Building on years of accumulated BNCT research, NTHU completed a key technology transfer in 2018 and spun off Heron Neutron. Following its establishment, Heron focused on the miniaturization of BNCT systems and the integrated development of hardware, software, and pharmaceutical components. This commercialization process was enabled through a clear division of roles and sustained industry–academia partnership. NTHU contributed core IP, R&D talent, key facilities, and long-term technology collaboration, while Hermes-Epitek, as an early major investor, provided capital, operational expertise, and commercialization channels. This complementary model enabled the transformation of NTHU's reactor-based neutron source into an accelerator-based BNCT system suitable for hospital deployment.
In 2023, NTHU's neutron source received medical device approval from Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), followed by TFDA approval of Heron's accelerator-based neutron system in 2024. In 2025, Heron Neutron was listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE). More recently, NTHU and Heron jointly established the Heron–NTHU Joint Research Center to further deepen long-term collaboration in the BNCT field.