mDetect

What mDetect does

mDetect is a Melbourne-based deep-technology company, spun out of Swinburne University of Technology in 2018, that builds muon-detection devices for subsurface imaging. Its core technology uses silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) electronics to detect naturally occurring cosmic muons and reconstruct their trajectories through the ground to image density anomalies — a technique that does not require active radiation sources and can penetrate hundreds of metres of rock. The company sells three product variants: the MIST telescopic imaging system for industrial monitoring, a compact MOD field device, and the EduMOD educational detector. Primary customer segments are large mining operators (BHP, Oz Minerals) for tailings dam and ore-body monitoring, water and infrastructure utilities (City West Water) for asset inspection, and educational institutions across Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.

mDetect's business model combines enterprise device sales and pilot contracts for mining and infrastructure monitoring with a high-volume, low-price education channel (EduMOD units priced at approximately A$2,500) distributed via the mNetwork reseller programme. Commercial revenue is supplemented by non-dilutive grants — approximately A$375,000 from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2021 and approximately A$230,000 from the Australian Economic Accelerator in 2024 — that fund product development rather than scale operations. The company operates with a lean team of roughly five staff covering executive, engineering, and finance functions.

The company's strategic positioning combines patented miniaturised SiPM-based hardware with onboard AI for muon path reconstruction, positioning it as an alternative to conventional large-format muon telescopes and to active-source geophysical methods. Key near-term catalysts include commercialisation of the ruggedised MOD device for defence applications, conversion of mining and infrastructure pilots into recurring contracts, and continued expansion of the EduMOD distribution network across Asia-Pacific academic markets.

Name

mDetect

Legal name

mDetect Pty Ltd

Website

https://mdetect.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

mDetect is a Melbourne-based deep-technology company, spun out of Swinburne University of Technology in 2018, that builds patented silicon-photomultiplier muon-detection devices for subsurface imaging, serving mining operators (BHP, Oz Minerals), infrastructure utilities (City West Water), and educational institutions across Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geophysical Detection Equipment

NAICS

Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131), Mining and Oil and Gas Field Machinery Manufacturing (33313)

SIC

Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Screening & Sizing Equipment (IMAHAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Surface Mining Equipment (Excavators, Shovels, Draglines, Dozers) (IMAKANAA)

Keywords

• Muon detection technology
• Subsurface imaging equipment
• Mineral exploration sensors
• Geophysical monitoring devices
• Physics education tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Muon detection hardware devices: Sale of specialised muon detection devices (MODs) for mining, infrastructure, and defence applications. Devices are deployed underground, underwater, or within structures. Includes the MIST (Muon Inferred Structural Tomography) telescopic detector system for tailings dam monitoring.
2. EduMOD classroom detectors: Sale of the EduMOD product — a specialised muon detector designed for classroom use. Sold through an authorised reseller network. Includes hardware, teacher resources, lesson plans, and 1-year free access to mNetwork.
3. Real-time detection and analysis software services: Automated data analysis from deployed muon detectors with real-time relay of information back to mDetect for analysis and detection reporting. Software pipeline includes simulation tools for planning deployment locations and measurement durations.
4. Site scanning and monitoring services: Field deployment services for mineral exploration, infrastructure assessment, and environmental monitoring using the muon technology platform. Includes automated data analysis for large-scale detector deployments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

mDetect designs, manufactures, and operates muon detection hardware (MOD devices and MIST telescopic detectors) along with accompanying analysis software that uses naturally occurring cosmic muons to image the internal density of large structures such as mining deposits, tailings dams, buildings, and underground features. The company sells rugged above-ground detectors and scanning services to enterprise mining and infrastructure customers, and ships smaller EduMOD classroom kits to secondary schools through an authorised reseller network.

Product overview

mDetect offers a muon detection technology platform with two main product lines: MOD devices for industrial applications (mining, mineral exploration, infrastructure monitoring, environmental scanning) and EduMOD devices for educational settings. The MOD line includes MIST (Muon Imaging System Technology) for telescopic density measurements used in tailings dam monitoring. The EduMOD line includes the mConnect web-based data logger platform and connects to the mNetwork for collaborative research. The company is a spinout from Swinburne University of Technology, with deployments with major mining companies including BHP and Oz Minerals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MIST: Muon Inferred Structure Technology - telescopic muon detector devices used for tailings dam analysis and infrastructure monitoring.
• EduMOD
• MOD
• mNetwork

Products and services

• MOD Devices

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully scanned a +90m thick tailings dam wall at BHP Prominent Hill, providing unique dataset for structural integrity analysis
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Oz MineralscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Oz Minerals partnered with mDetect as part of a $1.5M AMGC co-funded project to scale up manufacturing capabilities and transform automated data analysis for large numbers of muon detectors deployed at their sites.
• Swinburne University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnermDetect originated as a spinout from Swinburne University of Technology based on cutting-edge muon detection research. The partnership continues for R&D collaboration, including the 2024 AEA seed grant project for MOD device development.
• Ground Science Pty LtdsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGround Science Pty Ltd collaborated with mDetect and Victoria University to deploy muon technology for City West Water's utilities upgrade project in Melbourne.
• Victoria UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictoria University partnered with mDetect and Ground Science for the City West Water infrastructure project, contributing academic expertise to the muon technology deployment.
• Elgee IndustriessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerElgee Industries collaborated with mDetect, Swinburne University, and Ground Science as part of the AMGC-funded project to scale up manufacturing of muon detection devices.
• BHPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHP deployed mDetect's Exosphere muon detection technology at its Prominent Hill Tailings Storage Facility in South Australia. Two autonomous telescopic devices and a directional device were deployed for 3D density visualisation of the tailings dam wall, resulting in the world's first above-ground telescopic muon use case.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ideon Technologies: Ideon Technologies is a direct competitor using cosmic ray muon tomography for subsurface imaging in mining and mineral exploration. It serves the same target customers (major miners like BHP) with the same underlying technology approach, making it the closest comparable to mDetect.

Broad incumbents

• GroundProbe (Orica): GroundProbe, owned by Orica, provides slope stability and ground movement monitoring radars for open-pit mines. It serves the same mining customer base and tailings dam/structural monitoring use cases as mDetect, though using radar rather than muon detection.
• IDS GeoRadar: IDS GeoRadar provides interferometric radar and monitoring systems for mining, infrastructure, and civil engineering applications including ground stability and structural monitoring. It is a broader incumbent in subsurface/structural monitoring with overlapping customer segments.
• Geometrics: Geometrics manufactures geophysical instruments including magnetometers and seismographs used in mineral exploration and subsurface imaging. It targets similar mining and exploration customers with different sensing modalities.
• Viridien (formerly CGG): Viridien is a global geoscience and subsurface imaging heavyweight with seismic and multi-physics capabilities. While it focuses on seismic rather than muon tomography, it competes for the same mining and infrastructure customers seeking advanced subsurface imaging.

Emerging players

• SkyTEM Surveys: SkyTEM conducts airborne electromagnetic surveys for mineral exploration and groundwater mapping. It targets similar mining and exploration customers but uses airborne EM rather than ground-based muon detection, making it a partial-overlap competitor.
• GSSI (Geophysical Survey Systems): GSSI manufactures ground penetrating radar (GPR) systems used for subsurface imaging in utility detection, archaeology, and infrastructure inspection. It competes for some of mDetect's infrastructure and construction customers with a different but related sensing modality.
• Petrus Resources: Petrus Resources provides subsurface imaging and geophysical services to mining and exploration clients. While a smaller player, it operates in the same mining-geoservices category as mDetect and competes for early-stage exploration customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdetectglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/mDetectGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mdetectglobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdetectglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 mDetect