Eindhoven-based startup PHOTON IP, specializing in advanced photonic technologies for next-generation optical communications and semiconductor applications, has secured €4.75 million in a seed funding round led by Innovation Industries.
- Established in 2020 by Rui Santos and Geert Appeldoorn, PHOTON IP develops advanced, energy-efficient photonic chips by integrating silicon with optimized III-V materials, enabling high-performance solutions for optical communications, AI-driven data centers, and cutting-edge sensing applications.
“We’re not just advancing integrated photonics — we’re simplifying the manufacturing process for photonic circuits as well, With our advanced optical engines, we’re setting a new performance benchmark and eliminating the barriers to efficiently combine III-V materials with silicon," said Rui Santos, co-founder and CEO of PHOTON IP.
- Since its inception in 2020, the startup has secured over €2 million in European Innovation Council grants and an initial investment from Vigo Ventures in 2021.
Details of the deal
- Innovation Industries, an Amsterdam-based deep tech VC firm, led the seed funding round.
- Faber, a Lisbon-based VC, participated alongside Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij, which manages €500 million in assets, and PhotonDelta, a non-profit organization supporting the photonic chip value chain in the Netherlands.
“We are excited to announce our investment in PhotonIP. By effectively coupling diverse photonic platforms in a mass manufacturable process, the company aims to deliver high performing photonic solutions at volume. We look forward to supporting PHOTON IP as they develop," Investment director at Innovation Industries, Vincent Kamphorst, commented.
- PHOTON IP will use the €4.75 million seed funding to accelerate the commercialization of its technology, expand the team, and advance the development of its first products for low-power optical communications and sensing applications.
