Enschede, the Netherlands-based SuperLight Photonics, a spin-off from the University of Twente, announced on Thursday that it has secured undisclosed funding in a seed funding round.
The round was led by Dutch Deep Tech investor DeepTechXL in collaboration with Oost NL.
SuperLight Photonics says it will use the funds to develop its platform technology into unique products and (sub)systems.
Dr. Haider Zia, CTO of SuperLight Photonics, says, “We are delighted with our two new investors, both active within the Dutch photonics ecosystem. Their deep knowledge and extensive networks, both nationally and internationally, are an invaluable addition. They support the continued development of new knowledge within our photonics applications, emphasizing our commitment to technological advancement.”
SuperLight Photonics: Developing a wideband laser
Founded by Haider Zia, SuperLight Photonics is developing a wideband laser that can serve as a ‘light source’ in various measurement and detection applications.
Zia was previously a researcher at the University of Twente, and specialised in integrated and nonlinear optics.
Unlike existing laser technology, SuperLight Photonics can use colours in light to transmit information.
This technology has numerous potential applications in various sectors, including medical applications in spectrometry, OCT, precision farming and crop monitoring, surface inspection, and pollution detection.
Cees Links, CEO of SuperLight Photonics, says, “Our mission is to leverage our platform technology with active support from our investors. We aim for a swift market entry, relying on the robust photonics ecosystem in the Netherlands and Twente.”
“In the coming years, SuperLight Photonics is poised for significant growth, market establishment, and further scaling. We eagerly anticipate market responses to our upcoming product launches at the PIC Summit Europe photonics event on November 7th and 8th in Eindhoven,” adds Links.
The Investor
DeepTechXL was launched in 2022 with ASML, Philips, pension fund PME, Invest-NL, Brabantse OntwikkelingsMaatschappij (BOM), TNO, and various family offices.
DeepTechXL has invested in six potentially groundbreaking portfolio companies. They are InPhocal, Alphabeats, Gilbert, Keiron, Sandgrain, and Delft Circuits, all of which aim to have a significant societal impact.
DeepTechXL follows a life cycle approach, supporting entrepreneurs and innovative companies from seed to follow-on investments (Series A/B/C), ultimately charting the best strategic path for the company after 5 to 10 years.
Ron Maurer, partner at DeepTechXL, says, “DeepTechXL is thrilled to invest in further developing SuperLight Photonics’ platform technology and actively supporting CEO Cees Links and founder Haider Zia, in collaboration with Oost NL. The unique technology aligns with our goals of achieving societal objectives such as faster, more cost-effective data generation and disease detection. In the long run, it could also contribute to more energy-efficient data exchange.”
