What SMART-Photonics does

SMART Photonics, headquartered at High Tech Campus 37 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, is a pure-play foundry for Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Founded in 2012 as a spin-off from TU Eindhoven and Philips, the company manufactures InP-based wafers integrating lasers, modulators, amplifiers, and passive optical components onto a single chip for applications spanning datacom, telecom, automotive LiDAR, quantum communication, and medical diagnostics. Its technology platform supports both C-band (1525–1565 nm) and O-band (1260–1360 nm) wavelength regimes through a proprietary generic integration process, accessed by customers via Process Design Kits (PDKs) distributed through major EDA partners including Synopsys, Luceda Photonics, Ansys, Nazca, VPI Photonics, and Photon Design. The current PDK generations are Gen 2 (launched July 2021) and the next-generation HS64AC AlQ-based platform (July 2025), which enables uncooled laser operation for data center and AI cluster thermal environments.

The company operates a two-tier commercial model: Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) runs that allow multiple customers to share wafer area for cost-effective prototyping, and dedicated wafer runs for exclusive high-volume production. Pricing is quote-based across both tiers and not publicly disclosed. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting Tier 1 telecom, datacom, and emerging verticals, supported by participation in industry events (Photonics West, OFC, ECOC) and ecosystem partnerships. Manufacturing runs from an in-house clean-room facility in Eindhoven, with the company having transitioned from 3-inch to 4-inch wafer production in January 2024 and currently constructing Europe's first industrial-scale 6-inch InP pilot line at a €150 million investment (construction March 2026, targeting approximately 10,000 wafers/year by 2030).

SMART Photonics has raised approximately €230–240 million cumulatively across equity, debt, and grant funding, with a strategic shareholder base spanning ASML, NXP, KPN Ventures, Innovation Industries (Series C lead in 2020), PhotonDelta, and BOM. The company operates as a central node within the Dutch integrated photonics ecosystem orchestrated by PhotonDelta and is positioned as a strategically important asset under the EU Chips Act framework. Headcount has expanded from 60+ employees in 2019 to approximately 200 FTE projected for 2025. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

SMART-Photonics

Legal name

SMART Photonics B.V.

Website

https://smartphotonics.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMART Photonics is a pure-play Indium Phosphide (Indium Phosphide) photonic integrated circuit foundry, headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, serving Tier 1 telecom, datacom, LiDAR/sensing, quantum, and medical customers globally through shared Multi-Project Wafer (Multi-Project Wafer) prototyping runs and dedicated volume wafer production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indium Phosphide Photonic Semiconductor Foundry

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344), Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundry Platform & Design Enablement Services (PDK/DFM/Process Qualification) (HDAHACAJ), Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)

Keywords

• Indium Phosphide foundry
• Photonic integrated circuits
• Semiconductor wafer fabrication
• Multi-project wafer services
• Generic photonic integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Eindhoven

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) Services: Allows multiple customers to share wafer space in a single fabrication run, reducing per-customer cost. Customers purchase portions of wafers for their photonic integrated circuit designs. Core revenue stream enabling broad customer base access.
2. Dedicated Wafer Runs: Exclusive fabrication runs for individual customers requiring dedicated capacity for high-volume production or proprietary designs. Supports full product lifecycle from prototyping through volume production.
3. Foundry Services: Pure-play foundry model providing wafer fabrication services for photonic integrated circuits. Revenue generated through wafer processing fees based on customer designs and production volumes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SMART Photonics operates as a pure-play Indium Phosphide (InP) foundry that manufactures photonic integrated circuits (PICs) on wafers for external fabless customers. Customers design chips using SMART Photonics' Process Design Kit (PDK) and submit them for fabrication via Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) shared runs for cost-effective prototyping, or dedicated wafer runs for exclusive high-volume production. The company also offers design services and specialized platforms for C-band and O-band wavelength applications.

Product overview

SMART Photonics is an independent pure-play Indium Phosphide (InP) foundry for photonic integrated circuits, operating as a manufacturer that serves customers from proof-of-concept to full production. The core offering consists of InP-based PIC manufacturing on wafers, with access provided through two main channels: Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) runs for shared-cost prototyping and dedicated wafer runs for exclusive high-volume production. Customers design chips using the Process Design Kit (PDK) — a library of active and passive photonic building blocks — available from multiple software partners (Nazca, Synopsys, Luceda Photonics, Ansys, VPI Photonics, Photon Design). The Gen 2 PDK and its successor, the HS64AC AlQ-based InP Photonics Design Platform (PDK v0.2.0), form the current design platform generation. The portfolio includes specialized platforms for O-band (1260–1360 nm, targeting data centers and PONs) and C-band (1530–1565 nm, targeting coherent telecom), as well as a high-speed coherent transceiver platform combining >50GHz modulators, narrow-linewidth tuneable lasers, and high-gain SOAs. The company also provides design services and is expanding manufacturing from 4-inch to 6-inch wafer scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indium Phosphide (InP) Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs)

Quantifiable outcome

• Targeting approximately 10,000 wafers annually by 2030
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• PhotonDeltacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem orchestrator for integrated photonics in the Netherlands. Strategic partnership supporting the photonic integrated circuit ecosystem development. Provides ecosystem coordination, customer introductions, and supports MPW services through JePPIX Pilot Line.
• GX GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for establishing manufacturing capabilities in India. Expands geographic footprint and production capacity. Supported by Invest International financing.
• X-FABcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic collaboration for developing multi-terabit optical transceiver solutions. Combines X-FAB's silicon photonics expertise with SMART Photonics' InP capabilities for advanced communications applications.
• TU/e (Eindhoven University of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with leading technical university for research collaboration, talent development, and technology advancement in photonic integrated circuits.
• JePPIX Pilot LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-project wafer service and pilot line infrastructure for photonic integrated circuits, enabling customer access to fabrication services.
• ACTPHAST 4.0supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccess center for photonics innovation providing technology validation and prototyping support for customers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IQE: UK-based global leader in wafer foundry services for compound semiconductors including Indium Phosphide epiwafers. Comparable as a merchant InP substrate and epiwafer supplier serving photonic and RF customers, though IQE sits one layer upstream (wafer supply) versus SMART Photonics' downstream PIC fabrication.
• Effect Photonics: Dutch competitor developing InP-based photonic integrated circuits for coherent optical transceivers. Closely comparable geographically and technologically — also Eindhoven-area based — though Effect Photonics operates more as a fabless PIC designer/product company rather than a pure-play foundry.

Broad incumbents

• Lumentum Holdings: Major US merchant supplier of InP-based photonic components, lasers, and transceivers for telecom, datacom, and 3D sensing. Comparable as a vertically integrated InP photonics player — although Lumentum is a components/product company rather than a pure-play foundry, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct foundry competitor.
• Coherent Corp (formerly II-VI): Large US compound semiconductor and InP photonics platform with capabilities spanning materials, lasers, and PICs. Comparable as a broad InP incumbent serving datacom, telecom, and sensing markets, though operating at significantly larger scale and with a vertically integrated model.
• GlobalFoundries: Large merchant semiconductor foundry with a silicon photonics platform (GF Fotonix) addressing datacom and telecom optical integration. Comparable as a photonic foundry competitor, though silicon-based rather than InP — making it the primary substrate-substitute threat to SMART Photonics.
• Tower Semiconductor: Specialty analog foundry offering silicon photonics and RF SOI processes targeting optical networking and datacom. Comparable as an established merchant foundry with photonic integration capability, but operating in silicon rather than InP and at substantially larger scale.
• TSMC: World's largest foundry with emerging silicon photonics packaging and integration capabilities through its 3D silicon photonics platform. Comparable as a foundry competing for photonic IC manufacturing contracts at scale, though primarily silicon-based with a much broader process portfolio.

Regional players

• AIM Photonics: US-based public-private photonic integrated circuit manufacturing foundry focused on silicon photonics. Comparable as a photonic IC foundry serving academic and commercial customers, but US-domiciled and silicon-based rather than InP.

Emerging players

• CompoundTek: Singapore-based merchant foundry offering silicon photonics and emerging photonic process services. Comparable as an emerging pure-play photonic foundry serving fabless photonic IC designers, though silicon-based and at earlier scale than SMART Photonics.
• VLC Photonics: Spain-based photonic IC design house offering foundry-agnostic design services and using InP foundries (including SMART Photonics) for fabrication. Comparable as an InP photonic ecosystem participant — a downstream customer and design services partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-photonics
• Xx.com/smartphotonics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors14 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 SMART-Photonics