Altechna

We’ve been analyzing the latest investments in the photonics industry and can sum it up: different sectors are flourishing and funds are rising. 📈 Here are a few of the latest investments worth noticing: 🔵 Recently, Lightmatter has raised $400 million to support the growing demand for photonic chip infrastructure in the AI space, with an IPO on the horizon as well. This investment affirms the industry's impact on AI development. 🖥️ 🔵 Further on, Xscape Photonics Inc, a startup using silicon photonics to support the next generation of AI data centers closed a $44 million deal. Silicon photonics is one of the emerging sectors here–worth keeping an eye on! 📊 🔵 Finally, the European Union 🇪🇺 announced that it will invest $142 million in pilot production facilities for photonic semiconductors in the Netherlands as part of the plan for setting up high-end semiconductor production throughout Europe. The investment is related to the EU's goal of reaching a 20% market share in the semiconductor industry. These are only a few recent industry investments showing that photonics holds great strategic importance in various fields. We can’t wait to show what 2025 will bring for Altechna and the photonics industry! Sources: 1 - https://lnkd.in/efsTraBa 2 - https://lnkd.in/dAJAbFHP 3 - https://lnkd.in/dvPBKN9T

Can Europe stay ahead in the photonics industry? The answer is yes. ✨ We just need to step up our game once more and collectively improve knowledge management and optimize capital and human resources. In a recent interview with the Lithuanian media platform Verslo žinios, the head of LitCapital Šarūnas Šiugžda discussed this and other matters ranging from Altechna’s expansion in the US to aspects of how Donald Trump’s victory could affect the market. While the outcomes of the US election might shake it up, Šiugžda noted that internal fragmentation is an underlying issue that Europe must overcome, and should embrace cooperation instead. Meanwhile, Altechna is pushing it forward. The recent acquisition of Alpine Research Optics was successful, and new plans are in place to expand and grow in the American market as well. "In Europe, consolidated finances will indicate growth. The turnover will be €22-23 million this year and should reach €25 million in 2025,” Šiugžda said in the interview. “A lot will also depend on how we complete another acquisition in the US." You can access the full interview in Lithuanian by clicking the link in the comments!

Can Europe keep up in the photonics race? A recent study from Photonics21 provided an interesting overview of the current situation. While China is emerging as a leader in the photonics industry, Europe might need to catch up, which requires a global strategy. In the past 20 years, China’s global market share in photonics has surged from 10% to more than 30%, while the shares Europe and the US hold have shrunk. How was China able to expand its market shares that much? China’s financial backbone is made up of local governments and investment institutions. These unique clusters are expected to gather up to €5 billion for photonics innovations in the next several years. Alongside the regional clusters, China's photonics industry's growth heavily relies on industrial development plans like the 'National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund', now entering its third phase with a €39 billion budget. These strategic investments drive China to become a leader in the photonics and semiconductor industries, clearly signaling to Europe and the US that it’s time to act now. “Europe must increase its funding for photonics innovations to keep up with China. The industry is strong, but we must keep pushing forward, constantly, to avoid losing our position. Strategic investments are crucial for photonics, as it’s an ever-growing industry holding a lot of importance now and in the future. And neither the private sector nor public entities should substitute each other–investments from both of these are key for European photonic innovations,” said our CEO Antanas Laurutis. Click the link in the comments to find out more!

Check out our article, published at Electronics Media, which discusses the current state of quantum computing and the pivotal role the laser industry plays in it. 🖥️ Our CEO, Antanas Laurutis, has provided valuable insights on the growing investments in the quantum field and the laser industry’s role in quantum tech. “Now we can already see the power quantum technologies hold. Everyone will want to implement them and investors shouldn’t overlook that, as quantum tech will be able to optimize manufacturing, logistics, finance, and many other fields”, said Antanas. Read the full article by following the link in the comments!

We’re happy to see academia advancing tech, especially when it involves breaking records in the photonics industry! 🥇 Recently a team of researchers at ETH Zürich have developed a 550 watts average power laser that can produce extremely short pulses with peak powers up to 100 megawatts. They surpassed the previous record by more than 50%, which makes the strongest pulse ever created by a laser oscillator. As researchers mentioned in their announcement, these 100 megawatts would be enough to power 100,000 vacuum cleaners for a short time! The breakthrough was made possible with the help of special mirror arrangements made of semiconductor material. These advancements have the potential to enhance precision in measurements and materials processing, highly benefiting science and industry. This achievement proves laser oscillators to be a feasible alternative to amplifier-based laser systems, enabling new and more precise measurements. Read to learn more by following the link in the comments.

As AI grows, so does the role of photonics in data centers. 🤖 Microsoft recently partnered to repurpose a nuclear plant to power its data centers [1], and Intel Corporation integrated its Photonics Solutions into its Data Center AI Division [2]. Both moves show the future of data centers will depend on photonics and AI. Key points: ▸ Energy efficiency: AI’s massive bandwidth demands call for ultra-fast, energy-efficient data transfer (1.6-3.2 Tbit/s) without more power consumption. Silicon photonics can achieve this [3] ▸ Photonics in AI: Intel’s restructuring highlights the importance of photonics in handling AI workloads, using light to transmit data. ▸ Business Impact: AI businesses must care. Photonics cuts costs and energy use, offering an eco-friendly solution that investors will appreciate [4]. Why should businesses invest now? Data centers are energy-hungry, and with stricter ESG regulations ahead, integrating photonics is vital to stay competitive. More info: [1] https://lnkd.in/e6N65_DB [2] https://lnkd.in/dDUSXSuR [3] https://lnkd.in/dHF8ybh8 [4] https://lnkd.in/dhzWpdzu

This is a special Monday for us and the whole industry… International Day of Photonics is here! 🎉 October 21 was not selected randomly–on this day, in 1983, the General Conference on Weights and Measures adopted value for the speed of light. So today, we would like to begin by saying congratulations and thank you–to everyone who is working in the industry, to the ones who are pushing the boundaries of photonics, to researchers, engineers, and each and every one! The science of light interconnects all of us with the technology we use, daily. If we wanted to give a recap of how many things have happened in the field this year, we couldn’t fit it in a LinkedIn post! Photonic-related technologies are growing faster than ever. They find their place in every sector–such as health, manufacturing, agriculture, food, communication, transportation, and, probably, most of the other industries. And we are proud to be a part of it!

Photonics has long been a catalyst in many industries, and now it’s shifting the scales through intelligent photonics - a field encompassing deep learning, metaphotonics, holography, and quantum photonics. Let’s get to know how sectors from telecommunications to healthcare might change because of these innovations [1]! 👀 Businesses are keeping an eye on very, very small things An example of metaphotonics – a subset of photonics that centers on manipulating light through nanostructures – can provide many benefits for businesses. They are constantly seeking smaller, more efficient devices, and metaphotonics can be the best answer. For example, telecommunications companies can now develop way faster data transmission systems without increasing device size. In healthcare, portable, photonics-driven diagnostic tools could improve patient care by making devices 10 times more accurate. The potential of this field can be showcased by the global metaphotonics market’s growth, stimulated by the progress in AI, quantum computing, and general photonics. In 2023, the photonics market reached $921 billion, and it's expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030 [2]. Companies that see how important R&D is in their operations can become leaders in producing compact, high-performance devices. 📈 What does it tell us about the future? As companies continue miniaturizing quantum systems, metaphotonics will make communication technologies more secure and speed up data processing.  Imagine a world where quantum encryption protects confidential business data and it cannot be intercepted or hacked. Yes, we’re talking about the technology that was once only visible in science fiction movies, slowly becoming a reality. As metaphotonics develop, industries like finance and healthcare will see impenetrable protection levels [3]. ❗️Intelligent photonics does not come without challenges One of the challenges in metaphotonics is that manufacturing intricate nanostructures requires high-performance devices. Fabricating these tiny components at scale is not easy, but progress in nanomaterials and processing techniques can make it possible. For example, new AI-driven approaches to nanostructure fabrication help to cut costs and deal with complexity, which allows businesses to produce photonics-based products more efficiently [4]. Another issue is the integration of metaphotonic devices into existing optical systems. It is a big challenge for industries that rely on traditional optical technologies. However, scalable and cost-effective production techniques are already developed and they will help metaphotonics to be integrated into current manufacturing workflows. Solutions like AI-guided manufacturing processes help companies overcome these issues and make transitions to new tech more smooth. Sources: [1] https://shorturl.at/2muRJ [2] https://shorturl.at/GqMz0 [3] https://shorturl.at/4lggy [4] https://shorturl.at/OaNa9

There’s one specific thing that caught our attention on the news recently – the world’s first laser-driven neutron source (LDRS) for industrial use! 🏭 Non-destructive testing has been a challenge for companies that inspect infrastructure, from bridges to shipping containers. Traditional inspection methods rely on massive particle accelerators to generate neutron beams, which is not practical and is costly for many industries. It can also alter and damage examined objects. Last week, Focused Energy [1] announced a joint project that led to the development of the world’s first LDRS for industrial use! Why is it significant, you may wonder? First of all, it is a compact and cost-effective solution to do inspection [2]. Previously, particle accelerators were the only solution for such testing, but their large size and high operating costs made them inaccessible for many practical applications. LDRS technology is powered by lasers, and it has a smaller, more flexible system, which can be used in places where conventional methods do not work efficiently. If the tech is adopted, it will present new possibilities for industries that require detailed inspections non-destructively. How does it work in more detail? LDRS uses laser technology which produces high-energy neutron beams that can penetrate dense materials. The beams generate a clear "X-ray-like" view of complex structures. Companies can apply the method directly to large components or tightly sealed containers in a noninvasive way. But most importantly, such advancements will lead to novel use cases for businesses in various industries. Let’s take transportation, construction, or shipping industries, where LDRS could provide practical benefits. These industries can employ the technology to inspect large infrastructure projects such as bridges or pipelines to guarantee safety and structural integrity with no need for high expenditures or time-consuming disruptions. In logistics, it will help to check shipping containers for hazardous or illegal contents without opening or damaging them. References: [1] https://lnkd.in/dfFfpeir  [2] https://lnkd.in/dPs4g34H

Antanas Laurutis, our CEO, shared his insights on how photonics benefits the health sector and diagnostics in Lithuanian media, and it’s here for you to read! 🩺 It was published by the country’s national broadcaster, LRT. The article explores how the photonics industry is shifting patient medical diagnostics. It is highlighted that the laser industry has a huge impact on diagnosing cancer and by extension ensuring that patients get treatment sooner rather than later. “As you may know, patients with cancer may not afford such luxury as waiting for weeks and months and need to be treated before the cancer spreads. Saving time on detection equals saving the lives of cancer patients. This will become more evident when photonics is globally adopted soon,” Laurutis said. Follow the link in the comments to find out more about photonics and medical diagnostics!