Light Trace Secures £600k to Revolutionise Photonic Chip
Design with Rapid-Development LightCraft Platform
Bristol, UK November 2024 – Light Trace Photonics, a leading innovator in the integrated photonics industry, is thrilled to announce the successful close of its first investment round, securing £600,000, led by QantX Ventures. This capital injection will drive the development and launch of LightCraft, a cutting-edge photonic chip component access platform aimed at accelerating product development for companies in the quantum, communications, and photonic processing sectors.
LightCraft offers customers unprecedented access to a comprehensive library of tried-and-tested photonic chip components and subsystems, streamlining the design process and significantly reducing time-to-market. Building upon the foundation laid by Light Trace Photonics’ existing hardware product, the LightPort—a photonic chip component evaluation board for rapid prototyping and training—LightCraft represents the next evolution in enabling technology, empowering engineers and companies to develop new photonic products faster and more efficiently.
Combining the LightCraft platform with the LightPort evaluation board:
- Allows engineers to evaluate and test concepts quickly, using pre-existing chips, before committing to fabrication;
- Empowers companies and engineers to demonstrate the superior capabilities of integrated photonics to key stakeholders quickly and more efficiently; and
- Frees up resources for system-level development, expediting product launch.
When asked about the impact LightCraft will have, a leading UK quantum computing startup said:
“For companies like ours, having access to ready-made, proven components drastically cuts development time and costs. It’s a game-changer that will fast-track innovation and speed up our time to market.”
The LightCraft platform is currently in development, but customers can already access our foundational library of silicon nitride components, developed and validated by the Light Trace team for Applied Nanotool’s rapid prototyping photonic chip fabrication service. To access these components, and to learn more about how LightCraft can help expedite your photonic chip development, contact us through our website: www.ltphotonics.co.uk.
Dr Jake Biele, CEO of Light Trace Photonics, believes LightCraft will mark a turning point in the development of integrated photonics:
“The LightCraft platform, in combination with the LightPort, gives businesses the tools to push the boundaries of what’s possible with integrated photonics. Customers can bring their ideas to life quickly and effectively, driven by the expertise of the Light Trace team.
At Light Trace, we don’t just design—we build. This hands-on approach provides us with unique insights into the intricacies of photonic chip development, insights that we share with our customers to help fuel their success.”
Dr Harry Alexander, Investment Manager at QantX, is clear about the potential of integrated photonics and why QantX was keen to invest in Light Trace Photonics:
“Photonics is a critical and enabling sector for our modern society, with new complex photonic integrated circuits (PICs) representing a paradigm shift in the form and functionality of devices. Having worked with Light Trace since 2022, we’re excited to back them in delivering LightCraft, a novel platform to enable rapid PIC development.”
Light Trace’s growth journey has been supported by Innovate UK Business Growth, with guidance on IP, marketing and business strategy. Jake adds, “I think the support saved us more than a year in terms of finessing our story and being able to go on and win more resources to build the company.”
Visit www.ltphotonics.co.uk to learn more about how LightCraft can streamline your photonic chip design process and support your product development.
