DeepEn GmbH, a spin-off from the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT) in Jena, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Leibniz Founder’s Prize. The €50,000 prize supports the startup’s next big step: bringing its holographic microendoscope, NeuroDeep®, to market by the end of 2025.
NeuroDeep® is a high-resolution imaging device based on a single optical fibre the width of a human hair. It enables deep-brain and organ imaging with unmatched precision and minimal invasiveness. Using holographic light control, it offers entirely new possibilities for neuroscience and biomedical research, especially in studying ageing, degeneration, and brain plasticity.
“Our technology will support scientists developing new therapies for neurological diseases,” says CEO and co-founder Sergey Turtaev. “In the future, we aim to bring these hair-thin endoscopes into clinical use.”
DeepEn’s work builds on cutting-edge research from the Holographic Endoscopy Group at Leibniz-IPHT and international partners across Europe. The startup, founded in 2024, will use the prize money for marketing and trade fair appearances across Europe, Asia, and the US.
Initially, DeepEn will offer its NeuroDeep® system to research labs, along with disposable probes for live tissue use, tailored services, and training.
Photos: “Leibniz Association/David Ausserhofer”
