What Sparc Foundry does

Sparc Foundry is a Spain-headquartered pure-play photonic semiconductor foundry that manufactures Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), III-V semiconductor wafers (GaAs, InP, GaN), and discrete photonic components. Founded in 2022 by a team of photonics researchers including CEO Francisco Díaz-Otero and Professor Carlos Mosquera, the company is constructing a state-of-the-art 1,600+ m² cleanroom facility at the Valadares Technology and Logistics Park in Vigo, designed to produce up to 20,000 wafers annually, with full operations targeted for the second half of 2027. The company's business model is a horizontal B2B foundry service spanning telecommunications, automotive, defense, aerospace, quantum computing, biomedicine, and consumer electronics; it sells wafer fabrication services directly to enterprise "pure players," offers Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) shared-production runs for mid-market and research customers, and operates a research and technology transfer center to help customers bring certified photonic products to market.

Sparc Foundry pursues a license-free foundry model, develops a national Process Design Kit (PDK) for III-V semiconductors, and is building proprietary capabilities in GaN-on-SiC MMICs, advanced flip-chip and LTCC packaging, and Antenna-in-Package (AiP) solutions for defense applications. It is majority-owned by Indra Group (37%) following a €17.2M investment from Spanish public entity SETT in June 2025, and participates in four publicly funded R&D projects — AGANTI (€3.6M), PROMISE, GIGaNTE (€9.2M), and CIRCULARPHOTONICS (€2.08M) — alongside the pan-European €400M PIXEurope distributed pilot line initiative. As of the input period, the company remains pre-revenue with a small core team and is in the capacity-building phase ahead of its planned 2027 commercial ramp.

Name

Sparc Foundry

Legal name

SPARC FOUNDRY, S.L.

Website

https://sparcfoundry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sparc Foundry is a Spain-based pure-play photonic semiconductor foundry manufacturing III-V (GaAs, InP, GaN) photonic integrated circuits and wafers for European telecom, automotive, defense, and aerospace customers, with its Vigo plant scheduled to begin operations in 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonic Semiconductor Foundry

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

RF & Compound Semiconductor Foundries (GaAs/GaN/SiGe) (HDAHACAD), R&D / Prototyping & MPW Shuttle Foundries (HDAHACAI), Compound Semiconductor Wafers & Substrates (SiC/GaN/GaAs/InP/Sapphire) (HDAHAGAB)

Keywords

• Photonic semiconductor foundry
• III-V wafer fabrication
• Photonic integrated circuits
• GaN MMIC manufacturing
• Semiconductor foundry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vigo

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wafer Fabrication Services: Pure-play wafer manufacturing for photonic integrated circuits and discrete components using III-V semiconductor materials (GaAs, InP, GaN). Operates as a one-stop-shop foundry serving customers with high process knowledge.
2. Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) Services: Joint production services allowing multiple companies to share wafer production costs, enabling smaller players and research institutions to access advanced photonic fabrication.
3. Research Center Services: Research centre that helps customers bring fully certified photonics products to market, providing technology transfer and support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sparc Foundry operates as a pure-play photonic semiconductor foundry, manufacturing III-V semiconductor wafers (GaAs, InP, GaN), photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and discrete photonic components in a state-of-the-art 1,600+ m² clean room facility in Vigo, Spain, with planned annual capacity of 20,000 wafers. The foundry offers direct wafer fabrication services to specialist technology companies and joint Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) production runs for smaller players and research institutions, complemented by a research and technology transfer centre to help customers bring certified photonics products to market.

Product overview

SPARC Foundry operates as a pure-play photonic semiconductor foundry offering a one-stop-shop manufacturing model. The core product portfolio consists of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), III-V semiconductor wafers (GaAs, InP, GaN), and discrete components manufactured in their state-of-the-art 1,600 m² clean room facility in Vigo, Spain. The foundry provides multi-project wafer (MPW) services for cost-effective shared production runs, along with a research and technology transfer centre to help customers bring certified photonics products to market. The company also participates in multiple R&D projects (AGANTI, PROMISE, GIGaNTE, CIRCULARPHOTONICS) focused on advancing GaN manufacturing, reprogammable hybrid photonic circuits, and sensor technologies. Target markets include telecommunications, automotive, quantum computing, consumer electronics, defense, aerospace, and medicine sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) Photonic Integrated Circuits manufactured using Group III-V semiconductor materials (GaAs, InP, GaN) for applications in telecommunications, automotive, quantum computing, consumer electronics, defense, aerospace, and biomedicine. Customers are specialist technology companies requiring outsourced photonic chip fabrication.
• III-V Semiconductor Wafers III-V semiconductor wafers manufactured from Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Indium Phosphide (InP), and Gallium Nitride (GaN) in a state-of-the-art 1,600+ m² clean room. Planned annual capacity of 20,000 wafers. Sold to specialist technology companies and research institutions requiring photonic semiconductor substrates.
• Discrete Photonic Components Discrete photonic components based on Group III-V semiconductors for light generation and detection across ultraviolet to mid-infrared wavelengths. Sold to system integrators and photonic product companies needing individual emitters and detectors.
• Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) Services Shared wafer production runs that allow multiple companies to share fabrication costs on a single wafer, enabling smaller players, startups, and research institutions to access advanced III-V photonic manufacturing cost-effectively for prototyping and small-volume production.
• Research and Technology Transfer Centre Research centre that supports customers in bringing fully certified photonics products to market, providing technology transfer, qualification, and certification support services for III-V photonic devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pioneer facility expected to produce 20,000 wafers annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Regional Ministry of Education (Xunta de Galicia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Signed collaboration agreement to launch Intensive Dual Vocational Training program to meet plant workforce needs. Program offers Electronic Maintenance certification at Ricardo Mella Institute in Vigo.
• Indra Group (GIGaNTE Project Lead)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026GIGaNTE project (€9.2M budget, 2026-2029) developing GaN-based MMIC integrated circuits and advanced packaging technologies for defense applications. Led by Indra with Televés, SPARC Foundry, RBZ, and academic institutions.
• Universidad Vigo (UVigo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academic partner in GIGaNTE project contributing research capabilities for GaN semiconductor technologies and integrated photonics ecosystem development.
• Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academic partner in GIGaNTE project contributing expertise in radiofrequency technologies and defense systems.
• Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academic partner in GIGaNTE project contributing semiconductor research capabilities.
• GRADIANTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026National technology centre partner in GIGaNTE project contributing telecommunications and digital transformation expertise.
• TelevéscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Technology company partner in GIGaNTE and AGANTI projects contributing telecommunications equipment expertise for GaN and photonic technologies.
• MIRAI GD All ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Collaborating on CIRCULARPHOTONICS project (€2.08M budget, 2024-2025) focused on high-sensitivity sensors for environmental monitoring and chirality detection.
• FERTINAGRO BIOTECHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Partner in CIRCULARPHOTONICS project developing fluorescence-based photonic integrated circuits for agri-food safety applications.
• RBZ Robot DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Consortium partner in multiple R&D projects (AGANTI, GIGaNTE, CIRCULARPHOTONICS) contributing robotics and design expertise for semiconductor and photonic applications.
• LINZA ASIP DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Partner in CIRCULARPHOTONICS project focused on digital solutions for high-sensitivity sensor technologies.
• Tecnobit (PROMISE Project Coordinator)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024PROMISE project developing unified reprogrammable hybrid integrated photonic circuits for telecommunications, quantum, sensory, and space/security applications. Coordinated by Tecnobit with TELEFÓNICA INNOVACIÓN DIGITAL, QUSIDE TECHNOLOGIES, SPARC FOUNDRY, and ZEPREN SOLUTIONS.
• QUSIDE TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in PROMISE project contributing quantum technology expertise for hybrid integrated photonic circuits.
• ZEPREN SOLUTIONSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in PROMISE project contributing solutions for photonic circuit applications in telecommunications and security.
• Indra Group (AGANTI Project Lead)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023AGANTI project (€3.6M budget, 2023-2025) establishing GaN manufacturing capabilities and advanced device packaging techniques. Led by Indra with SPARC Foundry, Televés, and RBZ.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SMART Photonics: Netherlands-based independent pure-play III-V (InP/GaAs) foundry for photonic integrated circuits. Most direct European counterpart to Sparc, offering comparable MPW and custom PIC services to telecom and sensing customers.
• IQE plc: UK-listed global leader in compound semiconductor (GaAs, InP, GaN, SiC) wafer foundry services. Closely comparable to Sparc in III-V materials and RF/photonics end markets, with established global customer base and mature production.
• Sivers Semiconductors: Swedish fabless InP/GaAs semiconductor company supplying mmWave and photonic components for 5G and optical markets. Comparable European III-V competitor operating in adjacent RF/photonics segments to Sparc's GaN MMIC and PIC roadmap.
• VLC Photonics: Spain-based photonic integrated circuit design house and foundry services broker offering MPW shuttles and fab-agnostic PIC prototyping. Comparable as a European photonic IC service provider targeting similar customers, though design-focused rather than operating its own fab.
• CompoundTek: Singapore-based silicon photonic foundry services provider offering MPW shuttles and custom PIC fabrication. Comparable as a foundry services specialist serving photonics customers with shared-wafer models similar to Sparc's MPW offering.

Broad incumbents

• Lumentum Holdings: Large US-based designer and manufacturer of photonic and optical components including InP-based lasers and PICs for telecom, datacom, and 3D sensing. Comparable end-market exposure to Sparc but vertically integrated device company rather than a pure-play foundry.
• Coherent Corp (formerly II-VI): Global diversified compound semiconductor and photonics platform spanning materials (GaAs, InP, SiC), devices, and subsystems for telecom, datacom, defense, and industrial. Comparable across most of Sparc's end markets but vastly larger and broader portfolio.
• AIM Photonics: US public-private institute operating a silicon photonic and III-V integrated photonics manufacturing foundry in Albany, NY. Comparable as a multi-partner photonic foundry supported by government and defense funding, though primarily silicon-based.

Others

• AMS Technologies: European distributor and integrator of photonic components, laser diodes, and semiconductor materials. Not a foundry, but comparable European photonic ecosystem player that distributes and integrates many of the same III-V components Sparc plans to fabricate.
• Indra Group: Spanish IT and defense holding company that is Sparc Foundry's 37% majority shareholder and anchor partner for GaN defense projects (GIGaNTE, AGANTI). Listed for ecosystem relevance rather than direct foundry competition — exemplifies the strategic industrial sponsor profile relevant to valuing Sparc.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Sparc Foundry