Light Trace: Revolutionizing Photonic Chip Design with £600k Investment

Deal News | Dec 02, 2024 | SETsquared

Light Trace: Revolutionizing Photonic Chip Design with £600k Investment

Light Trace Photonics, a pioneering player in the integrated photonics market, has secured £600,000 in its first round of investment, propelled by QantX Ventures. The funding aims to support the launch of LightCraft, an advanced platform designed to offer streamlined access to various photonic chip components, thereby accelerating development processes in quantum, communications, and photonic processing sectors. Central to this innovation is the combination of the new LightCraft platform with Light Trace’s existing LightPort evaluation board. This integrated toolset allows engineers to rapidly prototype and validate new ideas, reducing time to market and enhancing system-level development. Dr. Jake Biele, CEO and co-founder of Light Trace Photonics, orchestrated the funding to further integrated photonics, underlining their commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to the industry. QantX Ventures, having partnered with Light Trace since 2022, recognizes the transformative potential of integrated photonics and the LightCraft platform in advancing photonic integrated circuits.

Sectors

  • Integrated Photonics
  • Venture Capital
  • Technology

Geography

  • United Kingdom – The headquarters of Light Trace Photonics and the involvement of SETsquared, a UK-based incubation program, localize the activity to the UK.

Industry

  • Integrated Photonics – The main focus of the article is on innovations and advancements in integrated photonics, a critical and enabling technology in sectors like quantum computing and communications.
  • Venture Capital – The article discusses a venture capital firm's investment in Light Trace, highlighting the role of venture capital in fostering innovation.
  • Technology – LightTrace operates within the tech sector, particularly in the development of new technology platforms for photonic chip design.

Financials

  • £600,000 – The amount secured in the first investment round by Light Trace Photonics for the development and launch of their new platform, LightCraft.

Participants

NameRoleTypeDescription
Light Trace PhotonicsTargetCompanyLeading innovator in the integrated photonics market, focused on advancing photonic chip design and development.
QantX VenturesInvestorCompanyVenture capital firm that led the investment round, supporting Light Trace's new platform
Dr. Jake BieleCEO and Co-founderPersonCo-founder of Light Trace Photonics, steering the company’s innovation in integrated photonics.
Dr. Harry AlexanderInvestment ManagerPersonInvestment Manager at QantX and SETsquared Bristol Investor in Residence, underscoring the investment potential of Light Trace.
SETsquaredIncubation ProgramCompanyBusiness incubation program that Light Trace joined to scale up their operations and innovation strategies.