Cambridge Terahertz

Cambridge Terahertz develops compact, chip-based terahertz (THz) imaging systems that use non-ionizing radio waves to produce real-time 3D images of objects concealed under clothing or inside packaging. The company positions its sensors as a miniaturized alternative to large airport scanners: the device is described as fitting in the palm of a hand, weighing about two pounds, and mounting like a security camera on walls, ceilings, or entrance systems. According to the founder, millimeter-wave scanners operate around 30-80 GHz while Cambridge Terahertz's solution starts at 300 GHz (0.3 THz), which the company says enables higher imaging resolution in a much smaller form factor. THz waves penetrate non-conductive materials such as clothing, plastics and packaging while being absorbed by metals and water, allowing detection of both metallic and non-metallic items including guns, knives, explosives, drugs and 3D-printed weapons.

The primary product application is walk-through concealed weapons detection for hospitals, corporate campuses, data centers, warehouses, schools and government buildings, with screening intended to occur as people walk naturally through an entrance, without stopping or pat-downs. AI interprets raw imagery so that human operators receive only anonymized alerts indicating threat location; the company states no personal data is captured. The system uses a network-centric architecture that integrates with existing security platforms through standard APIs and is managed from a single dashboard.

Beyond security screening, coverage of the 2025 seed round describes applications in retail and logistics — inspecting the contents of unopened boxes to address return fraud and packing efficiency — as well as supply chain visibility, non-destructive testing in aerospace and medical fields, and border inspection (including discussions with U.S. Customs and Border Protection about fentanyl detection). The company's stated longer-term goal is a universal imaging platform that can see through materials without bulky scanning infrastructure.