Imago Scientific Instruments was founded in 1998 by Dr. Thomas F. Kelly, then a professor at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. In September, 2001 Imago completed its first LEAP^® Microscope and began analyzing specimens. That instrument represented a true milestone in microscopy yielding the largest analysis volume, largest field of view, and fastest data collection ever reported for an atom probe microscope. The LEAP^® Microscope demonstrated it could provide the means to bring the three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) into the mainstream.

These and other achievements led to grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. Soon after, Imago obtained venture capital from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Infineon Ventures, Draper Triangle, Stanford University, and Portage Ventures, as well as from Mitsubishi through its Nanotech Partners subsidiary.

Imago counts among its customers leading defense laboratories, national nanotechnology facilities, integrated circuit manufacturers and manufacturers of magnetic data storage heads. Imago Scientific Instruments is now positioned to provide the leadership and understanding required for the nanotechnology revolution.