What Wave Photonics does

Wave Photonics Ltd. is a Cambridge, UK-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design technology company founded in May 2021 by James Lee (CEO), Matthew Anderson (CSO), and Mateusz Kubica (CTO). The company has developed proprietary computational design technology that characterises and models integrated photonics fabrication processes, then generates Process Design Kits (PDKs) containing fabrication-tolerant, high-performance component libraries. Its core cloud-scalable simulation infrastructure combines physics-based and data-driven models to capture statistical distributions of device behaviour across fabrication runs, enabling "first-time-right" component design that has demonstrated 2x lower optical loss and 2x lower performance variation compared to conventional inverse design, with the SiNQ quantum PDK (1,056 components across 33 wavelengths) developed in three weeks.

The company's commercial offering centres on a portfolio of six product lines: the PDK Management Platform (a SaaS solution for digital PDK distribution and EDA tool integration launched August 2025), Custom PDK Development (professional services for bespoke PDKs across SOI, SiN, TFLN, GaN, AlN, GaAs, SiC, and InP materials at wavelengths from 493nm to 1650nm), PIC Design Services, the QPICPAC turnkey packaging solution, an Automated Measurement Service for wafer-scale PIC testing up to 200mm, and Component Libraries / Co-Packaged Optics IP (including assets acquired from Phoelex Ltd in March 2025). The technology is integrated across all major EDA platforms (Cadence Virtuoso/Spectre, Siemens L-Edit, Luceda IPKISS, GDSFactory, Latitude PIC Studio, and Synopsys OptoCompiler coming soon).

Wave Photonics serves two primary customer segments: photonic foundries (CORNERSTONE at University of Southampton and CEZAMAT at Warsaw University of Technology are publicly disclosed adopters of the PDK Management Platform) and chip designers in quantum technologies (Oxford Ionics), datacoms/telecom, sensing, and co-packaged optics applications. Revenue is generated through a hybrid mix of SaaS subscriptions, professional services (custom PDK development and PIC design), one-time licensing (packaging templates, CPO IP), and measurement services. The company has raised approximately £5.4M ($6.9M) in total funding, including a £4.5M seed round in June 2024 led by UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and Cambridge Enterprise, complemented by EIC Accelerator and Innovate UK grants.

Name

Wave Photonics

Legal name

Wave Photonics Ltd.

Website

https://wavephotonics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wave Photonics develops computational design technology and a SaaS Process Design Kit (PDK) Management Platform that enables rapid, fabrication-tolerant photonic integrated circuit design across multiple materials and wavelengths, serving foundries and chip designers in quantum, datacoms, sensing, and AI optical interconnect applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics Design Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundry Platform & Design Enablement Services (PDK/DFM/Process Qualification) (HDAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Custom & Application-Specific ASIC Design Services (HDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Silicon photonics design
• Process design kits
• Photonic integrated circuits
• Photonic chip packaging
• Quantum photonic components

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. PDK Development Services: Custom PDK development services where Wave Photonics designs application-specific process design kits for customers. Customers pay for bespoke design work to create PDKs for specific materials, wavelengths, or applications. State-of-the-art PDKs can be created for any target material or wavelength.
2. PDK Management Platform (SaaS): Platform subscription model for foundries to digitally manage and distribute PDKs. Provides automated S-parameter generation, EDA tool compatibility, IP management through blackboxing, NDA tracking, documentation and version control. Designers access PDKs through the platform.
3. PIC Measurement Services: High-throughput, parallelised measurement capability for testing and validating PIC devices at die level or wafer scale up to 8 inches. Supports 780nm and 1500-1630nm wavelengths with up to two-week turnaround.
4. IP Licensing (CPO Chiplet IP): Licensing of acquired IP including energy-efficient modulator designs, driving and control circuits, and equaliser circuit designs from Phoelex Ltd for co-packaged optics applications in datacom and AI optical interconnects.
5. PIC Design Services: Custom PIC architecture development, chip design, and fabrication/characterisation process management by photonics and modelling experts. Full-service engagement from discovery through product development.
6. Packaging Templates and ADKs: QPICPAC chip packaging templates and Assembly Design Kits sold as reusable templates. Pricing varies by unit quantity and configuration (SM fibre array, RF connections). Customers can have packaged chips in as little as one month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wave Photonics develops proprietary computational design technology that characterises integrated photonics fabrication processes and generates fabrication-tolerant Process Design Kits (PDKs) with high-performance components for any material or wavelength. The company sells a SaaS PDK Management Platform that integrates foundry PDKs with major EDA tools and provides ready-calculated S-parameters for circuit simulation. It also offers custom PIC architecture design services, chip packaging templates (QPICPAC), and automated wafer-scale measurement services to photonic foundries and chip designers.

Product overview

Wave Photonics offers a portfolio of products and services enabling rapid, fabrication-tolerant photonic integrated circuit (PIC) development. The core offering consists of the PDK Management Platform (a cloud-based SaaS platform that digitises PDK distribution and integrates with major EDA tools) and Custom PDK Development (proprietary computational technology that generates custom PDKs in weeks for any material or wavelength). These are complemented by PIC Design Services (custom architecture and chip design consulting), QPICPAC (turnkey chip packaging solution delivering packaged chips in as little as one month), Automated Measurement Service (high-throughput wafer-scale optical testing), and Component Libraries / Co-Packaged Optics IP (including Phoelex chiplet IP for energy-efficient modulators and driver/control circuits acquired in 2025). Notable product PDKs include the SiNQ Quantum Photonic PDK (1,056 components, 33 wavelengths, 493-1550nm) and Telecoms-band PDKs (850-1650nm, 500+ components). The company also offers PIC Testing Services and a Test Design Kit launched in 2026. The entire portfolio is accessible via a unified PDK Management Platform that ties together PDK access, EDA tool integration, S-parameter generation, packaging templates, and testing services into a connected workflow.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PDK Management Platform A cloud-based SaaS platform that digitally manages Process Design Kits (PDKs) and streamlines the PIC designer experience by automatically integrating foundry PDKs with major EDA tools (Cadence Virtuoso, Siemens L-Edit, Luceda IPKISS, GDSFactory, Latitude PIC Studio, Synopsys OptoCompiler) and providing ready-calculated S-parameters for circuit simulation.
• Custom PDK Development Proprietary computational design service that enables Wave Photonics to design a custom or application-specific Process Design Kit (PDK) in weeks for any target material or wavelength, targeting datacoms, sensing, and quantum technologies.
• PIC Design Services Custom PIC architecture development, chip design, and fabrication and characterisation process management delivered by Wave Photonics' team of photonics and modelling experts.
• QPICPAC Chip Packaging Solution An easy-to-use reusable photonic chip packaging solution (QPICPAC) developed with SENKO Advanced Components and Alter Technology, providing template-driven approach to minimise custom development requirements and costs; packaged chips available in as little as one month.
• Automated Measurement Service High-throughput, parallelised optical measurement capability (WaveLab) to test and validate PIC devices for individual dies or wafers up to 8 inches, supporting wavelengths at 780nm and 1500-1630nm with up to two-week turnaround.
• Component Libraries and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) IP Ready-to-go photonic component libraries and Co-Packaged Optics IP, including energy-efficient modulator designs, driving and control circuits, and equaliser circuit designs acquired from Phoelex Ltd. Available for licensing.
• SiNQ Quantum Photonic PDK A Silicon Nitride (SiN) Process Design Kit fabricated by CORNERSTONE for quantum systems, containing 1,056 components supporting 33 wavelengths from 493nm to 1550nm, targeting trapped ions/atoms, NV centres, quantum dots, and other quantum emitters.
• Telecoms-band PDKs Telecoms-band Process Design Kits supporting wavelengths from 850nm to 1650nm across O-band, E-band, S-band, C-band, L-band, and U-band with over 500 components, enabling faster photonic integrated circuit design without requiring multiple iterations.
• Test Design Kit (TDK) A Test Design Kit defining the layout and design requirements needed to design chips for reliable optical characterisation using Wave Photonics' probing infrastructure, enabling designers to account for testing earlier in the design process.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2x lower optical loss compared to conventional inverse design (1.3% vs 2.4% for MMI splitter)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CEZAMAT (Warsaw University of Technology)coreTechnology or Integration · 9 June 2026CEZAMAT made its Silicon Nitride PDK available to PIC designers across all major EDA tools through Wave Photonics' platform. This marks CEZAMAT's first public PDK release, strengthening the European photonics ecosystem. Subsequent releases planned to expand material scope and operational bandwidths.
• CSA CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026Wave Photonics made CSA Catapult's wafer-scale PIC testing services available through its PDK Management Platform. CSA Catapult developed visible-wavelength PIC testing capabilities during the SiNQ project. Services include design rules and test requirements documentation for wafer-prober testing at visible wavelengths.
• Cardiff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2025Major initiative to establish pilot manufacturing line for Gallium Nitride (GaN) Photonic Integrated Circuits. Wave Photonics provides design automation and PDK generation capabilities; Cardiff University prototypes GaN PIC platform within Institute for Compound Semiconductors cleanroom. Project supported by Innovate UK competition for Developing Semiconductor Hardware for Critical Technologies.
• Latitude Design Systems (LDS)coreTechnology or Integration · 9 September 2025Integration of LDS PIC Studio into Wave Photonics' PDK Management Platform. PIC Studio provides comprehensive PIC design and simulation supporting schematic to layout, DRC, circuit simulation, and electro-optic simulation. All foundry PDKs and ADKs hosted on platform can be downloaded seamlessly with PIC Studio.
• CORNERSTONE (University of Southampton)coreTechnology or Integration · 12 August 2025CORNERSTONE is the first foundry adopter of Wave Photonics' PDK Management Platform. Uses the platform to manage and distribute its PDKs efficiently across a global base of designers. The silicon photonics rapid prototyping foundry provides access to its SOI 220nm passive and active fabrication processes, with Wave Photonics providing optimised components for PHIX characterisation package solutions.
• CadencecoreTechnology or Integration · 12 August 2025Wave Photonics PDKs are compatible with Cadence electronic/photonic design automation (EPDA) environment including Virtuoso Studio and Spectre platforms. Integration enables code-based design using Cadence SKILL programming language and CurvyCore capabilities. Full photonic circuit simulation enabled in Cadence Spectre.
• GDSFactorycoreTechnology or Integration · 6 June 2025Open-source EDA integration with GDSFactory enabling PIC layout using Python. Wave Photonics developed tutorials as part of PIC Bootcamp Innovate UK project, allowing users to access CORNERSTONE PDK and learn photonic circuit layout from beginner to first chip design.
• PHIXcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2025PHIX provides assembly and packaging service for photonic integrated circuits supporting chip prototypes and high-volume manufacturing. Wave Photonics provides packaging templates for PHIX Characterization Package solution, designed using Wave Photonics' PDK with optimised components for PHIX fibre arrays.
• Enlight TechnologymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025Strategic partnership to enable engineers across Taiwan and wider Asian region to develop cutting-edge photonic integrated circuits. Enlight Technology provides regional distribution and support capabilities for Wave Photonics' platform and services in Asian markets.
• Luceda PhotonicscoreTechnology or Integration · 22 January 2025Partnership to enable Wave Photonics PDKs with Luceda's IPKISS layout software. Companies work together to offer PIC designers right-first-time design for many processes and wavelengths. Full integration released June 2025.
• Siemens (L-Edit)coreTechnology or Integration · 25 July 2024Wave Photonics, as a member of Siemens Technology Partner program, built L-Edit integration enabling users to design photonic integrated circuits using drag-and-drop methodology with pre-designed component library. Packaging compatibility built in via QPICPAC templates.
• SENKO Advanced ComponentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024SENKO partnered with Wave Photonics and Alter Technology on QPICPAC (Quantum Photonic Integrated Circuit PACkaging) Innovate UK project to produce packaging solutions for QPICs. SENKO provides high-quality optical components including single mode fibre arrays and RF connectors for the packaging solution.
• Alter TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024Alter Technology TUV NORD UK partnered with Wave Photonics and SENKO Advanced Components on QPICPAC Innovate UK project. Alter Technology provides advanced packaging solutions including hermetic packaging for photonic integrated circuits.
• Oxford IonicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023£500k Innovate UK project (SiNQ) to develop integrated photonic components for trapped ion quantum computers. Wave Photonics leads project with Oxford Ionics, CORNERSTONE foundry, and CSA Catapult. Oxford Ionics provides input on quantum processor manufacturing process specifications and fabricated designs using their Quantum Processor manufacturing process.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Luceda Photonics: Belgian photonic design automation company offering IPKISS layout software, PDKs, and PIC design services. Closest comparable to Wave Photonics in PDK/EDA tooling, and a current technology partner, meaning they co-operate and compete simultaneously for the same PDK distribution and design services spend.
• Lumerical (Ansys): Photonic device and circuit simulation software (FDTD, INTERCONNECT) now part of Ansys. Directly comparable in providing simulation-driven photonic design tools and PDK-grade components, and the largest independent photonic EDA software franchise prior to acquisition.
• VLC Photonics: Spain-based independent PIC design house offering custom chip design, PDK development, packaging, and test services. Directly comparable service-line-for-service-line with Wave Photonics' design services, packaging (QPICPAC vs VLC's packaging offering) and measurement offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Synopsys: Largest EDA vendor with OptoCompiler photonic design platform and deep relationships across silicon photonics foundries. Wave Photonics PDKs integrate with Synopsys, but Synopsys also competes as an end-to-end platform and could bundle its own PDK management capabilities.
• Cadence: Major EDA vendor with Virtuoso Studio and Spectre platforms that support photonic and electro-optical co-simulation (CurvyCore). Direct platform competitor for full photonic IC design flow and a current integration partner for Wave Photonics PDKs.
• Siemens EDA (L-Edit Photonics): Photonic-aware version of Siemens' L-Edit full-custom layout tool, integrated with Wave Photonics PDKs. As a large incumbent in IC layout, Siemens can extend its own photonic capabilities and compete with the PDK Management Platform concept.
• VPIphotonics: Provider of photonic component and system-level design software (VPIcomponentMaker, VPItransmissionMaker). Overlaps with Wave Photonics' simulation, component library, and design services offerings, particularly in telecom/datacom PIC design.

Emerging players

• Photon Design: UK-based photonic EDA software vendor (FIMMWAVE, PICWave, Harold). Comparable as a smaller specialist with photonic simulation and circuit-design tools, and a potential partner/competitor for photonic PDK distribution in the UK ecosystem.

Regional players

• JePPIX: European PDK and design platform consortium for InP and generic photonic integration, coordinating access to multiple foundries. Directly comparable in distributing foundry PDKs to designers, but focused on InP processes and the European ecosystem specifically.

Others

• AIM Photonics: US-based photonic integrated circuit foundry and PDK provider. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant whose foundry processes and PDK distribution choices affect Wave Photonics' addressable market in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wavephotonics?s=11&t=ikzXGMFf1MXEozeSNCxaEA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wavephotonics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wave-photonics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wave Photonics