Effect Photonics raises $37M to develop single-chip coherent optics

12 Mar 2021

First close of its Series C round, co-led by Smile Invest and existing investor Innovation Industries.

Effect Photonics has this week announced the $37M (€31M) first close of its Series C funding round, co-led by Smile Invest together with existing investor Innovation Industries Fund, exactly one year after announcing the tape-out of its Manta full photonic integration coherent PIC (photonic integrated circuit).

Smile Invest is joined in backing the Eindhoven, Netherlands-based firm, by existing investors including Innovation Industries Fund, Photon Delta, btov Partners, Brabant Development Agency, and individual investors.

Effect develops optical transceivers that “bring core network performance to the network edge,” the company states, through the integration of all the optical functions on to a single PIC, combined with a low cost, non-hermetic packaging.

James Regan, CEO, commented, “With our disruptive technology, we have already enabled DWDM in high-capacity 5G Radio Access Networks through our low-cost autotuning SFP+ modules, which are deployed around the world.

‘Scaling existing production’

“This funding and our partnership with our investors will allow us to take the next leap forward, bringing even higher capacity coherent products to the network edges, as well as scaling existing production.”

Tim Koene, Effect’s CTO, explained, “Conventional coherent approaches require external narrow-linewidth tunable lasers and amplification, wasting light and adding cost, space and power consumption.

“Already demonstrated to key customers, the non-hermetic Manta prototypes integrate all of these functions on a single chip, bringing a revolution in low electrical power consumption together with high optical output power and small form factor to enable the next generation of edge network capacity.”

Bart Cauberghe, Managing Partner at Smile Invest, said, “We see in Effect Photonics a company with unique technology, with a team that has shown that they can also convert this into innovative products for a fast-growing market.

“In that respect, the company fits perfectly in the activities of Smile Invest, given our focus on innovative, ambitious companies that have the potential to become the market leader in their segment.”

Nard Sintenie, General Partner at existing investor Innovation Industries, added, “What Effect Photonics has developed is a real platform technology, with which new products can rapidly be launched. We are pleased to continue to support the company and see great potential for the future.”