About us

Specto Photonics is an Italian deep-tech company developing next-generation instrumentation for mechanobiology and materials science, based on Brillouin spectroscopy. Founded in Milan, the company aims to make biomechanical measurements accessible, scalable, and compatible with real-world laboratory environments by leveraging photonic integrated circuit technologies. At the core of Specto’s innovation is the miniaturization of traditionally complex and bulky optical systems into compact, robust, and alignment-free devices. Its flagship platform, ALBA, is the first fully integrated on-chip Brillouin spectrometer, enabling non-contact, label-free measurements of viscoelastic properties in cells, tissues, and biomaterials with high spatial resolution. Brillouin spectroscopy provides direct access to mechanical properties such as stiffness and viscosity, which are increasingly recognized as key regulators of biological function and disease progression. By simplifying this technology and enabling seamless integration with conventional microscopes, Specto bridges a critical gap between advanced photonics and life science applications. With a team of leading experts in Brillouin science and photonics engineering, Specto is committed to advancing mechanobiology research and accelerating the adoption of mechanical biomarkers in fields such as cancer, fibrosis, and tissue engineering.