AV wins $240M space long-haul laser communication order September 12, 2025 The systems offer new capabilities for transferring high-bandwidth data in space — enabling the secure exchange of more data at a faster rate across further distances, including LEO, MEO, GEO orbits, and beyond.
Jenoptik invests in expanded optics manufacturing in Jena September 11, 2025 A high-end manufacturing facility for semiconductor optics will be expanded at Jenoptik’s production campus in Jena. The photonics group will invest a sum in the low double-digit million euro range starting at the end of 2025.
TDK launches compact thin-film inductors for optical transceivers September 10, 2025 The new component achieves the highest standard performance for an inductor with 10 μH in 1206 size with TDK’s proprietary metallic magnetic materials and structural designs.
HappyRobot raises $44M to build AI workforce for the real economy September 05, 2025 The US company will use the capital to grow its product engineering, forward-deployed engineering, and go-to-market teams; enhance its platform’s functionality; and continue building the AI workforce.
Honeywell, Stereolabs develop solution for supply chain logistics September 03, 2025 The collaboration will combine Stereolabs’ stereoscopic cameras, which use a vision-based AI perception system to measure the dimensions of products with Honeywell’s SwiftDecoder software — which captures barcode data and other written information — in one innovative mobile solution.
Ranovus invests $100M to expand semiconductor facility in Ottawa September 02, 2025 Canada-based Ranovus is a developer of high-capacity miniaturized optical interconnects, a type of semiconductor that enables faster data transfer between chips using light instead of traditional electrical signals.
Rocket Lab boosts US semiconductor and space investments August 26, 2025 US-based Rocket Lab Corporation plans to expand its domestic investments to increase semiconductor manufacturing capacity and secure the supply chain for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors used in national security space missions.
vivo and Zeiss deepen global imaging partnership August 26, 2025 Smartphone maker vivo and optical technology company Zeiss have renewed and expanded their global imaging partnership to explore new imaging technologies beyond smartphones.
Rocket Lab invests in US national security programs, chipmaking August 25, 2025 Rocket Lab’s capital investments over the next five years are expected to strengthen its market position as a satellite manufacturer, components supplier, and end-to-end mission provider for commercial and national security space missions.
Spaceflux raises €6.2 million to boost space awareness tech August 25, 2025 The new capital will enable the London-based startup to scale its global sensor network, upgrade its flagship Cortex analytics platform and expand commercial delivery of its tracking services to satellite operators, insurers and government agencies worldwide.
OKI develops Tiling crystal film bonding technology August 22, 2025 The Tiling crystal film bonding (CFB) tech developed by Japanese firm OKI allows for 52 repeated tiling operations over the entire surface of a 300 mm silicon wafer using a single 2-inch InP wafer, enabling efficient use of InP-based materials.
Haylo Labs acquires Plessey Semiconductors in £100M UK investment August 20, 2025 Haylo Labs has completed its acquisition of UK-based developer of microLED display technology, Plessey Semiconductors, in a move set to strengthen the UK's position in immersive computing and optical computing.
Indian startup Olee Space secures $3 million in seed funding August 19, 2025 Olee is a photonics and defense tech startup that builds next-generation systems in Free-Space Optical Communication (FSOC), quantum-encrypted networking, and directed energy weapons.
Gixel raises €5M to advance AI and AR wearable tech August 18, 2025 German startup Gixel’s optical engine delivers smartphone-level image quality in a form factor small enough for normal-looking glasses—without the compromises of waveguides. Designed for all-day wear, Gixel’s tech is more power-efficient, scalable and future-proof.
QCi awarded TFLN photonic chip contract by US’s NIST August 18, 2025 Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) has been awarded a contract by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the US Department of Commerce, for the design and fabrication of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
Xanadu partners with DISCO to develop advanced wafer processing August 15, 2025 This partnership focuses on enhancing wafer dicing processes, specialized wafer preparation for heterogeneous integration and assembly, as well as achieving ultra-smooth surfaces through polishing optimization.
Coherent sells aerospace & defence unit to Advent for $400M August 14, 2025 Photonics specialist Coherent has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Aerospace and Defence business to Advent, a private equity investor, for USD 400 million.
EssilorLuxottica acquires A&R to advance ophthalmic manufacturing solutions August 08, 2025 With a track record of innovation — ranging from high-precision machine applications to sophisticated software solutions — Belgium-based Automation & Robotics (A&R) brings deep expertise across the value-chain.
DNP to open first overseas R&D centre in the Netherlands August 07, 2025 Dai Nippon Printing will open its first overseas R&D centre in the Netherlands in September 2025. The new R&D centre will be located at the High Tech Campus Eindhoven (HTCE), and aims to promote global R&D, and accelerate innovation.
Coherent opens first datacom R&D centre in Penang August 06, 2025 US-based photonics manufacturer Coherent has opened its first Datacom R&D centre in Malaysia, expanding its global footprint to advance optical transceiver technologies for AI and cloud computing.
Rigaku launches XTRAIA XD-3300 mass production for chip market August 01, 2025 XTRAIA XD-3300 is capable of performing of direct, non-destructive diffraction measurements of superlattice structures with the highest resolution on microscopic pads on wafers.
Teramount raises $50M to advance optical connectivity solutions for AI July 31, 2025 Israeli company Teramount’s TeraVerse solution is a detachable, serviceable connector that links optical fibers coming from outside the rack to the silicon photonics chips inside Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) systems.
Sivers Semiconductors reports 38% increase in Q2 revenue July 21, 2025 Adjusted EBITDA improved by 32% YoY and 45% YTD while wireless BU revenues grew by 71% YoY, the Swedish company announced.
Cambridge chooses Aixtron tool for next-gen 2D-based photonic devices July 16, 2025 Aixtron’s Close Coupled Showerhead (CCS) system is set in a 200mm configuration and is currently being installed at the Cambridge Graphene Centre to be used for the UK’s Layered Materials Research Foundry (LMRF).
iPronics partners with Ansys to bring reliability to AI workloads July 08, 2025 iPronics integrates Ansys solutions across its core development workflow — from optical layout to packaging and thermal simulations — enabling robust, full-stack design and validation of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that perform reliably despite fabrication variability.
Inission's new factory in Borås is now opened and in full production July 03, 2025 Swedish EMS provider Inission has officially inaugurated its new factory in Borås, Sweden – offering the company 50 % larger production area than previously.
Taiwanese Radiant acquires Finland's Inkron Oy June 26, 2025 Radiant Opto-Electronics is acquiring Finnish advanced optical materials company Inkron Oy from Japan’s Nagase Group for JPY 1.035 billion (EUR 6.12 million).
Poet inks manufacturing deal with NationGate Solutions in Malaysia June 26, 2025 Canadian Poet Technologies has signed a Master Agreement, Module Purchase Agreement and a Deed of Consignment with NationGate Solutions, to manufacture optical engine assemblies for Poet in Penang, Malaysia.
DRDO, IIT Delhi demonstrate free-space quantum secure communication over 1 km June 18, 2025 Free-space Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) eliminates the need to lay optical fibers. The experiment attained a secure key rate of nearly 240 bits per second with a quantum bit error rate of less than 7%.
Neways deepens defense ties with BAE Systems Hägglunds June 12, 2025 Dutch electronics manufacturing services provider Neways has signed a long-term supplier agreement with BAE Systems Hägglunds, solidifying a defence-sector partnership that spans over 15 years.
OKI establishes R&D center in Berlin to advance photonics technology June 10, 2025 OKI has established the OKI Berlin Lab, a new R&D centre focused on photonics technology, in Berlin, Germany. The centre opened on June 1, 2025, to strengthen core capabilities and promote global deployment through open innovation.
Orange completes successful trial of Fujitsu 1FINITY T900 transponder June 09, 2025 Orange found that power consumption of the 1FINITY T900 transponder remained low and constant across all transmission rates, achieving a transport distance of at least 1600 km at 800Gbps with power consumption below 150 Watts.