# New Photonics Startups Founded Since 2020: Market Map 2026 (48 Companies) > 48 photonics startups founded in 2020 or later, mapped in 5 segments, best-funded first: $2.4B raised. Updated nightly. Source: https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/new-photonics-startups-market-map (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article) ## Lasers 17 - [Focused Energy](https://millionrounds.com/company/focused-energy) - [Xcimer Energy](https://millionrounds.com/company/xcimer-energy) - [Laser Link](https://millionrounds.com/company/laser-link) - [Monarch Quantum](https://millionrounds.com/company/monarch-quantum) - [*HC* Huachen Core Light](https://millionrounds.com/company/huachen-core-light) - [AWOL Vision](https://millionrounds.com/company/awol-vision) - [Ray studios](https://millionrounds.com/company/ray-studios) - [Overview Energy](https://millionrounds.com/company/overview-energy) - [Light Links, Inc.](https://millionrounds.com/company/light-links-inc) - [Sentinel Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/sentinel-photonics) - [Point Laz](https://millionrounds.com/company/point-laz) - [SunCubes](https://millionrounds.com/company/suncubes) - [NudgeLabs](https://millionrounds.com/company/nudgelabs) - [Lucky Punch](https://millionrounds.com/company/lucky-punch) - [microphoton x](https://millionrounds.com/company/microphoton-x) - [Quantum Qool](https://millionrounds.com/company/quantum-qool) - [WeedBot](https://millionrounds.com/company/weedbot) ## Optical computing and interconnects 10 - [Lumilens](https://millionrounds.com/company/lumilens) - [Celestial AI](https://millionrounds.com/company/celestial-ai) - [Black Semiconductor](https://millionrounds.com/company/black-semiconductor) - [Neurophos](https://millionrounds.com/company/neurophos) - [OpenLight](https://millionrounds.com/company/openlight) - [nEye.ai](https://millionrounds.com/company/neye-ai) - [Zero Point Motion](https://millionrounds.com/company/zero-point-motion) - [Lightspeed Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/lightspeed-photonics) - [Aylight](https://millionrounds.com/company/aylight) - [Photonect Interconnect Solutions](https://millionrounds.com/company/photonect-interconnect-solutions) ## Lidar and sensing 10 - [Living Optics](https://millionrounds.com/company/living-optics) - [NUVIEW](https://millionrounds.com/company/nuview) - [AI Optics](https://millionrounds.com/company/ai-optics) - [AIRMO](https://millionrounds.com/company/airmo) - [Solidvue](https://millionrounds.com/company/solidvue) - [Siloton](https://millionrounds.com/company/siloton) - [Singular Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/singular-photonics) - [SteerLight](https://millionrounds.com/company/steerlight) - [Northern Light Microscopy](https://millionrounds.com/company/northern-light-microscopy) - [Sensible Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/sensible-photonics) ## Quantum photonics 8 - [EleQtron](https://millionrounds.com/company/eleqtron) - [planqc](https://millionrounds.com/company/planqc) - [Quanfluence](https://millionrounds.com/company/quanfluence) - [Pixel Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/pixel-photonics) - [Wave Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/wave-photonics) - [Photon Queue](https://millionrounds.com/company/photon-queue) - [QC82](https://millionrounds.com/company/qc82) - [Viqthor](https://millionrounds.com/company/viqthor) ## Optical components 3 - [Relativity Networks](https://millionrounds.com/company/relativity-networks) - [Uviquity](https://millionrounds.com/company/uviquity) - [CCRAFT](https://millionrounds.com/company/ccraft) ## Segment by segment ### Lasers 17 startups · $592M raised - [**Focused Energy**](https://millionrounds.com/company/focused-energy) Focused Energy is a German-American deep-tech startup founded in 2021, specializing in laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Germany $280M - [**Xcimer Energy**](https://millionrounds.com/company/xcimer-energy) Xcimer Energy is an inertial fusion company offering laser-driven fusion to provide cheap, abundant, and carbon-free energy. United States $100M - [**Laser Link**](https://millionrounds.com/company/laser-link) Laser Link is a laser communication company that focuses on development of precision optical-mechanical products for commercial aircraft. - $73M - [**Monarch Quantum**](https://millionrounds.com/company/monarch-quantum) Monarch Quantum, Inc. United States $55M - [*HC* **Huachen Core Light**](https://millionrounds.com/company/huachen-core-light) Huachen Core Light is a semiconductor technology company that produces and manufactures optical communications and laser chips. - $28M - [**AWOL Vision**](https://millionrounds.com/company/awol-vision) AWOL Vision produces 4K ultra-short-throw laser projectors, projection screens, and home cinema accessories. United States $15M - [**Ray studios**](https://millionrounds.com/company/ray-studios) Ray Studios is a medical company focused exclusively on laser tattoo removal, with clinics in Paris, Lyon, Brussels, and Barcelona. France $12M - [**Overview Energy**](https://millionrounds.com/company/overview-energy) Overview Energy is an aerospace startup based in Ashburn, Virginia, founded in 2022. United States $12M ### Optical computing and interconnects 10 startups · $1.5B raised - [**Lumilens**](https://millionrounds.com/company/lumilens) Lumilens addresses the red hot market for AI data center infrastructure by designing, manufacturing and selling photonic interconn United States $709M - [**Celestial AI**](https://millionrounds.com/company/celestial-ai) Celestial AI is a semiconductor and AI infrastructure company specializing in optical interconnect technology for data centers and United States $250M - [**Black Semiconductor**](https://millionrounds.com/company/black-semiconductor) Black Semiconductor is a German startup based in Aachen, specializing in semiconductor technology. Germany $247M - [**Neurophos**](https://millionrounds.com/company/neurophos) Neurophos Inc. United States $110M - [**OpenLight**](https://millionrounds.com/company/openlight) OpenLight is a silicon photonics company based in Goleta, California, specializing in the design and manufacture of custom Photoni United States $84M - [**nEye.ai**](https://millionrounds.com/company/neye-ai) We are nEye.ai, an optical switch startup founded in 2020 to revolutionize the future of data centers. United States $80M - [**Zero Point Motion**](https://millionrounds.com/company/zero-point-motion) Zero Point Motion is a deep-tech startup based in Bristol, UK, founded in 2020. United Kingdom $13M - [**Lightspeed Photonics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/lightspeed-photonics) LightSpeed Photonics is a Singapore-based fabless semiconductor company founded in 2021. Singapore $6.5M ### Lidar and sensing 10 startups · $111M raised - [**Living Optics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/living-optics) Living Optics is a private deep-tech company founded in 2020, specializing in the development and manufacturing of affordable, por United Kingdom $61M - [**NUVIEW**](https://millionrounds.com/company/nuview) NUVIEW is building the world's first commercial LiDAR satellite constellation. United States $17M - [**AI Optics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/ai-optics) AI Optics is a New York-based medical device and digital health company that focuses on enhancing retinal disease screening throug United States $15M - [**AIRMO**](https://millionrounds.com/company/airmo) AIRMO GmbH is a German startup founded in 2022, specializing in climate-tech and space-tech solutions. Germany $5.8M - [**Solidvue**](https://millionrounds.com/company/solidvue) With our slogan ‘Toward Solid-State LiDAR,' we are dedicated to commercializing LiDAR sensors using semiconductor-based technology. South Korea $3.8M - [**Siloton**](https://millionrounds.com/company/siloton) Siloton specialises in miniaturised optical technology for medical imaging, using quantum photonic chips and OCT to detect and mon United Kingdom $2.7M - [**Singular Photonics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/singular-photonics) Singular Photonics is a fabless semiconductor company based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. United Kingdom $2.2M - [**SteerLight**](https://millionrounds.com/company/steerlight) Steerlight develops a new generation of LiDARs, that are key three-dimensional vision optical sensors to ensure safety and efficie France $2.2M ### Quantum photonics 8 startups · $129M raised - [**EleQtron**](https://millionrounds.com/company/eleqtron) eleQtron GmbH, founded in 2020, is a pioneering German start-up focused on developing and operating trapped-ion quantum computers. Germany $67M - [**planqc**](https://millionrounds.com/company/planqc) planqc is a Munich-based quantum computing startup founded in 2022, emerging as the first spin-off from the Max Planck Institute o Germany $33M - [**Quanfluence**](https://millionrounds.com/company/quanfluence) Quanfluence is a Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup founded in 2021, specializing in photonic quantum computing systems and quantum India $12M - [**Pixel Photonics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/pixel-photonics) Pixel Photonics manufactures scalable single-photon detectors for applications like secure quantum communication. Germany $5.7M - [**Wave Photonics**](https://millionrounds.com/company/wave-photonics) Wave Photonics is a deep-tech startup based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, founded in 2021. United Kingdom $5.7M - [**Photon Queue**](https://millionrounds.com/company/photon-queue) Photon Queue is a quantum hardware startup founded in 2025, emerging from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. United States $4.0M - [**QC82**](https://millionrounds.com/company/qc82) QC82 is a quantum computing startup based in College Park, Maryland, founded in 2020. United States $1.5M - [**Viqthor**](https://millionrounds.com/company/viqthor) VIQTHOR is a French high-technology company specializing in quantum computing infrastructure. France $1.1M ### Optical components 3 startups · $40M raised - [**Relativity Networks**](https://millionrounds.com/company/relativity-networks) Relativity Networks is a telecommunications company based in Orlando, Florida, founded in 2023. United States $23M - [**Uviquity**](https://millionrounds.com/company/uviquity) Uviquity is a deep-tech photonics company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. United States $9.1M - [**CCRAFT**](https://millionrounds.com/company/ccraft) CCRAFT is a Swiss-based photonic chip foundry that specializes in industrial-scale thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonic integ Switzerland $7.8M **How this map is made.** Every startup here has raised money in rounds we track, and was founded in 2020 or later. It joins the map when its sectors, read from its rounds, or the opening of its own description say it works in photonics, and goes to the first segment whose words it carries. Each segment shows its best-funded first. Rebuilt nightly; updated 15 November 2026. ## More market maps [All maps](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps) [Market map **Photonics market map** 280 startups · 6 segments · $11B](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-market-map)[Investors map **Who invests in photonics** 107 investors · 7 segments](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-investors-map)[Raised in 2026 **Photonics startups that raised in 2026** 57 startups · 5 segments · $2.7B](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-raised-2026-market-map)[Market map · United States **Photonics market map: United States** 116 startups · 5 segments · $7.8B](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-united-states-market-map)[Market map · Europe **Photonics market map: Europe** 96 startups · 5 segments · $1.9B](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-europe-market-map)[Market map · United Kingdom **Photonics market map: United Kingdom** 34 startups · 4 segments · $449M](https://millionrounds.com/market-maps/photonics-united-kingdom-market-map) ## Who backs photonics? 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