Vector Photonics has recently secured £1.667 million in equity investment and an additional £1.27 million in research funding to support the ongoing commercialization of its Surface Coupling Laser (SCL) technology. This technology has the potential to revolutionize semiconductor laser manufacturing and improve performance in various applications such as data centers, co-located optics, AI, printing, LiDAR, and optical sensing.
Neil Martin, the CEO of Vector Photonics, expressed his excitement about the successful funding round, bringing the total funding to nearly £3 million. This financial boost will enable the company to further develop and commercialize its innovative surface emitting laser technologies. The equity investment comes from four companies, all of which have previously invested in Vector Photonics: Foresight WAE Technology (FWT) Funds, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), Equity Gap, and Scottish Enterprise.
The additional research funding includes two projects: FRONTIERS, a revenue-generating development project for free-space optics funded by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), and GRAPHICS, an Innovate UK-funded grant in collaboration with the University of Glasgow to develop Gallium Nitride (GaN) material processing expertise. This collaboration could lead to the creation of blue and green lasers that consume significantly less power than equivalent LEDs.
Each of the equity investors specializes in next-generation technology and early-stage investments. FWT Funds, UKI2S, Equity Gap, and Scottish Enterprise all have a focus on supporting high-growth companies with innovative technologies, deep-tech seed funding, angel investments in new technology businesses, and economic development initiatives to help businesses innovate and grow in Scotland.