Radar · Photonics in California
Best Photonics Companies in California, United States
The 179 best Photonics companies in California, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Lumentum.
By Riya SenguptaFinancials
179companies tracked
$10.4Bdisclosed funding
2unicorns
96have raised
Ranked: Best Photonics companies in California
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lumentum Manufacturer of lasers and optical communication products 82Market top 22%Fin. health top 24%Funding top 26%Partners top 31% All 9 signals ▾Markettop 22% Fin. healthtop 24% Fundingtop 26% Partnerstop 31% Newstop 33% Techtop 35% Globaltop 44% Growthtop 50% Moatbottom 38% Market: 7,500 employees (top 5% of Telecom) · Revenue ~$1.6B Fin. health: Revenue ~$1.6B (FY2012) · Net margin 7.8% rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 82/100 | $2.9B | 3 mo ago | 7,500 | 2015 | — | — | 1 expansion |
| 2 | PsiQuantum 🦄 Developer of photon-based universal quantum computers 92Patents top 9%Funding top 13%Innovation top 16%Moat top 22% All 12 signals ▾Patentstop 9% Fundingtop 13% Innovationtop 16% Moattop 22% Newstop 26% Growthtop 27% AItop 28% Talenttop 30% Markettop 35% Partnerstop 41% Techtop 45% Globaltop 50% Patents: 889 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 691 filings since 2022 vs 198 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $1.3B across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 7 yrs (0.9/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 92/100 | $1.3B | 9 mo ago | 213 | 2015 | Mark Thompson Co-Founder & CTO | 889 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | 1 launch |
| 3 | Aeva Provider of LiDAR-based sensors for autonomous vehicles 69Patents top 14%Funding top 22%Innovation top 32%Product top 35% All 12 signals ▾Patentstop 14% Fundingtop 22% Innovationtop 32% Producttop 35% Moattop 35% Growthtop 37% Talenttop 38% Techtop 40% Markettop 45% Fin. healthtop 48% Globalbottom 44% Newsbottom 25% Patents: 433 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 375 filings since 2022 vs 58 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $560M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 9 yrs (0.4/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 69/100 | $560M | 10 mo ago | 306 306 → 307 (+0%) · sector median +13% | 2016 | Mina Rezk Co-Founder | 433 patents High-resolution FMCW LiDAR with integrated optical power balancing and fiber-tip scanning. | 1 launch · 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 4 | Calient Innovating photonic optical circuit switching solutions for high-bandwidth, flexible networks | $464M | 82 mo ago | 10 | 1999 | Arjun Gupta Chief Executive Officer | 51 patents MEMS optical switching and micro‑mirror arrays with precision motion control | — |
| 5 | Celestial AI Developer of optical interconnect technology for artificial intelligence infrastructure systems 83Funding top 21%Innovation top 25%Growth top 25%Patents top 25% All 12 signals ▾Fundingtop 21% Innovationtop 25% Growthtop 25% Patentstop 25% Moattop 26% Newstop 27% AItop 30% Talenttop 38% Partnerstop 40% Techtop 44% Markettop 48% Globalbottom 39% Funding: Raised $370M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 5 yrs (1.2/yr) Innovation: 190 patents (top 25% of patent-holders) · 190 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 83/100 | $370M | 15 mo ago | 100 | 2020 | Preet Virk Co-Founder | 190 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | — |
| 6 | Nvidia Developer of hardware and software solutions for artificial intelligence computing | $295M | 36 mo ago | 29,600 29,600 → 50,264 (+70%) · sector median +13% | 1993 | — | 17,098 patents GPU-accelerated AI computing and advanced liquid cooling solutions for data centers | 2 partnerships |
| 7 | Rockley Photonics Manufacturer of AI, cloud, and silicon-based photonics for high-speed networks | $290M | 44 mo ago | 230 | 2013 | — | — | — |
| 8 | SoloPower Provider of flexible thin-film photovoltaic cells | $273M | 164 mo ago | 24 | 2005 | — | 248 patents Thin‑film photovoltaic manufacturing, roll‑to‑roll processing, and building‑integrated solar modules | — |
| 9 | NeoPhotonics Manufacturer of diversified lasers | $268M | 116 mo ago | 217 | 1997 | — | 250 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 10 | Source Photonics Manufacturer of optical transceivers, components, and subsystems for data and telecommunications | $230M | 30 mo ago | 4,000 | 2007 | — | 56 patents Integrated photonic components for optical communication: modulators, transmitters, phase shifters, WDM systems | — |
| 11 | Ayar Labs 🦄 Developer of optical interconnect solutions for artificial intelligence infrastructure applications 87Funding top 16%Patents top 17%Moat top 22%Talent top 22% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 16% Patentstop 17% Moattop 22% Talenttop 22% Innovationtop 23% Newstop 29% Growthtop 30% Techtop 33% Markettop 45% AItop 45% Globalbottom 42% Funding: Raised $216M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 10 yrs (1.0/yr) Patents: 375 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 289 filings since 2022 vs 86 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 87/100 | $216M | 3 mo ago | 102 102 → 249 (+144%) · sector median +13% | 2015 | Rajeev Ram Co-Founder | 375 patents Silicon photonic integration for high‑speed optical I/O, WDM links, and on‑chip optical power delivery | 1 launch · 2 partnerships · 1 award |
| 12 | Velodyne Lidar Provider of LiDAR-based sensors for autonomous vehicles | $200M | 52 mo ago | 365 365 → 372 (+2%) · sector median +13% | 1983 | David Hall Founder & CEO | 416 patents Advanced 3D lidar sensing, signal processing, and APD protection for autonomous systems | 2 launchs · 1 partnership |
| 13 | Glo-USA Nanotechnology based LED technology provider | $161M | 105 mo ago | 18 | 2003 | — | — | — |
| 14 | Quanergy Com Provider of AI-driven LiDAR sensing solutions | $160M | 74 mo ago | 126 | 2012 | Enzo Signore Co-Founder & CEO | — | — |
| 15 | Luxtera Manufacturer of transceivers for optical communication | $153M | 147 mo ago | 133 | 2001 | — | 606 patents Silicon photonic interposers and high‑speed optical components for data‑center links | — |
| 16 | nEye Provider of integrated silicon photonic switch for AI computing 55Funding top 17%Talent top 28%AI top 30%Moat top 40% All 7 signals ▾Fundingtop 17% Talenttop 28% AItop 30% Moattop 40% Globalbottom 45% Techbottom 36% Marketbottom 35% Funding: Raised $149M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 55/100 | $149M | 2 mo ago | — | 2020 | Kyungmok Kwon Co-Founder | — | — |
| 17 | Terawave Communications Provides GPON based products | $143M | 278 mo ago | — | 1998 | Ray Lin CEO | — | — |
| 18 | Luminus Devices Manufacturer of LEDs, power semiconductors, and lasers for various applications | $132M | 158 mo ago | 4 | 2002 | — | 309 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | 5 job openings · 2 launchs |
| 19 | WaveSplitter Technologies Optical networking equipment provider | $113M | 203 mo ago | 6 | 1996 | Sheau Sheng Chen CEO | 4 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 20 | Capella Photonics Developer of switching elements for active optical networks | $102M | 100 mo ago | 25 | 2000 | Larry Schwerin President and CEO | 83 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 21 | Atom Computing Developer of quantum computers using arrays of optically-trapped neutral atoms | $101M | 20 mo ago | 40 | 2018 | Jonathan King Co-Founder | 100 patents Neutral atom quantum computing hardware: atom array assembly, beam control, and error correction | 2 partnerships |
| 22 | Xponent Photonics Surface Mount Photonics components | $90M | 230 mo ago | 3 | 2000 | — | 70 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 23 | Santur Corporation Manufacturer of device & laser technologies for communication network | $89M | 202 mo ago | 40 | 2000 | — | 10 patents Integrated tunable DFB laser arrays with MEMS RF switching and fiber coupling control | — |
| 24 | Matisse Networks optical burst switching solutions | $80M | 225 mo ago | 12 | 2002 | Sam Mathan Chairman & CEO | — | — |
| 25 | SiLC Technologies Provider of 4D vision sensing solutions 42Funding top 27%Moat top 39%Growth top 45%Tech top 49% All 7 signals ▾Fundingtop 27% Moattop 39% Growthtop 45% Techtop 49% Marketbottom 40% Globalbottom 38% Newsbottom 22% Funding: Raised $78.6M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 6 yrs (0.7/yr) Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 7/10 · 9 curated direct competitors tracked rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 42/100 | $79M | 21 mo ago | 55 | 2018 | — | — | 2 launchs |
| 26 | Inphi Provider of high-speed analog semiconductors | $79M | 73 mo ago | 474 | 2000 | — | 937 patents Integrated silicon photonics components: lasers, modulators, detectors, couplers, polarization splitters. | — |
| 27 | Monarch Quantum Manufacturer of integrated photonics systems for quantum computing, sensing, and communication 35Funding top 32%Talent top 38%Tech top 50%Global bottom 48% All 5 signals ▾Fundingtop 32% Talenttop 38% Techtop 50% Globalbottom 48% Marketbottom 31% Funding: Raised $76.0M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 35/100 | $76M | 3 mo ago | — | 2025 | Tim Day Chairman & CEO | — | 1 partnership |
| 28 | KAIAM Corporation Transceivers and advanced PLCs for fiber optic communications | $75M | 140 mo ago | 112 | 2008 | — | 64 patents Integrated MEMS-based photonic interconnects with on-chip optical alignment and modulation | — |
| 29 | TiBit Communications Global leader in high-speed connectivity, networking systems, software, and services | $69M | 47 mo ago | 47 | 2014 | — | — | — |
| 30 | Sense Photonics Developer of solid-state LiDAR-based sensors | $66M | 78 mo ago | 85 | 2016 | Shauna McIntyre CEO | 213 patents Advanced LiDAR and photon‑counting sensor technologies for high‑resolution ranging | — |
| 31 | Onetta Optical amplifier modules and susbsystems provider | $62M | 303 mo ago | — | 2000 | Greg Dougherty CEO | — | — |
| 32 | AEye Platform offering artificial intelligence and cloud enabled solutions | $62M | 57 mo ago | 131 131 → 88 (-33%) · sector median +13% | 2013 | Luis Dussan Co-Founder | 216 patents Advanced adaptive lidar sensing, calibration, and optical communication for autonomous perception | — |
| 33 | Redfern Integrated Optics Developer and manufacturer of lasers, optical sources and subsystems | $41M | 135 mo ago | — | 2004 | Andrew Lewis CEO | — | — |
| 34 | Kotura Manufacturer of interconnects | $39M | 197 mo ago | 75 | 2004 | — | 148 patents Integrated planar photonic sensors and waveguide‑based optical devices for broadband detection | — |
| 35 | Expedera Provider of AI accelerators | $38M | 27 mo ago | 13 | 2018 | Sharad Chole Co-Founder | 48 patents Hardware-accelerated neural network and matrix processing for image warping and scalable ML. | 1 award |
| 36 | Lumitron Technologies Developer of see-through imaging systems for application in the medical industry | $34M | 73 mo ago | 37 37 → 65 (+76%) · sector median +13% | 2018 | — | — | — |
| 37 | Avicena Developer of microLED interconnects for high-bandwidth communication in AI data centers | $33M | 13 mo ago | 38 | 2019 | Bardia Pezeshki Founder & CEO | 55 patents Dermatological formulations and neuro‑metabolic therapies for skin and cognitive disorders | — |
| 38 | Lyncean Tech Provider of imaging systems using local synchrotron X-ray source | $27M | 54 mo ago | 39 | 2002 | — | — | — |
| 39 | Sigray Fluorescence spectroscopy based molecule analysis solution | $27M | 16 mo ago | 58 | 2013 | Wenbing Yun Founder & CEO | 193 patents Advanced X-ray imaging, microfocus sources, and wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy instrumentation | 1 job opening |
| 40 | Si-Ware Systems Global deep-tech innovation company that delivers ready-to-deploy products and custom-developed solutions | $20M | 41 mo ago | 145 | 2004 | Bassam Saadany Co-Founder & CTO | — | 1 launch |
| 41 | Praevium Research Developer of photonic integrated circuits and opto-electronic devices 19Funding top 35%Talent bottom 49%Tech bottom 47%Global bottom 32% All 5 signals ▾Fundingtop 35% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 47% Globalbottom 32% Marketbottom 23% Funding: Raised $17.6M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 23 yrs (0.4/yr) Talent: 1 named leader on record · 1 C-suite/founder profile curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 19/100 | $18M | 11 mo ago | 13 | 2001 | Vijaysekhar Jayaraman Founder | — | — |
| 42 | Intelligent Fiber Optic Systems Photonic sensing and computing solutions for diverse industries 10Funding top 37%Talent bottom 45%Global bottom 29%Market bottom 13% All 4 signals ▾Fundingtop 37% Talentbottom 45% Globalbottom 29% Marketbottom 13% Funding: Raised $17.1M across 22 rounds · 22 rounds over 18 yrs (1.2/yr) Talent: 1 named leader on record rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 10/100 | $17M | 13 mo ago | 6 | 2001 | Behzad Moslehi Founder & CEO | — | — |
| 43 | Green Valley International Provider of LiDAR-based offerings for mapping and photogrammetry | $15M | 41 mo ago | 8 | 2016 | — | — | 2 launchs · 1 partnership |
| 44 | Lumileds Manufacturer of LEDs, LED modules, and related lighting system solutions | $15M | 16 mo ago | 450 | 1999 | Steve Barlow CEO | 3,532 patents High‑efficiency LED lighting modules and automotive headlamp optics with advanced packaging | 1 launch |
| 45 | Quintessent Developer of optical connectivity solutions for scaling computing and artificial intelligence | $12M | 26 mo ago | 24 24 → 23 (-4%) · sector median +13% | 2019 | Alan Liu CEO | 31 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 46 | Spectra7 Manufacturer of thinner optical semiconductor interconnects for display devices | $11M | 24 mo ago | 24 | 2010 | — | — | — |
| 47 | NEye Systems Specializes in silicon photonic MEMS switches | $11M | 33 mo ago | — | 2020 | — | — | — |
| 48 | Bright Silicon Technologies Developer of chip-scale light steering solutions for optical switching 48Patents top 38%Innovation top 45%Funding top 48%Talent bottom 45% All 5 signals ▾Patentstop 38% Innovationtop 45% Fundingtop 48% Talentbottom 45% Globalbottom 33% Patents: 20 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 20 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 Innovation: 20 patents (top 70% of patent-holders) · 20 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 48/100 | $4M | 3 mo ago | — | 2020 | Jeffrey Lang Chief Executive Officer | 20 patents Advanced optical phased‑array steering, alignment, and flexure bearing technologies for high‑performance photonics | 1 launch · 1 award |
| 49 | Redondo Optics Developer of optical sensors | $754K | 13 mo ago | — | 2002 | Edgar Mendoza Founder & CEO | — | — |
| 50 | Applied Spectra Provider of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopic instruments | $608K | 15 mo ago | 21 21 → 26 (+24%) · sector median +13% | 2004 | — | — | — |
Top 12 Photonics companies in California
#1
Public · Milpitas, California · founded 2015 · 7500 employees$2.9Braised▾
Public · Milpitas, California · founded 2015 · 7500 employees
Manufacturer of lasers and optical communication products. Its product portfolio includes components for optical communication, commercial lasers, and diode lasers. The component of optical communication includes DWDM, transceivers, SDN element, ROADMs, amplifiers, passive components, pump lasers, and submarine components. Its portfolio of commercial lasers includes Q-Switched lasers and low-power CW lasers. It also offers edge-emitting diode lasers, fiber-coupled diode lasers, and VCSELs.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 82how this company ranks against its industry peers
Market
top 22%Fin. health
top 24%Funding
top 26%Partners
top 31%News
top 33%Tech
top 35%Market: 7,500 employees (top 5% of Telecom) · Revenue ~$1.6B · Top-5,000,000 web property
Fin. health: Revenue ~$1.6B (FY2012) · Net margin 7.8% · Revenue +21% YoY
Funding: Raised $2.9B across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 7 yrs (0.3/yr) · Last round Post IPO (Mar 2026)
Audience (LinkedIn): 86k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 expansions announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Post IPO$2B
- Dec 2019Post IPO$900M
Investors
Nvidia, Cottonwood Technology Fund
Tech stack
Amazon AlbAmazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailBugherdCloudflare
#2
Series E · San Jose, California · founded 2015 · 102 employees$216.5Mraised▾
Series E · San Jose, California · founded 2015 · 102 employees
Developer of optical interconnect solutions for artificial intelligence infrastructure applications. The company provides optical I/O chiplets and light sources for enhanced bandwidth and power efficiency. These solutions aim to improve the performance and scalability of AI and high-performance computing systems. The company's products are intended for use in data centers and other advanced technology applications.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 87how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 16%Patents
top 17%Moat
top 22%Talent
top 22%Innovation
top 23%News
top 29%Funding: Raised $216M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 10 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series E (Mar 2026)
Patents: 375 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 289 filings since 2022 vs 86 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 8/10 · IP moat: 375 patents · Unicorn
Audience (LinkedIn): 30k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 2 partnerships · 1 awards (incl. NVIDIA) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series E$500M
- Dec 2024Series D$155M
- May 2023Series C$25M
- Apr 2022Series C$130M
Founders & team
Investors
Lockheed Martin, GF, Founders Fund, Intel Education Accelerator, Playground Global, VentureTech Alliance
Tech stack
Alpine.JsApple Icloud MailCdnjsCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCloudflare Browser Insights
#3
Series E · Palo Alto, California · founded 2015 · 213 employees$1.3Braised▾
Series E · Palo Alto, California · founded 2015 · 213 employees
Developer of photon-based universal quantum computers. It uses photonic technology to develop error-corrected general-purpose quantum computers. It has applications in drug discovery, personalized medicine, artificial intelligence, and materials sciences.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 92how this company ranks against its industry peers
Patents
top 9%Funding
top 13%Innovation
top 16%Moat
top 22%News
top 26%Growth
top 27%Patents: 889 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 691 filings since 2022 vs 198 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Funding: Raised $1.3B across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 7 yrs (0.9/yr) · Last round Series E (Sep 2025)
Innovation: 889 patents (top 1% of patent-holders) · 691 filings since 2022 vs 198 in 2017-21 · Deep-tech classification: Tech Hardware
Audience (LinkedIn): 85k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Sep 2025Series E$1B
- May 2025Series E$22M
- Apr 2024Series E$614.1M
- Apr 2024Conventional Debt—
Founders & team
Investors
M12, Atomico, Founders Fund, Redpoint Ventures, BlackRock, Playground Global
Tech stack
Amazon Web ServicesAngularApple Icloud MailCart FunctionalityCdnjsCloudflare
#4
Series C · Emeryville, California · founded 2020$148.5Mraised▾
Series C · Emeryville, California · founded 2020
Provider of integrated silicon photonic switch for AI computing. It is designed to support data center infrastructure, for AI, machine learning, and high-performance computing systems. Its product, the SuperSwitch, is a fully integrated silicon photonic switch that addresses critical communication bottlenecks in data centers by enabling direct optical connections among multiple GPUs and memory units.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 55how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 17%Talent
top 28%AI
top 30%Moat
top 40%Global
bottom 45%Tech
bottom 36%Funding: Raised $149M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series C (Apr 2026)
Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated
AI: Classified as an AI company · Product described with: machine learning
Funding rounds
- Apr 2026Series C$80M
- Apr 2025Series B$58M
- Aug 2023Series A$10.5M
Founders & team
Investors
CapitalG, M12, Micron, Nvidia, Socratic Partners, Tianjin TEDA Technology Investment
Tech stack
CloudflareGoogle Font ApiGoogle Hosted LibrariesGsapHstsHttp/3
#5
Series C · San Diego, California · founded 2025$76Mraised▾
Series C · San Diego, California · founded 2025
Manufacturer of integrated photonics systems for quantum computing, sensing, and communication. The company provides modular platforms integrating lasers, modulators, detectors, fiber optics, and control systems. These systems enable state preparation, measurement, cooling, trapping, manipulation, and coherent control of quantum states. The company aims to accelerate development cycles for quantum technology.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 35how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 32%Talent
top 38%Tech
top 50%Global
bottom 48%Market
bottom 31%Funding: Raised $76.0M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) · Last round Series C (Mar 2026)
Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Tech: 24 technologies across 4/8 capability areas · Cloud: Fastly · Devops: Nginx, Varnish
Audience (LinkedIn): 6k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 partnerships (incl. Infleqtion) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series C$55M
- Dec 2025Series B$21M
Founders & team
Investors
Serendipity Capital, 55North, Global Innovation Labs
Tech stack
Core-JsFastlyGodaddyGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerGravity Forms
#6
Public · Mountain View, California · founded 2016 · 306 employees$560Mraised▾
Public · Mountain View, California · founded 2016 · 306 employees
Provider of LiDAR-based sensors for autonomous vehicles. It produces sensors with camera-grade precision that can identify reflectivity, velocity, and length and produces lidar technology solutions for autonomous machine designs and perception sensing technology. It also provides perception software incorporated in customized LiDAR-on-chips. Its features comprise object categorization, localization, risk detection, real-time monitoring, and road boundary recognition.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 69how this company ranks against its industry peers
Patents
top 14%Funding
top 22%Innovation
top 32%Product
top 35%Moat
top 35%Growth
top 37%Patents: 433 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 375 filings since 2022 vs 58 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Funding: Raised $560M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 9 yrs (0.4/yr) · Last round Post IPO (Jul 2025)
Innovation: 433 patents (top 16% of patent-holders) · 375 filings since 2022 vs 58 in 2017-21 · 1 new-product event in 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 51k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 partnerships · 1 awards (incl. Aeva) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Jul 2025Post IPO$50M
- Jan 2021Post IPO$200M
- Dec 2019Series A—
- Oct 2018Series A$45M
Founders & team
Investors
Porsche Se, Sylebra Capital, Lux Capital, Canaan, LG Innotek, Next47
Tech stack
Acquia Cloud PlatformAcquia Cloud Site FactoryAdobe AnalyticsAdobe Experience Platform Identity ServiceAdobe Experience Platform LaunchAhrefs
#7
Acquired · Santa Clara, California · founded 2020 · 100 employees$370Mraised▾
Acquired · Santa Clara, California · founded 2020 · 100 employees
Developer of optical interconnect technology for artificial intelligence infrastructure systems. The company’s technology aims to improve artificial intelligence system performance through optical interconnectivity. It focuses on enabling efficient scaling of artificial intelligence to advance progress in various fields. The company’s platform is designed for integration into next-generation artificial intelligence systems.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 83how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 21%Innovation
top 25%Growth
top 25%Patents
top 25%Moat
top 26%News
top 27%Funding: Raised $370M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 5 yrs (1.2/yr) · Last round Series C (Feb 2025)
Innovation: 190 patents (top 25% of patent-holders) · 190 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 · Deep-tech classification: Artificial Intelligence, Tech Hardware
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 20k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
- Feb 2025Series C$250M
- Mar 2024Series C$175M
- Jun 2023Series B$100M
- Dec 2021Series A$56M
Founders & team
Investors
Koch Disruptive Technologies, Xora Innovation, Engine, Tyche Partners, M Ventures, Fitz Gate Ventures
Tech stack
AngularApple Icloud MailCart FunctionalityCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCore-Js
#8
Series A · Pleasanton, California · founded 2020$4Mraised▾
Series A · Pleasanton, California · founded 2020
Developer of chip-scale light steering solutions for optical switching. This technology enables high-speed, highly parallelized, low-loss optical steering, crucial for AI data centers and free-space optical networks. Applications include optical communication terminals, LIDAR systems, and 3D printing of metals. The solution offers a unique combination of speed, precision, stability, and digital flexibility for precise light control. Further applications are being explored in medical and scientific optical systems.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 48how this company ranks against its industry peers
Patents
top 38%Innovation
top 45%Funding
top 48%Talent
bottom 45%Global
bottom 33%Patents: 20 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 20 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Innovation: 20 patents (top 70% of patent-holders) · 20 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21
Funding: Raised $4.0M across 1 rounds · 1 rounds over 1 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series A (Mar 2026)
Audience (LinkedIn): 638 LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series A$4M
Founders & team
#9
Acquired · Goleta, California · founded 2001 · 13 employees$17.6Mraised▾
Acquired · Goleta, California · founded 2001 · 13 employees
Praevium is a developer of photonic integrated circuits and optoelectronic devices. Its product offerings include a superluminescent diode and a laser engine for OCT which uses the MEMS-VCSEL as the optical source.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 19how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 35%Talent
bottom 49%Tech
bottom 47%Global
bottom 32%Market
bottom 23%Funding: Raised $17.6M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 23 yrs (0.4/yr) · Last round Grant (prize money) (Jul 2025)
Talent: 1 named leader on record · 1 C-suite/founder profile curated
Tech: 14 technologies across 3/8 capability areas · Cloud: Google Cloud, Google Cloud Cdn · Security: Hsts, Http/3
Funding rounds
- Jul 2025Grant (prize money)$2M
- Mar 2025Grant (prize money)$1.1M
- Jan 2025Grant (prize money)$2M
- Sep 2022Grant (prize money)$2M
Founders & team
Investors
HHS
Tech stack
WixReactGoogle CloudPolyfillLodashPriority Hints
#10
Series B · Sunnyvale, California · founded 2019 · 38 employees$32.7Mraised▾
Series B · Sunnyvale, California · founded 2019 · 38 employees
Developer of microLED interconnects for high-bandwidth communication in AI data centers. The company’s technology enables scaling of compute clusters, connecting thousands of GPUs. These interconnects provide energy-efficient performance beyond copper limits. The company focuses on advancing microLED and photo detector arrays.
LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 5k LinkedIn followers
Activity: 2 product launches · 1 partnerships (incl. Lam Capital) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- May 2025Series B$65M
- Aug 2022Series A$25M
- Jan 2021Grant (prize money)$255.6K
- Nov 2019Series A$7.7M
Founders & team
Investors
America’s Seed Fund, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Cerberus Capital Management, Clear Ventures, Micron, Tiger Global Management
Tech stack
Apache Http ServerContact Form 7CookieyesCore-JsElementorGodaddy
#11
Series B · Berkeley, California · founded 2018 · 40 employees$101.2Mraised▾
Series B · Berkeley, California · founded 2018 · 40 employees
Developer of quantum computers using arrays of optically-trapped neutral atoms. The company builds systems for on-premises deployment with features such as long coherence times and mid-circuit measurement. It offers tools for quantum algorithm developers to tackle challenging applications. The company focuses on developing large-scale quantum computers.
LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 23k LinkedIn followers
Activity: 2 partnerships (incl. Nu Quantum) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Sep 2024Series B$10M
- Jun 2024Series B$10.2M
- Jan 2022Series B$60M
- Jul 2021Series A$16M
Founders & team
Investors
Danmarks Eksport og Investeringsfond, PensionDanmark, America’s Seed Fund, Venrock, Innovation Endeavors, Prelude Ventures
Tech stack
AosApple Icloud MailCivicthemeCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCookie Notice
#12
Funding Raised · Santa Clara, California · founded 2001 · 6 employees$17.1Mraised▾
Funding Raised · Santa Clara, California · founded 2001 · 6 employees
Photonic sensing and computing solutions for diverse industries. Specializing in photonic integrated circuits, the company delivers advanced optical sensing, computing, and signal processing solutions. The company caters to industries including aerospace, intelligent transportation, smart manufacturing, smart electric grids, structural health monitoring, and medicine. The company focuses on precise measurements for parameters like strain, temperature, and vibration. The company develops industry solutions, holding an extensive IP portfolio in photonic computing, sensing, and signal processing. The company's technology platforms are productized as end-to-end solutions. The company combines sensing and intelligent data processing algorithms with user-friendly interfaces. The company's solutions leverage optoelectronics, integrating photonics and electronics for faster computing and data analytics.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 10how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 37%Talent
bottom 45%Global
bottom 29%Market
bottom 13%Funding: Raised $17.1M across 22 rounds · 22 rounds over 18 yrs (1.2/yr) · Last round Grant (prize money) (Apr 2025)
Talent: 1 named leader on record
Global: Single-market focus (United States)
Funding rounds
- Apr 2025Grant (prize money)$199.7K
- 2024Grant (prize money)$849.6K
- 2023Grant (prize money)$175K
- 2022Grant (prize money)$399.9K
Founders & team
Investors
OSTI, HHS, National Science Foundation
Funding & investor landscape
$10.4Btotal disclosed funding
96companies funded
477disclosed rounds
1rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
Intel Capital6 rounds
Notable founders
Rajeev Ram
Co-Founder · Ayar Labs
Milos Popovic
Co-Founder · Ayar Labs
Mark Thompson
Co-Founder & CTO · PsiQuantum
Terry Rudolph
Co-Founder · PsiQuantum
Kyungmok Kwon
Co-Founder · nEye
Tae Seok
Co-Founder & CTO · nEye
Tim Day
Chairman & CEO · Monarch Quantum
Eric Takeuchi
Chief Commercial Officer · Monarch Quantum
Mina Rezk
Co-Founder · Aeva
Soroush Salehian
Co-Founder & CEO · Aeva
Preet Virk
Co-Founder · Celestial AI
David Lazovsky
Co-Founder & CEO · Celestial AI
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 11,143,665 docs
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Photonics coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
RESEARCH IN CALIFORNIA · Hardware
How research on Photonics in California is moving
A read on the academic research around Photonics in California — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 749 papers.
UC Berkeley, Caltech, and UC Santa Barbara lead California's photonics research, dominated by 2D materials and perovskites, with an optimistic breakthrough-heavy stance across 749 papers.
749 papers · stance +0.65 · 61% breakthrough · 6% concern
top institutions
- University of California, Berkeley127
- California Institute of Technology107
- University of California, Santa Barbara102
- University of California, Los Angeles95
- University of Southern California54
leading researchers
Yang Yang · Gongming Wang · Harry A. Atwater · Alan J. Heeger · Peidong Yang · Chris G. Van de Walle
prism intelligence · tone & topics
93% positive · 1% critical tone
Materials SciencePhysicsElectronicsEnergyManufacturingTelecommunications
▲
Breakthroughs410 · 55%
▲ 46%→58% share
▲1.3× share momentum0 median citations72% since 2021mostly methods-led
Laser research is surging — papers rose from 3 to 19, with Electrode and Ultrashort pulse sub-topics newly scaling alongside.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Laser3→19
- Electrode1→16
- Ultrashort pulse1→14
- Coupling (piping)2→12
- Spectroscopy1→10
Newly emergingFabrication 0→21 · Detector 0→12 · Scalability 0→11
Landmark Increasing Solar Absorption for Photocatalysis with Black Hydrogenated Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystals · 6,111 cites
◆
Advancements224 · 30%
▼ 31%→30% share
▲1.0× share momentum0 median citations67% since 2021mostly empirical
Detector research newly emerged at 15 papers, leading Advancements as Semiconductor sub-topics grew from 4 to 9.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Fabrication2→11
- Dielectric1→9
- Diode1→6
- Semiconductor4→9
- Transistor1→5
Newly emergingDetector 0→15 · Laser 0→10 · Characterization (materials science) 0→9
Landmark Interface engineering of highly efficient perovskite solar cells · 6,552 cites
▼
Concerns41 · 5%
▼ 6%→5% share
▼0.8× share momentum0 median citations59% since 2021mostly empirical
Electrode concerns are newly emerging at 3 papers, while Nanotechnology risk signals lead at 8 papers overall.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Nanotechnology8
- Heterojunction3
- Optoelectronics3
- Energy conversion efficiency3
- Perovskite (structure)3
Newly emergingElectrode 0→3
Landmark Luminescent metal–organic frameworks · 4,884 cites
Common questions
How many Photonics companies are there in California, United States?
Radar tracks 179 indexable Photonics companies headquartered in California, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Photonics companies in California, United States?
The Photonics companies in California, United States on this list have raised a combined $10.4B in disclosed equity funding across 96 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Photonics company in California, United States?
Lumentum is the highest-funded Photonics company in California, United States, with $2.9B in disclosed equity funding.
How many Photonics companies in California, United States are funded?
96 of the 179 Photonics companies in California, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Photonics unicorns are there in California, United States?
2 Photonics companies in California, United States on this list are valued at $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in California, United States Photonics companies?
The most active investors in California, United States Photonics companies on this list include OSTI, National Science Foundation, HHS, Western Technology Investment, America’s Seed Fund.
Riya SenguptaFinancials
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.