Optics

EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of high performance DWDM optical components based on its optical System-on-Chip, today announced the completion of its series-B funding round led by Innovation Industries.

The funding round accelerates the ramp of its tunable SFP production line and the development of future technologies. EFFECT Photonics addresses the need for low-cost, wavelength-tunable optical transceivers with industrial temperature specification to be deployed within the next generation 5G mobile infrastructure. The global market demand for optical transceivers is expected to grow to $12bn by 2023, from $6bn in 2017 (Lightcounting, 2018).

5G mobile or fifth-generation wireless communication will enable interconnectivity with many different devices such as:
– HD-streaming smartphones
– Driverless and intelligence assisted vehicles
– HD and ‘always on’ security cameras
– Augmented and Virtual Reality (A/VR)

This in turn will accelerate the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) interconnecting computing devices and machines without the need for human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. The number of connected devices in 2017 was 20.35bn (worth over $1bn annually) and is expected to rise to 51.1bn connected devices by 2023 (Statista 2018).

James Regan, CEO at EFFECT Photonics commented, “We are experiencing now in photonics what we saw in the electronics integration revolution last century. There the birth of the Integrated Circuit enabled the mass deployment of powerful solutions. At EFFECT Photonics we integrate all of the optical functions into a single chip and combine it with low-cost, non-hermetic packaging and automatic tuning. Thus DWDM, the proven solution for core and metro networks, is now simple, cost-effective and scalable enough for 5G infrastructure rollouts around the world”.
Boudewijn Docter, CTO added, “This funding also allows us to really push forward with our next-generation technology programme to bring even more powerful optical systems to the edges of the network”.

Nard Sintenie, Partner at Innovation Industries commented, “We are delighted to be a part of EFFECT Photonics who are at the forefront of developing optical transceivers with its photonic integrated circuits targeted at high growth markets such as 5G and fuelling the adoption of IoT enabled devices”.

About Innovation Industries
Innovation Industries is an independent venture capital fund that combines company-building and venture investment under one roof. Innovation Industries uses a market-driven approach to create long-term value in high technology start-up and scale-up companies. Our partnerships with all Dutch technical universities (Eindhoven, Twente, Delft and Wageningen) and applied research institutes (TNO) provide us with unparalleled access to knowledge and technologies. Innovation Industries has currently invested in ventures which are active in the nano- and microtechnology, semiconductor, food and agrotechnology, and medical technology fields. For further information about the portfolio companies please visit: https://www.innovationindustries.com/companies.
The Innovation Industries Fund is supported by private and institutional investors such as PME and InnovFin Equity. InnovFin Equity with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing.

For further information please contact:
Nard Sintenie
ns@innovationindustries.com
+316 10 01 10 72

About EFFECT Photonics
EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of high performance DWDM optical components based on its optical System-on-Chip technology. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, the birthplace of Philips, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide.

For further information please contact:
press@effectphotonics.com