIe interface card with Kintex-7 FPGA featuring three SFP+ optical/copper connectors at 6.6 Gbps, maximum event rate of 230 Mcps, and data throughput of 14.7 Gbps. Provides chronological event sorting in hardware and supports up to two cards per DAQ computer for combined throughput of ~460 Mevents/s.
• TOFPET2 Evaluation Kit Complete 256-channel readout system for exploring TOFPET2 ASIC features. Includes FEB/D board, two FEM128 modules, SiPM pixels, LYSO crystals, cooling box with Peltier elements, and one-day personalized training for one or two users. Compatible with Hamamatsu S13361-3050AE-08 and KETEK PA3325-WB-0808 SiPM arrays and Broadcom AFBR-S4N44P014M SiPM pixels.
• Complete SiPM Readout System Complete modular data acquisition system built around TOFPET2 ASIC, comprising Front-End Modules, FEB/D aggregation boards, Clock & Trigger Module, and DAQ cards, scalable from 256 to over 100,000 SiPM channels. Bundles proprietary FPGA firmware (intelligent coincidence filtering) with open-source Python/C++ acquisition software under MIT license.
• PET Detector Modules Complete Detector Modules for PET scanners based on scintillation crystals (LYSO or BGO) coupled to Silicon Photomultipliers, with configurations that can include light sharing and/or double readout. Each Detector Module integrates low-noise, low-power electronics for detector biasing, pulse conditioning, time and amplitude measurement, and digital readout, and supports depth-of-interaction capability for high-resolution PET imaging.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~200 ps FWHM coincidence time resolution achieved with PETsys SiPM modules, enabling sharper TOF-PET images
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CERN (European Laboratory for Particle Physics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is a key R&D partner. PETsys technology stems from collaborations in particle physics instrumentation. The company has contributed to the CMS Barrel MIP Timing Detector development (TOFHIR ASIC).
• LIP (Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIP is the scientific lead involved in development of PETsys technology from the very beginning. Collaborated on Clear PEM, ClearPEM Sonic, EndoTOFPET-US, and development of TOFHIR ASIC for CMS Barrel MIP Timing Detector. LIP is also a Shareholder of PETsys Systems SA.
• INOV, INESC INOVAÇÃO (Instituto de Novas Tecnologias)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOV is a member of PEM R&D consortium involved in development of PETsys technology from the very beginning. Also a Shareholder of PETsys Systems SA.
• INESC-ID (Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores, I&D em Lisboa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINESC-ID is a member of PEM R&D consortium involved in development of PETsys technology from the very beginning. Also a Shareholder of PETsys Systems SA.
• INEGI (Institute Of Mechanical Engineering And Industrial Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINEGI is a member of PEM R&D consortium involved in development of PETsys technology from the very beginning. Also a Shareholder of PETsys Systems SA.
• IPO-Porto (Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPO-Porto undertook tests of the use of the first PETsys Clear-PEM prototype for small animal and brain imaging applications. Clinical testing partner.
• APHM (Hôpital Marseille Nord)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPHM undertook clinical trials using the second PETsys Clear-PEM prototype for breast imaging.
• ICNAS (Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saude)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICNAS was a member of Clear-PEM consortium for PET imaging research.
• AOSG (Azienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo - Monza)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAzienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo was a member of Clear-PEM consortium for breast imaging research.
• HGO (Hospital Garcia de Orta)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHGO was a member of Clear-PEM R&D consortium.
• SuperSonic ImagineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPETsys and SuperSonic Imagine were partners in the ClearPEM-Sonic project for multimodal mammography combining PET and ultrasound.
• Taguspark (Lisboa Science and Technology Park)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaguspark was a member of PEM R&D consortium and hosts PETsys headquarters.
• PETsys Medical PET Imaging Systems, S.A. (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPETsys Systems SA is the parent Medical Device Company incorporated in 2008 for cancer's early detection. Set up PETsys Electronics SA in 2013 to focus on PET detector modules and related electronics. Has captured 6M EUR in public R&D and business development funding.
• TOFTEK (China)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTOFTEK (HU Wei) serves as PETsys Electronics' exclusive reseller for China. Handles sales, technical support, and customer relationships for Chinese customers.
• TECHNOAP (Japan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTECHNOAP (Kazuki Otomo) serves as PETsys Electronics' reseller for Japan. Handles sales and support for Japanese market.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• KETEK GmbH: KETEK is a German manufacturer of Silicon Photomultipliers (PA3325-WB-0808 series) that integrate with PETsys' FEM128 front-end modules. As an SiPM supplier, KETEK is an ecosystem enabler whose own roadmap decisions influence PETsys' addressable detector configurations.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers is a global PET scanner OEM whose Biograph Vision Quadra total-body scanner competes with systems built using PETsys readout electronics. As an incumbent with in-house detector engineering, Siemens is both a potential customer for PETsys' OEM-grade modules and a vertical-integration threat.
• GE HealthCare: GE HealthCare manufactures clinical PET scanners (e.g., Omni Legend) with proprietary detector electronics. It represents the largest competing OEM customer base in clinical PET and is a potential design-win target or acquisition counterparty for PETsys' readout modules.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: Hamamatsu is the leading supplier of SiPM arrays (S13361 series) and PET detector components. While it operates broadly across photonics, its SiPM products are integrated with PETsys' FEM128 modules, making it both a key supplier partner and an adjacent competitor that could move up the value chain into readout subsystems.
• Philips (Digital Photon Counting): Philips pioneered digital photon counting (dSiPM) in its Vereos PET scanner using proprietary readout ASICs developed in-house. Philips represents both the benchmark for vertical integration and a potential acquirer of advanced detector IP such as PETsys'.
• Broadcom (AFBR SiPM line): Broadcom supplies the AFBR-S4N22P014M and related SiPM pixels used in PETsys' evaluation kit. As a broad-line semiconductor incumbent, Broadcom can offer bundled SiPM-plus-electronics solutions that compete with PETsys' integrated subsystems in OEM design cycles.

Direct peers

• IDEAS (Integrated Detector Electronics AS): IDEAS is a Norwegian fabless ASIC company specializing in readout and digitizing ASICs for radiation detectors (X-ray, gamma, and HEP). It competes with PETsys for design wins in detector readout subsystems across medical imaging and physics experiments.
• Weeroc: Weeroc is a French fabless company that designs SiPM readout ASICs (PETROC family) used in PET, HEP, and nuclear physics applications. It is the closest direct competitor to PETsys, offering alternative front-end ASICs targeting similar LYSO/SiPM detector channels with comparable timing performance metrics.
• CAEN (CAEN S.p.A.): CAEN is an Italian designer and manufacturer of readout electronics for nuclear, particle physics, and PET detector systems. CAEN's digitizer and front-end board products directly overlap with PETsys' DAQ cards and front-end modules, and both companies serve the HEP and pre-clinical PET customer base.

Emerging players

• Cubresa: Cubresa is a Canadian emerging player in compact pre-clinical and brain PET scanners built around SiPM technology. It is a potential OEM customer for PETsys' complete readout systems in the pre-clinical and brain-imaging segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/petsys-electronics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 Petsys Electronics