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Playbook & Handbook · February 6, 2026
Winning Accelerator Playbook 2026 by BambuUP
EDTECH: LEVERAGING AI-POWERED TECHNOLOGIES TO TRANSFORM THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
1. Technology overview
OpenLight Photonics Inc. is a silicon photonics company with an address in Goleta, California, USA. It offers custom photonic application-specific integrated circuit (PASIC) design and manufacturing on a heterogeneously integrated platform that puts passive and active optical elements on one chip.
The platform combines indium phosphide with silicon and provides on-chip lasers, modulators, amplifiers and detectors. OpenLight sells it through three services: Design Enablement with a Process Design Kit, Inhouse Design, and Production. Tower Semiconductor validated the PDK, and more than 25 companies use it to design production PASICs.
2. Highlighted features & specifications
- Heterogeneous integration: indium phosphide and silicon combine passive and active optical elements on one chip.
- Process Design Kit: Design Enablement lets customers build their own PASICs.
- Inhouse design and production: OpenLight designs and manufactures PASICs for customers.
- 3.2T DR8 PIC: silicon photonics PIC with 1.6T DR8 LRO and LPO variants.
- 400G-per-lane modulators: developed with Tower Semiconductor.
3. Potential application
Optical transceiver makers can design custom PASICs for 800G to 3.2T modules. Fabless photonics startups and research groups in the region can use the PDK to prototype on a foundry-validated process.
4. Benefits
On-chip lasers, modulators, amplifiers and detectors in a single platform reduce the number of separate optical components. Customers can design with the PDK, outsource design, or order production. The PDK is validated by Tower Semiconductor and used by more than 25 companies.
5. Market trends & opportunities
Optical interconnect for AI data centers is moving to 1.6T and 3.2T links, which raises demand for integrated photonics with on-chip lasers. Southeast Asian module makers and data center builders can access such platforms through foundry and transceiver partners.
6. Other information
Address in Goleta, California (per privacy policy). Series A-1 of 50 million USD brought total funding to 84 million USD; lead Matter Venture Partners, with Xora Innovation, Capricorn, Mayfield and others. Executive hires announced September 2026.
