69 Best Photonics Startups to Watch in 2025

The Definitive Seedtable Ranking of Photonics Startups

We track 71,000+ companies and rank them dynamically using our Seedtable Score – a score that uses quantitative and qualitative data points to signal the momentum behind a company. We then monitor the list manually leveraging our expertise as founders and investors.

There are 148 start-ups with an aggregate funding of $4.9b. The average funding per company in this subset is $71.2m.

Last update to the database: Feb 18, 2025. See changelog.

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Luminar Technologies logo

Luminar Technologies

Luminar Technologies is an Orlando, Florida-based automotive industry company.

9

Funding Rounds

$995.5m

Money raised

Quandela logo

Quandela

Quandela is a Paris-based company developing optical quantum technology integrated into photonic chips.

3

Funding Rounds

$88.0m

Money raised

GenXComm, Inc logo

GenXComm, Inc

GenXComm is an Austin, Texas-based company developing cellular mesh for 4G and 5G networks.

5

Funding Rounds

$29.3m

Money raised

Glowforge logo

Glowforge

Glowforge offers 3D laser printers based on laser cutting and engraving technology that cut, engrave, and shape designs from various materials.

8

Funding Rounds

$113.2m

Money raised

Horizon Quantum Computing logo

Horizon Quantum Computing

Horizon Quantum Computing is a Singapore-based company developing quantum software development tools founded in 2018.

2

Funding Rounds

$3.2m

Money raised

SA Photonics, Inc. logo

SA Photonics, Inc.

SA Photonics specializes in the design and development of advanced photonic systems for military and commercial customers.

10

Funding Rounds

$4.6m

Money raised

ID Quantique (company) logo

ID Quantique (company)

ID Quantique is a company developing quantum cybersecurity products, quantum scientific instrumentation, and quantum random number generation.

1

Funding Rounds

$5.6m

Money raised

PsiQuantum logo

PsiQuantum

PsiQuantum is a company that is building a general-purpose silicon photonic quantum computer.

8

Funding Rounds

$1.2b

Money raised

Salience Labs logo

Salience Labs

Salience Labs is a hybrid photonic-electronic chips maker for AI founded in 2021 by Wolfram Pernice, Vaysh Kewada, Johannes Feldmann and Harish Bhaskaran.

3

Funding Rounds

$23.5m

Money raised

Xanadu logo

Xanadu

Xanadu is a company developing quantum computing and artificial intelligence technologies.

6

Funding Rounds

$137.1m

Money raised

Transcelestial Technologies logo

Transcelestial Technologies

Transcelestial Technologies is a communications company that is creating a space laser network for communication purposes. It is located in Singapore and was founded in 2016.

6

Funding Rounds

$24.9m

Money raised

Formlabs logo

Formlabs

Formlabs is a 3D printing system company that provides digital fabrications for industries

8

Funding Rounds

$267.4m

Money raised

Owl Autonomous Imaging logo

Owl Autonomous Imaging

Owl Autonomous Imaging is a developer of 3D thermal ranging solutions for the industrial and automotive mobility industries.

4

Funding Rounds

$15.0m

Money raised

Luminous Computing logo

Luminous Computing

Luminous Computing is a technology company using photonics to improve the data processing capabilities of artificial intelligence models by attempting to create a supercomputer on a chip.

4

Funding Rounds

$123.0m

Money raised

Atom Computing logo

Atom Computing

Atom Computing Inc. manufactures scalable quantum computers out of individual atoms.

3

Funding Rounds

$81.0m

Money raised

QuiX logo

QuiX

QuiX is a company that makes a room temperature photonic quantum processor based on silicon nitride waveguides.

1

Funding Rounds

Quantum Xchange logo

Quantum Xchange

Quantum Xchange is a quantum fiber network that is based in the United States. It uses photons of light to physically transfer a shared secret between two entities.

3

Funding Rounds

$37.0m

Money raised

KETS Quantum Security logo

KETS Quantum Security

Company developing optical communications hardware for strong digital encryption.

1

Funding Rounds

$4.4m

Money raised

Alpine Quantum Technologies logo

Alpine Quantum Technologies

A quantum computing company using ion trap technology to develop commercial quantum computers.

3

Funding Rounds

$34.8m

Money raised

ORCA Computing logo

ORCA Computing

A company developing a scalable and modular quantum computer powered by photonics.

3

Funding Rounds

$30.0m

Money raised

UbiQD logo

UbiQD

UbiQD is a New Mexico-based company developing and manufacturing semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots for research applications.

8

Funding Rounds

$20.6m

Money raised

LyteLoop logo

LyteLoop

LyteLoop is a Great Neck, New York-based photonic data storage company using fiber optics to store large quantities of data.

1

Funding Rounds

$40.0m

Money raised

QD Laser, Inc logo

QD Laser, Inc

QD Laser, Inc. is a company that produces and distributes laser semiconductor devices.

8

Funding Rounds

$59.8m

Money raised

Sense Photonics logo

Sense Photonics

Sense Photonics is a company building LiDAR and 3D sensor solutions for autonomous vehicles, industrial robotics, material handling, activity monitoring, and other applications.

5

Funding Rounds

$48.3m

Money raised

Photodigm logo

Photodigm

Photodigm Inc.is a company that produces laser diodes for precision applications.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.5m

Money raised

Rockley Photonics Inc. logo

Rockley Photonics Inc.

Rockley Photonoics develops silicon photonics for applications that include including data center connectivity, autonomous vehicles and medical sensing

6

Funding Rounds

$249.0m

Money raised

SpectraSensors logo

SpectraSensors

SpectraSensors is an Houston-based company founded in 1999.

3

Funding Rounds

$26.0m

Money raised

Oewaves Inc. logo

Oewaves Inc.

Oewaves Inc. is a company founded in 2000 by Lute Maleki.

1

Funding Rounds

$15.0m

Money raised

CAILabs logo

CAILabs

Cailabs is a developer of light shaping for manufacturing photonic products for telecommunications, free-space transmission, industrial lasers, and local area networks.

7

Funding Rounds

$25.9m

Money raised

Convergent Dental logo

Convergent Dental

Convergent Dental is a dental equipment and technology company.

6

Funding Rounds

$87.5m

Money raised

LaserMotive logo

LaserMotive

LaserMotive develops optical power beaming-based systems to to deliver power wirelessly and minimize energy loss in transfer.

5

Funding Rounds

$2.7m

Money raised

Qubitekk logo

Qubitekk

Qubitekk is a company that is making quantum technologies for scientists, engineers, and developers.

4

Funding Rounds

$4.3m

Money raised

Hesaitech logo

Hesaitech

Hesai Technology develops smart sensing technology solutions and manufactures laser sensors for LiDARs.

9

Funding Rounds

$601.2m

Money raised

Bridger Photonics, Inc. logo

Bridger Photonics, Inc.

Bridger Photonics, Inc. is a Bozeman, Montana-based company founded in 2006.

1

Funding Rounds

Reflex Photonics logo

Reflex Photonics

Reflex Photonics is a developer of rugged high-speed optical transceiver modules and parallel embedded optics products for space, defense, commercial aerospace, and industrial applications.

2

Funding Rounds

$5.5m

Money raised

M Squared Lasers logo

M Squared Lasers

M Squared Lasers explores, develops and manufactures next-generation lasers and photonic instruments that bring new capabilities, higher reliability and greater ease of use to a diverse range of industrial and scientific applications. The core team ...

4

Funding Rounds

$13.9m

Money raised

Pranalytica, Inc. logo

Pranalytica, Inc.

Pranalytica, Inc. is a company that designs and manufactures high powered midwave Infrared and longwave Infrared Quantum Cascade Lasers.

4

Funding Rounds

$3.2m

Money raised

Oxxius SA logo

Oxxius SA

Oxxius develops and manufactures the DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers) and Laser Diode Modules in the visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelength ranges. Oxxius's products have applications in the life-sciences, analytics, research and manufacturing markets. Its products have diagnostic applications in Fluorescence imaging DNA analysis, sequencing Confocal and 3D Microscopy, STED Flow imaging cytometry, Optogenetics and Ophthalmology. The industrial applications of its products include Material curing, hardening, Laser marking, Reprographics, Food quality control, Laser display, and entertainment.

4

Funding Rounds

$14.1m

Money raised

Andritz Powerlase Ltd. logo

Andritz Powerlase Ltd.

Andritz Powerlase Ltd. is a company developing high power, high energy lasers for industrial applications primarily related to materials processing.

2

Funding Rounds

$9.9m

Money raised

Applied Spectra, Inc logo

Applied Spectra, Inc

Applied Spectra, Inc is a company founded in 2004 by Jong Hyun Yoo.

2

Funding Rounds

$1.2m

Money raised

Nordic Quantum Computing Group logo

Nordic Quantum Computing Group

A research and development company in quantum technologies and nanotechnology. The four core areas NQCG focuses on are Quantum Information Technology, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence Technology and Ontology Learning and Evolution.

1

Funding Rounds

Spatial Photonics logo

Spatial Photonics

Spatial Photonics is a Sunnyvale, California-based company.

3

Funding Rounds

$49.3m

Money raised

Envisics logo

Envisics

Augmented reality head-up displays (AR-HUDs) and automotive sensor systems.

2

Funding Rounds

$100.0m

Money raised

Innolume logo

Innolume

Innolume is a technology company that develops microchips.

3

Funding Rounds

$26.7m

Money raised

Single Quantum logo

Single Quantum

Single Quantum is a company making optical imaging and telecommunication systems founded in 2012 by Sander Dorenbos.

1

Funding Rounds

$60.2k

Money raised

Diagnostic Photonics logo

Diagnostic Photonics

Diagnostic Photonics develops medical imaging technologies for the healthcare market.

8

Funding Rounds

$11.2m

Money raised

Eolite Systems, SAS logo

Eolite Systems, SAS

Eolite Systems, SAS is a subsidiary of ESI which specialises in Laser manufacturing processes

1

Funding Rounds

SLD Laser logo

SLD Laser

SLD Laser is a Goleta, California-based electronics manufacturing company founded in 2013.

2

Funding Rounds

$4.5m

Money raised

Pantec Biosolutions AG logo

Pantec Biosolutions AG

Pantec Biosolutions AG develops drug delivery solutions for a variety of medical applications.

1

Funding Rounds

$6.9m

Money raised

Makeblock logo

Makeblock

Makeblock is a Shenzhen-based company offering a do-it-yourself robot kit for young learners founded by Jasen Wang.

3

Funding Rounds

$36.0m

Money raised

Scintil Photonics logo

Scintil Photonics

SCINTIL Photonics develops and markets Heterogenous Silicon Photonics IC for high speed data communication and 3D sensing

4

Funding Rounds

$38.1m

Money raised

Laserax Inc. logo

Laserax Inc.

Laserax Inc. develops, produces and integrates laser marking, texturing and cleaning solutions for a variety of industries.

3

Funding Rounds

$12.1m

Money raised

Hypermemo logo

Hypermemo

Hypermo developed a laser-based tool for glass processing.

6

Funding Rounds

$1.6m

Money raised

Shenzhen Raybow Optoelectronics logo

Shenzhen Raybow Optoelectronics

Shenzhen Raybow Optoelectronics is a China-based technology company that manufactures high-power semiconductor laser products.

1

Funding Rounds

$9.5m

Money raised

Ranovus logo

Ranovus

Ranovus is a company that delivers an innovative high-capacity interconnect solutions RANOVUS.

6

Funding Rounds

$70.0m

Money raised

Laser Light Engines logo

Laser Light Engines

Laser Light Engines is a New Hampshire, US-based company that focuses on the development and manufacture of laser-based light engines.

13

Funding Rounds

$39.7m

Money raised

GME Medical Engineering logo

GME Medical Engineering

German-based developers and marketers of laser and light systems used in dermatological applications

2

Funding Rounds

$2.3m

Money raised

Eblana Photonics Ltd. logo

Eblana Photonics Ltd.

Eblana Photonics Ltd. is a photonics company located in Dublin, Ireland.

2

Funding Rounds

$601.4k

Money raised

Multiphoton Optics GmbH logo

Multiphoton Optics GmbH

Multiphoton Optics GmbH is a company founded by Markus Riester.

3

Funding Rounds

Sheaumann Laser, Inc. logo

Sheaumann Laser, Inc.

Sheaumann Laser, Inc. is a vertically integrated, US-based company that designs and manufactures semiconductor lasers.

1

Funding Rounds

$2.3m

Money raised

EFFECT Photonics B.V. logo

EFFECT Photonics B.V.

EFFECT Photonics B.V. is a photonics company making communication products.

4

Funding Rounds

$2.9m

Money raised

Alcon logo

Alcon

Manufacturer of innovative medicines and devices for comprehensive eye care.

3

Funding Rounds

$24.9m

Money raised

LASERHUB logo

LASERHUB

Industrial procurement platform for custom made metal parts

2

Funding Rounds

FYLA logo

FYLA

Laser technology company providing proprietary solutions for high-end industrial applications.

1

Funding Rounds

$85.9k

Money raised

Poietis logo

Poietis

Poietis is a biotechnology company that specializes in the design and development of regenerative medicine therapies.

2

Funding Rounds

$6.0m

Money raised

Lumetrics, Inc. logo

Lumetrics, Inc.

Lumetrics develops and produces precision thickness measurement and optical inspection systems for a variety of industries.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.3m

Money raised

Lumics GmbH logo

Lumics GmbH

Lumics GmbH designs and produces diode lasers for the medical, scientific and industrial fields.

2

Funding Rounds

$9.9m

Money raised

Pilot Photonics logo

Pilot Photonics

Pilot Photonics is a company that provides photonic integrated circuit solutions .

2

Funding Rounds

$1.3m

Money raised

Spectronix logo

Spectronix

Spectronix is a company founded in 2004 by George Okada.

4

Funding Rounds

$16.7m

Money raised