The number of venture-backed optical component startups has exploded. The Optical Component Startup Tracker identifies these companies and clarifies their value propositions.
Since many of these companies are in stealth mode, this tracker relies on the limited information available, either publicly or via conversations with the companies. Entries will be updated regularly as better information is available. Feedback is always appreciated – you can reach us at https://cignal.ai/contact.
| Company Name | Value Proposition |
| Aloe Semiconductor | Dual polarization of PAM4 optics to double fiber capacity without increasing baud rate |
| AttoTude | Low power connectivity inside the datacenter |
| Avicena | Arrays of micro LEDs for low power, massively parallel chip-to-chip optical interconnect |
| Ayar Labs | On-board optical interconnect engine chiplet and multi-wavelength light source for AI node bandwidth interconnect |
| Bright Silicon Technologies | Optical circuit switch company with unique MEMS technology |
| Celero Communications | Stealth startup, likely focused on coherent DSPs |
| Celestial AI | Optical chip-to-chip and chip-to-memory connectivity |
| Drut | Datacenter disaggregation via PCIe cards, MEMS switching, and coordination software |
| DustPhotonics | Silicon photonics for low-power, high speed optical interconnects |
| Effect Photonics | 100ZR DSP and highly integrated tunable laser assembly |
| Hyperlight | Thin film lithium niobate modulators |
| iPronics | Optical circuit switching using silicon photonics |
| Lessengers | Optical interconnect solution using direct optical wiring |
| Lightmatter | Photonic computing platform |
| Lucidean | Stealth startup apparently working on coherent modulation |
| Lumiphase | Barium titanate and silicon photonics |
| Mixx | Stealth startup developing silicon photonics for AI interconnectivity |
| Newphotonics | Optical signal equalization for LPO and other PIC products |
| nEye Systems | Optical switching on a silicon chip |
| Nubis Communications | 3D optical interconnect for inside the AI node or CPO applications |
| OpenLight | Silicon Photonics PDKs for integration into manufacturing |
| Oriole Networks | Stealth startup working on low-power AI optical interconnects |
| Phanofi | Stealth startup working on PIC designs for coherent solutions |
| PhotonicX AI | Stealth startup working on scalable optical interconnect technologies |
| Pilot Photonics | Comb laser-based PICs |
| POET Technologies | Optical layer interposers for easier integration of light sources, modulators, and other optical functions into chip packaging |
| Point2 | Mixed-Signal SoCs for low power and low latency AECs and Active RF Cables (ARCs) by using RF transmission over plastic dielectric waveguides (technically not optics, but optics adjacent). |
| Ranovus | Quantum dot lasers and silicon photonics for AI optical interconnects |
| Retym | Stealth startup working on optical DSPs |
| Scintil Photonics | Integrating II-Vs with SiPho at wafer scale for hybrid PICs |
| Sicoya (Dawn) | Silicon photonics startup, now a part of Dawn Semiconductor |
| Skorpios Technologies | Integrating II-Vs with SiPho at wafer scale for hybrid PICs |
| TeraSignal | Analog electronics to provide active feedback (electrical) for LPO |
| Xscape Photonics | Programmable comb laser for WDM integration into AI fabrics |
Description and brief analysis of each company follows:
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