SPhotonix
SPhotonix is a deep-tech startup commercializing 5D optical data storage via its proprietary FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser nanostructuring platform in fused silica glass, offering 360TB crystal discs with billion-year longevity, advanced optical components, and Swiss-vault archival services to enterprise, energy, space, and cultural-heritage customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersNewark, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SPhotonix does
SPhotonix is a deep-tech startup that commercializes 5D optical data storage technology built on its proprietary FemtoEtch™ ultrafast femtosecond laser nanostructuring platform. Founded in 2024 as a spin-out from the University of Southampton's Optoelectronics Research Centre, the company is co-led by Professor Peter Kazansky (CSO), whose 20+ years of research underpin the technology, and CEO Ilya Kazansky. SPhotonix is incorporated in Delaware with a wholly-owned Swiss subsidiary, SPhotonix SA (Neuchâtel, incorporated February 2025), where its R&D lab and femtosecond laser manufacturing operations are based.
The company's flagship product, 5D Memory Crystal™, encodes up to 360TB of data into fused silica glass using femtosecond laser-written nanostructured voxels, with a stated durability of billions of years at room temperature and tolerance to extreme temperatures (-170°C to +1000°C) and cosmic radiation. The FemtoEtch™ platform also supports a portfolio of advanced optical components — Wollaston/Nomarski prisms, polarization smoothers, S waveplates, test targets, and radial/azimuthal polarization converters — sold to microscopy, laser-fusion, and photonics-research buyers. Revenue mechanics span one-time product sales (crystals and optical components starting around $3,000 per unit), subscription-based Data Archival Solutions with optional Swiss underground vault storage (launched November 2025), custom optical-device fabrication, and FemtoEtch™ technology licensing.
SPhotonix serves a diverse set of end markets including energy companies, cultural and archival institutions, healthcare and life-sciences organizations, government and space agencies, film studios, and commercial space companies. Notable engagements include the Boucheron 'Quatre 5D Memory' jewelry collaboration (November 2024), preservation of Heroes of Might and Magic III with GOG (October 2025), Wikipedia content archiving, a Human Genome Project demonstration, space-mission collaborations with The Exploration Company and MoonMars Museum, and an AI-powered Eon Ark time capsule with the Berggruen Institute. The technology received mainstream visibility through its plot role in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (May 2025) and a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch (June 2025). Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise sales through advisors for large custom engagements, and self-service online ordering for standard crystal products and vault subscriptions.
SPhotonix firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SPhotonix
- Legal name
- SPhotonix Inc.
- Website
- https://sphotonix.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SPhotonix is a deep-tech startup commercializing 5D optical data storage via its proprietary FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser nanostructuring platform in fused silica glass, offering 360TB crystal discs with billion-year longevity, advanced optical components, and Swiss-vault archival services to enterprise, energy, space, and cultural-heritage customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SPhotonix industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Optical Data Storage
- NAICS
- Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media (3346)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Magnetic & Optical Recording Media (3695)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)
Keywords
Where SPhotonix is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newark
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SPhotonix business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 5D Memory Crystal Products: Direct sales of 5D Memory Crystal storage discs and personalized crystal artwork products
- Archival Storage Services: Premium archival storage including Swiss vault storage services for long-term data preservation
- Custom Optical Devices: Bespoke optical device fabrication for specialized industrial and research applications
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of FemtoEtch™ technology platform and 5D Memory Crystal manufacturing processes
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 5D Memory Crystal products starting around $3,000 for basic models |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise archival storage with Swiss vault service |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
SPhotonix product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SPhotonix manufactures and sells 5D Memory Crystal™ glass data-storage discs and provides Data Archival Solutions services (including Swiss underground vault storage) using its proprietary FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser nanostructuring technology, which writes up to 360TB of data per disc into fused silica with multi-billion-year durability. The company also fabricates advanced optical components — Wollaston/Nomarski prisms, polarization smoothers, S waveplates, test targets, and radial/azimuthal polarization converters — and licenses FemtoEtch™ to partners building high-density, ultra-durable storage and photonic systems.
Product overview
SPhotonix offers a portfolio of products centered on two core technologies: 5D optical data storage using FemtoEtch™ laser nanostructuring in fused silica glass, and advanced optical device fabrication. The flagship 5D Memory Crystal™ provides ultra-high-density data storage (up to 360TB per disc) with billion-year longevity, offered both as a physical product and through Data Archival Solutions services with Swiss vault storage. The optical device portfolio includes Wollaston/Nomarski Prisms, Polarization Smoothers, S Waveplates, Test Targets, and Radial/Azimuthal Polarization Converters—all fabricated using the proprietary FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser technology. The company also offers Technology Licensing for partners seeking to integrate their nanostructuring capabilities into custom applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FemtoEtch™: Proprietary ultrafast laser nano-structuring technology that enables femtosecond laser writing with unparalleled precision for creating nanograting structures in transparent materials for data storage and optical devices
- 5D Memory Crystal™
Products and services
- 5D Memory Crystal™ Ultra-durable optical data storage medium fabricated using FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser nanostructuring in fused silica glass, encoding up to 360TB per 5-inch disc across five dimensions (three spatial plus two optical) with a projected lifespan exceeding 13.8 billion years at room temperature and no power requirement. Sold to enterprise customers, cultural institutions, and consumers for permanent archival use.
- Data Archival Solutions Managed archival service in which SPhotonix writes customer data into a quartz glass 5D Memory Crystal and offers optional Swiss underground vault custody for long-term preservation. Supports personal data, family archives, and enterprise archival needs with online ordering through sphotonix.com.
- Wollaston/Nomarski Prisms Differential interference contrast (DIC) prisms fabricated via femtosecond laser writing in monolithic fused silica glass, offering high transmittance (>99%) and negative form birefringence comparable to quartz. Sold to microscopy OEMs, research labs, and laser system integrators requiring precision DIC microscopy optics.
- Polarization Smoothers Low-loss polarization beam smoothers for high-power laser systems that suppress speckle pattern contrast by making orthogonal polarizations non-interfering, with damage thresholds comparable to fused silica glass. Sold to high-power laser integrators and inertial confinement fusion researchers.
- S Waveplates Waveplates fabricated in fused silica using ultrafast laser writing with retardance levels from λ/2 to λ/4, operating across wavelengths from 300nm to 1500nm with optical losses below 10%. Sold to laser physics researchers and polarization microscopy labs requiring durable, broadband waveplates.
- Test Targets Birefringence calibration references for validating polarization microscopes, polarimeters, and stress analysis systems, featuring 0.5μm resolution with slow axis azimuth error of ±1°. Sold to photonics metrology labs and polarization instrument manufacturers.
- Radial/Azimuthal Polarization Converter Optical device for converting polarization states in laser and imaging systems using femtosecond laser nanostructuring in fused quartz. Sold to laser and imaging system integrators requiring vector beam generation.
- Technology Licensing Licensing program enabling partners to access FemtoEtch™ laser nanostructuring technology for developing high-density, ultra-durable data storage systems and custom optical components. Sold to enterprise and research partners seeking to integrate the FemtoEtch™ platform into their own products and systems.
Quantifiable outcome
- 360TB storage capacity per single crystal disc
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SPhotonix
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
SPhotonix technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SPhotonix partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- BoucheronflagshipLuxury jewelry brand collaboration on the Quatre 5D Memory ring - embedding data storage technology in high-end jewelry products
- GOG (Good Old Games)coreVideo game preservation partnership - stored Heroes of Might and Magic III game data in 5D Memory Crystal for permanent archival
- MoonMars MuseumcoreSpace mission collaboration with MoonMars Museum for preserving cultural heritage in space using 5D Memory Crystal technology
- The Exploration CompanycoreSpace mission partnership for testing and demonstrating 5D Memory Crystal technology in space environments
- Eon Ark Time CapsuleminorBerggruen Institute cultural time capsule project using 5D Memory Crystal for long-term cultural heritage preservation
- WikipediaminorWikipedia content archiving initiative to preserve knowledge in permanent 5D Memory Crystal storage
- SNIAminorIndustry membership in Storage Networking Industry Association for storage technology standards and industry collaboration
- EPIC PhotonicsminorIndustry membership in EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium) for photonics industry collaboration and networking
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
SPhotonix competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
SPhotonix social profiles
Digital presenceSPhotonix financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SPhotonix leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
SPhotonix subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SPhotonix funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SPhotonix M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SPhotonix
What does SPhotonix do?
SPhotonix manufactures and sells 5D Memory Crystal™ glass data-storage discs and provides Data Archival Solutions services (including Swiss underground vault storage) using its proprietary FemtoEtch™ femtosecond laser nanostructuring technology, which writes up to 360TB of data per disc into fused silica with multi-billion-year durability. The company also fabricates advanced optical components — Wollaston/Nomarski prisms, polarization smoothers, S waveplates, test targets, and radial/azimuthal polarization converters — and licenses FemtoEtch™ to partners building high-density, ultra-durable storage and photonic systems.
Is SPhotonix a public or private company?
SPhotonix is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SPhotonix founded?
SPhotonix was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SPhotonix based?
SPhotonix is headquartered in Newark, United States, in the North America region.
How does SPhotonix make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. 5D Memory Crystal Products are the primary driver. The others are archival Storage Services, custom Optical Devices and technology Licensing.
Does SPhotonix have an API?
No public API is recorded for SPhotonix.
What industry is SPhotonix in?
SPhotonix's product category is Optical Data Storage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHACAG, Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser). Its NAICS code is 3346 and its SIC code is 3827.