Detection and lasers. Soon native to TFLN.

TFLN is widely recognized as the high-performance platform for next-gen photonic integrated circuits (PICs), offering ultra-fast modulation, sub-1V driving voltages, and low losses. But it has a fundamental gap: it cannot detect or generate light. 

INGENIOUS closes that gap. 

Led by a consortium of leading European and Canadian photonic players, the project will develop a production-grade platform that combines TFLN with InP-based detectors and lasers, integrated at wafer scale using micro-transfer printing (µTP). 

From Top Performance to Complete Platform 

At the heart of INGENIOUS is the goal to turn TFLN into a complete system platform, enabling all key photonic functions (generation, modulation, routing, and detection) on a single die. This eliminates the need for complex, expensive hybrid assemblies and unlocks new levels of scalability for high-speed telecom, datacom, AI, and quantum applications. 

Lightium’s Role: €3.1M Investment in the Core Platform

Supported by Innosuisse, Lightium is leading the platform development, backed by a €3.1 million project budget—the largest single share in the consortium. As the first open-access 200 mm TFLN foundry, Lightium will: 

• Develop the wafer-scale TFLN+InP integration process 

• Expand its production-grade PDK to include active and nonlinear components 

• Provide end-to-end support: design enablement, test, and packaging readiness 

This project reinforces Lightium’s roadmap to deliver sovereign, scalable, and high-performance photonic manufacturing infrastructure in Europe. 

Consortium & Scope 

The INGENIOUS project brings together key players across the full PIC value chain: 

• Foundries & Tech Providers: Lightium AG (CH), Sivers Semiconductors (UK) 

• Design & Tools: Luceda Photonics (BE), Epiphany BV (NL), Optiwave Systems Inc. (CA), CMC Microsystems (CA) 

• Packaging: ALTER TECHNOLOGY TÜV NORD UK Ltd. (UK) 

• End-users & Demo Partners: PICadvanced SA (PT) 

Demonstrators will include real-world applications in telecom and data center interconnects, proving the viability of the new platform for commercial deployment.

ABOUT LIGHTIUM AG 

Lightium AG is a Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry & design services based on its proprietary, production-grade, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution accelerates the photonic breakthroughs of our customers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium empowers the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.  

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

INGENIOUS is supported through the Eureka Xecs cluster (Project No. 2024032) and funded by the national funding agencies of Switzerland (Innosuisse), UK (Innovate UK), Portugal (Agência Nacional de Inovação) and Belgium-Flanders (VLAIO). 

The post European-Canadian Consortium INGENIOUS Secures Funding for € 7.6M Project to Integrate Lasers and Detectors into Next-gen TFLN PICs first appeared on Lightium.

Zurich, Switzerland; Hsinchu, Taiwan; and Boston, USA – Lightium AG, MPI Corporation, and Axiomatic_AI Inc. have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the world’s first Intelligent, Autonomous, and Integrated Test Solution (IAITS) for photonic devices.

This strategic collaboration aims to revolutionize the testing and qualification processes of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) devices by uniting state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, next-generation hardware, and deep domain expertise. The IAITS platform will deliver breakthrough performance in testing workflows, enabling unmatched efficiency, precision, and scalability to meet the ever-evolving demands of the photonics industry.

A Unified Vision for the Future of Photonics Testing

This partnership is driven by a shared commitment to deliver groundbreaking AI-driven and self-optimizing solutions to the photonics industry. By combining Axiomatic_AI’s reasoning-based artificial intelligence with MPI Corporation’s industry-leading wafer probing systems and automation software, and leveraging Lightium AG’s advanced testing infrastructure and deep expertise in ultra-high-speed photonic device measurements, the collaboration aims to bring fully integrated, intelligent photonic integrated circuit (PIC) test solutions to market.

Together, the three companies are creating a unified AI platform that addresses the growing complexity and performance demands of characterizing photonic integrated circuits—unlocking new levels of automation, precision, and scalability for next-generation applications.

Disruptive Value Creation Across Hardware and Human Resources

The Intelligent, Autonomous, and Integrated Test Solution (IAITS) introduces a new paradigm in photonic integrated circuit (PIC) testing, delivering transformative value across both technology infrastructure and human capital.

Key Benefits of IAITS:

• Increased Throughput: By automating complex test routines, minimizing downtime, and optimizing measurement system utilization, IAITS significantly accelerates test cycles and reduces iteration times.
• Enhanced Human Efficiency: The system reduces reliance on manual operation, programming, and debugging—freeing skilled personnel to focus on high-value engineering and strategic innovation tasks.

IAITS will be commercially available as an advanced software add-on package for MPI Corporation’s wafer probing systems. Designed to support both R&D and high-volume production environments, the solution sets a new industry benchmark for efficiency, precision, and scalability, ultimately lowering the total cost of testing and accelerating time-to-market for next-generation PIC devices.

ABOUT LIGHTIUM AG

Lightium AG is a Swiss-based startup specializing in Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) foundry and design services, built on its proprietary, production-grade Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium accelerates customer innovation by delivering unmatched photonic performance, a streamlined and cost-efficient supply chain, and seamless scalability from prototyping to high-volume manufacturing.

As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium plays a pivotal role in enabling next-generation photonic solutions across a diverse range of industries, including telecommunications, data communications, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and space technologies. Further information can be found at: Lightium – Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) Photonic Foundry.

ABOUT MPI CORPORATION

MPI Corporation, headquartered in Taiwan, is a global leader in advanced probe systems and testing solutions for the semiconductor, photonic, and photonic integrated circuit (PIC) industries. The company designs and manufactures high-performance wafer probing systems known for their exceptional precision, automation capabilities, and scalability, empowering cutting-edge testing across research, development, and high-volume production.

MPI’s innovations play a critical role in advancing next-generation technologies in wireless communication, electronics, and photonics. The company is publicly listed on the Taipei Exchange (TAIEX: 6223).

For more information, please visit: About MPI Corporation – Global Semiconductor Testing Leader

ABOUT AXIOMATIC_AI INC.

Axiomatic_AI Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a pioneering startup developing physics-based reasoning artificial intelligence to accelerate innovation and reduce the cost and risk associated with deep-tech development. Its cutting-edge AI technologies are redefining how high-tech industries design, measure, and optimize complex systems—enabling faster, smarter decision-making across R&D and production environments. Learn more at: https://axiomatic-ai.com/mission/

The post Lightium, MPI Corporation, and Axiomatic_AI Announce Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) Device Testing with AI-Driven Solutions first appeared on Lightium.

Breaking the Bottleneck in AI and Data Centers

The demand for AI-driven tools and high-performance computing pushes data centers to their limits. Today’s semiconductor-based transceivers simply can’t keep up—they’re maxing out on speed and power efficiency. This is where Lightium steps in.

Unlike traditional semiconductor-based photonics, TFLN enables ultra-fast, energy-efficient data transmission, dramatically reducing power consumption. Our industrial-scale manufacturing makes it easier, faster, and more cost-effective for companies to integrate next-gen photonic devices.

“Venture Kick is More Than Just Funding”

“Beyond the funding, the real value lies in the visibility and credibility it brings,” said Frédéric Loizeau, our CRO. “Being part of Venture Kick amplifies our presence in the Swiss ecosystem, making us more attractive to top talent, partners, and future opportunities.”

Want to be part of the future of photonics? Let’s connect!

Contact us | Join our team | Follow us on LinkedIn

Picture credit: Severin Novackin

About Lightium

Lightium AG is a pioneering Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry and design services based on its proprietary Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution addresses the complex challenges faced by photonic device manufacturers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium enables the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.

About Venture Kick

Venture Kick kicks spin-off projects out of Swiss university labs by providing up to CHF 150,000 in seed-money, a global network to investors and hands-on coaching. Venture Kick is organized as a fully private and philanthropic foundation with the goal of fostering job creation, and social and economic prosperity in Switzerland. Since 2007, Venture Kick has invested CHF 34.25 million in 755 projects, which today represent 592 companies and more than 8,100 jobs. Startups supported by Venture Kick have raised more than CHF 4.2 billion in investments to date.
In 2021, Venture Kick will pay out CHF 5.5 million to idea-stage startup projects to bring Swiss science to global markets.
www.venturekick.ch/portfolio

The post Lightium Wins Final Stage of Swiss Foundation Venture Kick first appeared on Lightium.

Lightium AG, a Swiss leader in photonic foundry services, and PHIX B.V., a Dutch expert in photonic packaging and assembly, start collaboration on developing cutting-edge packaging solutions for ultra-high-speed photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This partnership combines Lightium’s groundbreaking thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) technology with PHIX’s advanced photonic assembly expertise to tackle key challenges in performance and scalability.

Advancing Integration for An Ultra-High-Speed Future

The collaboration aims to develop ultra-high-speed photonic packaging solutions tailored to Lightium’s electro-optic modulator devices functioning above 110 GHz. Lightium will leverage its proprietary TFLN platform and advanced PIC testing and measurement infrastructure, while PHIX will contribute its expertise in automated assembly and electro-optic packaging design across diverse material platforms.

A Seamless Integration for Lightium’s Customers

Packaging of photonic integrated circuits is considered a major challenge, especially at higher bandwidths. The packaging solutions by PHIX, however, will be made available to Lightium’s customers through an assembly design kit (ADK), removing any packaging effort consideration on their end.

“This partnership underscores Lightium’s commitment to delivering next-generation photonic solutions that meet the demands of high-speed data transmission and energy efficiency,” said Dr. Amir H. Ghadimi, CEO of Lightium AG. “By joining forces with PHIX, we’re ensuring that our PICs not only push the boundaries of performance but also integrate seamlessly into real-world applications.”

Marcel van Veen, Sales Director at PHIX, added, “Our collaboration with Lightium exemplifies how industry partnerships can drive transformative innovation. We’re excited to combine our packaging expertise with Lightium’s cutting-edge technology to create scalable solutions for the industries of tomorrow.”

ABOUT LIGHTIUM AG

Lightium AG is a Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry & design services based on its proprietary, production-grade, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution accelerates the photonic breakthroughs of our customers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium empowers the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.

ABOUT PHIX B.V.

Headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands, PHIX B.V. specializes in photonic assembly and packaging, offering tailored solutions that bridge the gap between R&D and production. PHIX combines engineering expertise with manufacturing excellence to support the global photonics market.

Get in Touch

The post Lightium and PHIX Collaborate to Unlock Seamless Ultra-High-Speed Photonic Packaging first appeared on Lightium.

The rapid rise of AI and products like ChatGPT is leading to skyrocketing volumes of data and unprecedented energy consumption. By 2030, data centers will handle 100x more data and consume up to 10% of the world’s electricity. Their electricity consumption globally is already on par with that of Japan, making them the 5th largest energy-consuming country in the world.  

Data centers fundamentally comprise large clusters of Central Processing Units (CPUs) and Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to accelerate compute-intensive tasks and optical interconnects to transmit data at lightning speed between these processors. While companies like Nvidia have made significant strides in making GPUs more powerful, a critical gap remains in optical interconnects’ data transmission speed and power efficiency. Semiconductor-based interconnects, widely used today, face significant technical challenges beyond 800 Gb/s, falling short of the speeds needed to manage the exponential growth in data.

To overcome these challenges, Lightium offers production-grade TFLN chip foundry services at a commercial scale. TFLN, a glass-like material, enables a significant boost in transmission rates and reduces power consumption.  This means data rates of 1.6 or 3.2 Tb/s for customers while reducing the environmental impact and cost of their ever-growing digital consumption. However, TFLN is one of the most difficult materials to process and has, up to now, been restricted to prototyping in academic and R&D settings. Lightium precisely addresses this challenge with its proprietary manufacturing process geared towards volume production. 

Dr. Amir Ghadimi, CEO of Lightium, said: “Current semiconductor-based technologies that are powering data centers have reached their limits – they cannot run faster or more efficiently. Lightium uses TFLN to solve this problem and we have now developed the manufacturing capability to provide this technology at scale for the industry. What used to be limited to academic and R&D cleanrooms has now become an accessible reality for the industry to adopt.” 
 
Dr. Jakob Lingg, Investment Manager at Vsquared, says:  “Optical communication companies have clear roadmaps for future data transmission and energy requirements. As silicon struggles to meet these demands, there is a strong market pull for alternative materials with superior electro-optical properties. These materials must not only meet strict performance standards but also endure the harsh environments of data centers. TFLN emerges as a promising solution. Vsquared is excited to partner with Lightium, who are leading this innovation with their expertise and ensuring TFLN PICs can be produced at wafer-scale for practical, scalable applications.” 

Steven Jacobs, Lakestar Partner & CPO, says: “As the demand for computing resources continues to surge, data centers and their customers demand better performance and lower costs. By transitioning from silicon photonics, which have reached the physical limits of their material properties, to TFLN, which can scale for the foreseeable future, Lightium enables data centers to increase their speeds 10x or more. At the same time, because of how efficient TFLN is, it can lower data center operating costs, which are primarily tied to energy consumption. This will dramatically benefit data center operators, their customers, and the planet.” 

The versatility of Lightium’s TFLN platform extends its benefits to other applications and markets, such as satellite communication, quantum computing, novel optical computing architectures, and LIDAR applications. This makes its open-access foundry model ideal for meeting diverse technological needs across these sectors. 

Over the next year, Lightium will enhance its manufacturing, design and testing capabilities, optimize its Process Design Kit (PDK), and expand its partnership network to support wide-scale commercialisation. Currently in a closed beta run with strategic partners, Lightium aims to launch its foundry services at the beginning of 2025. The company is actively recruiting talent to help fuel the company’s growth and innovation. 

To learn more about how Lightium’s cutting-edge photonic technology can transform your data infrastructure or to explore partnership opportunities, visit www.lightium.co. 

ABOUT LIGHTIUM AG 

Lightium AG is a Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry & design services based on its proprietary, production-grade, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution accelerates the photonic breakthroughs of our customers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium empowers the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.  www.lightium.co 

ABOUT VSQUARED 

Vsquared Ventures backs bold entrepreneurs engineering groundbreaking technologies addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges to become global leaders. Investing in deep tech companies, Vsquared Ventures focuses on new space, new computing, energy transition, robotics and manufacturing, new computing and sensing, AI and next-gen software and tech-bio. Vsquared Ventures has built one of Europe’s strongest deep tech portfolios, including industry disruptors Isar Aerospace, IQM Quantum Computing, Zama.ai, Customcells, Neura Robotics and The Exploration Company. www.vsquared.vc   

ABOUT LAKESTAR 

Lakestar is one of the leading pan-European venture capital firms. Lakestar’s mission is to find, fund and grow disruptive businesses that are enabled by technology and founded by exceptional entrepreneurs in Europe and beyond. Founded by Klaus Hommels in 2012, Lakestar manages an aggregated volume of over €2bn across four early stage funds and two growth funds. The team actively advises and supports portfolio companies in marketing, recruitment, technology, product development and regulatory insight, accompanying founders from seed to early stage, growth stage or exit. Lakestar currently has the privilege of holding investments in Aleph Alpha, Auterion, Blockchain, Builder.ai, Colossyan, GetYourGuide, HomeToGo, Isar Aerospace, Neko Health, Revolut, sennder and Terra Quantum to name a few. A long-standing champion for Europe’s digital sovereignty, Lakestar has a presence in London, Berlin and Zurich with a team of 40 talented individuals from 18 countries. Visit Lakestar on LinkedIn and the website www.lakestar.com  

The post Lightium Secures $7 Million Seed Funding To Meet Explosion in Data Center Growth Resulting from AI Impact first appeared on Lightium.

Data centres, the backbone of our digital economy, face growing challenges due to skyrocketing data volumes and energy consumption fueled by the rise of AI and large language models like ChatGPT. Lightium’s TFLN platform addresses these issues by dramatically increasing communication bandwidth while substantially reducing power requirements. Lightium’s TFLN platform is poised to set new industry standards with capabilities to support data transmission speeds exceeding 1.6 Tb/s and power consumption rates significantly lower than current technologies.

Lightium will use the InnoSuisse funds to transfer its manufacturing process to a commercial CMOS fab, enabling volume production. This will make Lightium the first production-capable player in Europe for TFLN, securing the continent’s strategic independence for the next generation of photonic devices.

“The support from InnoSuisse is not just a financial boost but a validation of our technology’s pivotal role in shaping the future of data communications and energy efficiency,” says Dr Amir Ghadimi, CEO and Co-Founder of Lightium. “Additionally, the versatile nature of our TFLN platform extends its benefits to other applications and markets such as satellite communication, quantum computing, and LIDAR applications. Our open-access foundry model is ideally suited to meet diverse technological needs across these sectors.”

Looking ahead, Lightium has a clear roadmap for the next nine months. The company will collaborate closely with its partners to optimise its PIC manufacturing process and fine-tune the specifications of its process design kit (PDK), the building blocks library of its platform. This intensive work phase will be followed by a significant milestone- the opening of beta access to its TFLN platform by the end of 2024. This step marks a crucial stage in Lightium’s journey towards commercialisation and underscores its commitment to delivering cutting-edge photonic solutions.

ABOUT LIGHTIUM AG

Lightium AG is a Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry, design, and packaging services based on its proprietary Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution addresses the complex challenges faced by photonic device manufacturers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium enables the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.

The post Lightium Secures Funding To Commercialise Its Photonic Platform Targeting The Data Centre Revolution first appeared on Lightium.

We’ve marked a significant milestone on our journey to transform the future of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) with our Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) platform. Our successful advancement to the next stage in the Venture Kick program validates our growth potential and business model.
The Venture Kick program consists of three stages, offering financial support up to CHF 150’000 and guidance to help startups reach the market. Passing the first stage means we will now benefit from additional funding and access to a network of industry experts and mentors, which will aid in further developing our technology and business operations.
As we move forward with Venture Kick, we are focused on leveraging this invaluable opportunity to expedite our development plans and set the stage for the commercialization of our TFLN platform.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more insights into our journey or directly reach out for a chat.

About Lightium

Lightium AG is a pioneering Swiss startup offering Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) foundry and design services based on its proprietary Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) platform. Lightium’s solution addresses the complex challenges faced by photonic device manufacturers, offering them unmatched photonic performance, a simplified and cost-effective supply chain, and rapid scale-up capabilities from prototyping to large-volume manufacturing. As Europe’s first production-grade TFLN foundry, Lightium enables the next generation of photonic solutions in a wide range of industries, including Telecom, Datacom, Quantum Computing, AI, and Space.

About Venture Kick

Venture Kick kicks spin-off projects out of Swiss university labs by providing up to CHF 150,000 in seed-money, a global network to investors and hands-on coaching. Venture Kick is organized as a fully private and philanthropic foundation with the goal of fostering job creation, and social and economic prosperity in Switzerland. Since 2007, Venture Kick has invested CHF 34.25 million in 755 projects, which today represent 592 companies and more than 8,100 jobs. Startups supported by Venture Kick have raised more than CHF 4.2 billion in investments to date.
In 2021, Venture Kick will pay out CHF 5.5 million to idea-stage startup projects to bring Swiss science to global markets.
www.venturekick.ch/portfolio

The post Lightium Accepted Into Venture Kick Program first appeared on Lightium.