CENYA IMAGING B.V.

Their core work

Cenya Imaging is a Dutch SME specializing in nanoparticle-based imaging agents for tracking cells in the human body. They develop technology that labels cells ex vivo so they can be monitored in vivo using clinical imaging techniques — essential for cell therapy quality control and patient safety. Their work spans from nanoparticle design to clinical-stage injectable imaging agents, bridging the gap between laboratory cell tracking and real clinical use in trials.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Cenya Imaging entered H2020 in 2019 focused on cell therapy tracking — labelling therapeutic cells with nanoparticles so clinicians could see where they go after administration. By 2021, their focus shifted toward broader clinical applications: intravenously injected nanoparticles for inflammation imaging and personalised medicine. Their participation in the Phoenix test bed (2021-2025) signals a move from proof-of-concept research toward scalable manufacturing of their nano-imaging products.

Cenya is transitioning from ERC-backed proof-of-concept work toward clinical deployment and industrial-scale manufacturing of their nanoparticle imaging agents.

How they like to work

Cenya predominantly leads its own projects — coordinating 2 out of 3 H2020 projects, both ERC Proof of Concept grants, which are typically single-PI efforts to commercialize fundamental research. Their one participant role is in Phoenix, a large Innovation Action consortium. This pattern suggests a spin-off or ERC-adjacent company that is now beginning to integrate into larger collaborative frameworks as it matures.

Cenya has worked with 12 unique partners across 6 countries, almost entirely through the Phoenix consortium. Their network is modest but geographically diverse for a 3-project SME.

What sets them apart

Cenya occupies a niche at the intersection of nanotechnology and clinical imaging — specifically, making nanoparticles that can be safely injected into patients for diagnostic purposes. Most nano-imaging companies focus on preclinical research tools; Cenya's ERC Proof of Concept trajectory and Phoenix test bed involvement suggest they are pushing toward actual clinical and commercial readiness. For consortium builders in personalised medicine or advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), they offer a rare combination of nanoparticle expertise and clinical translation ambition.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Phoenix
  Largest project by funding (EUR 305k to Cenya), a multi-partner Innovation Action test bed for nano-pharmaceuticals — signals Cenya's move from lab to manufacturing scale.
• Unusual-IV
  Addresses the challenging goal of intravenously injectable nanoparticles for clinical use — directly targeting inflammation imaging and personalised medicine applications.