Alpes Lasers
Alpes Lasers is a Swiss engineering company that designs and manufactures mid-infrared photonic light sources — Quantum Cascade Lasers, Interband Cascade Lasers, and Short-Wave IR diodes — used for gas detection, spectroscopy, and sensing across environmental, healthcare, defence, industrial, and aerospace applications globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSaint-blaise, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Alpes Lasers does
Alpes Lasers is a Swiss engineering company founded in 1998 and headquartered in St-Blaise, Switzerland that pioneered Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) commercialization approximately 25 years ago. The company designs and manufactures mid-infrared photonic light sources — Quantum Cascade Lasers, Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs), and Short-Wave IR laser diodes — spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from THz through short-wave IR, along with matching housings (HHL, LLH, TO3), electronics (S-2 QCL pulser, S-4 CW driver, TC-3 temperature controller, RF-HHL module), accessories (beam combiners, submounts, cables, starter kits, Laser Pointer), and a tuning family that includes the QC-ET, QC-XT extended-tuning lasers and the GLIDER widely tunable light source.
The company serves a diversified set of verticals: environmental monitoring, healthcare and medical diagnostics, defence and security, industrial and food processing, research and academia, ICT, and aerospace — supporting use cases such as emissions monitoring, breath analysis, pathogen detection, explosives detection, industrial process monitoring, atmospheric sensing, and hyperspectral imaging. Alpes Lasers operates a sales-led B2B go-to-market combining direct field sales, a web-store self-serve channel, and a worldwide agent network; pricing is quote-based with comparable QCL components in the market priced USD 5,000 to USD 50,000 per unit, and the company also generates revenue from custom development, new-wavelength engineering, coatings, and contract research services.
A defining feature of the business model is heavy participation in European public R&D funding: Alpes Lasers currently holds 14 active EU grants (9 H2020 and 5 EUROSTARS), has raised over €10 million in non-dilutive funding over the past four years, and holds the position of most active SME in Switzerland in QCL and mid-IR photonics R&D. The company combines this R&D-funded pipeline with commercial product launches (Compact TE-cooled THz emitters in July 2025, GLIDER in January 2025, RF-HHL Module in 2026), achieved ISO certification in April 2025, and distributes through a refreshed worldwide agent network.
Alpes Lasers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alpes Lasers
- Legal name
- Alpes Lasers
- Website
- https://alpeslasers.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alpes Lasers is a Swiss engineering company that designs and manufactures mid-infrared photonic light sources — Quantum Cascade Lasers, Interband Cascade Lasers, and Short-Wave IR diodes — used for gas detection, spectroscopy, and sensing across environmental, healthcare, defence, industrial, and aerospace applications globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alpes Lasers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Lasers and Photonic Components
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE), Photomask Blanks, Masks & Reticles (Quartz/PELlicles) (HDAHAGAD)
Keywords
Where Alpes Lasers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-blaise
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alpes Lasers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Laser Sources Sales: Sale of Quantum Cascade Lasers, Interband Cascade Lasers, and Short-Wave IR laser diodes. Products available as off-the-shelf items or custom-developed for specific applications.
- Packaging and Integration Services: Mounting and packaging of laser chips on heat-carrying substrates with electrical connections. Includes HHL, LLH, and TO3 housing options.
- Accessories and Ancillary Equipment: Sale of complementary products including drivers (S-2, S-4), temperature controllers (TC-3), beam combiners, cables, and submounts
- Custom Development Projects: R&D contract work and development projects, including new wavelength development and specialized coating services
- EU Research Grant Participation: Revenue from participation in EU-funded research projects including H2020 and EUROSTARS programs
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Alpes Lasers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alpes Lasers designs, manufactures, and sells Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs), and Short-Wave IR laser diodes as off-the-shelf products or custom developments. It also offers laser packaging options (HHL, LLH, TO3 housings), electronic accessories (drivers, temperature controllers, starter kits), and services such as installation, coatings, new wavelength development, and contract R&D. These light sources target gas detection, spectroscopy, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, defence, aerospace, and industrial sensing applications.
Product overview
Alpes Lasers is a Swiss engineering company that produces a comprehensive portfolio of advanced laser sources spanning Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs), and Short-Wave IR laser diodes. The product portfolio includes: (1) Core Laser Sources - Quantum Cascade Lasers, Interband Cascade Lasers, and Short-Wave IR Laser Diodes as the foundational products covering a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum; (2) Laser Variants including Room Temperature CW and Pulsed Single Mode Lasers (DFB), High Power Lasers (1W+ average, 9W+ peak), High Peak Power Lasers (20W+ peak), Frequency Comb Lasers, Broad Gain Illuminators, Extended/eXtended Tuning Lasers (QC-ET, QC-XT), Cryogenic Single Mode Lasers, and Compact TE cooled THz emitters; (3) Packaging Options - HHL (sealed, compact), LLH (versatile, research-grade), and TO3 (small OEM) housings; (4) Electronics & Accessories - S-4 CW Driver (500mA-2A), S-2 QCL Pulser, TC-3 Temperature Controller, Starter Kits (CW and Pulsed), Beam Combiner, Laser Pointer, RF-HHL Laser Module, Submounts, and various connecting cables; (5) Services including Installation, Start-up, Coatings, New Wavelength Development, and Contract Research. The products serve applications across Bio/Aggro/Food, Medical/Health, Environment, Industry 4.0, ICT, Basic Science, Defence/Security, and Aerospace sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs)
Quantifiable outcome
- Detection sensitivity down to ppm or ppb levels
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Alpes Lasers
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Alpes Lasers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Alpes Lasers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Ulm UniversitycoreCollaborating with Alpes Lasers in the NETHELIX project to develop novel smart portable sensors for simultaneous measurement and control of harmful gases in underground and open-pit mines. The university provides research expertise in quantum cascade laser applications.
- CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SAcoreSwiss research institution collaborating on NETHELIX project, providing expertise in electronics and microtechnology development for gas sensing applications.
- Sandvik Mining and Construction OymajorLead partner in NETHELIX project representing the mining sector, providing requirements and end-user perspective for gas detection solutions in mining operations.
- FORTHminorPartner in DemosAxia project focusing on strategy development, innovation, training and outreach activities in South-East and South-West Europe.
- INSminorPartner in DemosAxia project for strategy development and innovation activities.
- CEA-LetiminorPartner in DemosAxia project, contributing to innovation and technology transfer activities.
- Altus LSAminorPartner in NETHELIX project focused on commercial and manufacturing aspects.
- Technical University of FreibergminorAcademic partner in NETHELIX providing research expertise.
- NTUA (National Technical University of Athens)minorAcademic partner contributing to NETHELIX project research activities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Alpes Lasers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Large Japanese photonics incumbent offering mid-IR light sources, detectors, and spectroscopic systems. Competes with Alpes Lasers in QCL/ICL sources but as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Thorlabs: Broad photonics and laser components supplier with growing mid-IR/THz capabilities (including AdTech Optics); competes with Alpes Lasers across multiple product lines and provides global scale that Alpes Lasers lacks.
Direct peers
- nanoplus Nanosystems: Manufacturer of distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes in the near- and mid-infrared, overlapping with Alpes Lasers' ICL and SWIR diode offerings for gas sensing and spectroscopy.
- Daylight Solutions (Leonardo DRS): A direct competitor in QCL-based products for defense, spectroscopy, and industrial sensing; now owned by Leonardo DRS, giving it significantly larger commercial reach into defense primes. Closest direct overlap with Alpes Lasers' QCL/mid-IR portfolio.
- Block Engineering: Develops QCL-based mid-IR spectrometers and laser systems for chemical detection and standoff sensing, directly competing in defense/security and industrial spectroscopy segments where Alpes Lasers sells its tunable QCLs.
- mirSense: French developer of QCL-based multi-gas sensing modules and laser sources for industrial, environmental, and defense applications. Highly comparable to Alpes Lasers' QCL/ICL source portfolio and use cases.
- AdTech Optics (Thorlabs): QCL manufacturer acquired by Thorlabs, producing mid-IR quantum cascade laser products for spectroscopy and sensing. Directly comparable to Alpes Lasers' core QCL offering, with the added scale of Thorlabs' global distribution.
- Sacher Lasertechnik: German manufacturer of tunable external-cavity diode lasers and mid-IR laser systems used in spectroscopy and sensing; directly comparable to Alpes Lasers' tunable QC-ET, QC-XT, and GLIDER products.
Emerging players
- Aeris Technologies: Builds QCL-based trace gas detection instruments for environmental, security, and industrial monitoring; an application-layer peer that sources mid-IR lasers similar to Alpes Lasers' components.
- Praevium Research: Developer of VCSELs, quantum cascade lasers, and broadband sources for sensing and imaging; a smaller but technically focused peer competing in mid-IR/THz laser sources.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Alpes Lasers social profiles
Digital presenceAlpes Lasers compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Alpes Lasers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alpes Lasers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Alpes Lasers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alpes Lasers 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 Alpes Lasers
What does Alpes Lasers do?
Alpes Lasers designs, manufactures, and sells Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs), and Short-Wave IR laser diodes as off-the-shelf products or custom developments. It also offers laser packaging options (HHL, LLH, TO3 housings), electronic accessories (drivers, temperature controllers, starter kits), and services such as installation, coatings, new wavelength development, and contract R&D. These light sources target gas detection, spectroscopy, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, defence, aerospace, and industrial sensing applications.
Is Alpes Lasers a public or private company?
Alpes Lasers is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Alpes Lasers founded?
Alpes Lasers was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alpes Lasers based?
Alpes Lasers is headquartered in Saint-blaise, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Alpes Lasers make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Laser Sources Sales are the primary driver. The others are packaging and Integration Services, accessories and Ancillary Equipment, custom Development Projects and EU Research Grant Participation.
Who are Alpes Lasers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hamamatsu Photonics and Thorlabs. Direct peers are nanoplus Nanosystems, Daylight Solutions (Leonardo DRS), Block Engineering, mirSense, AdTech Optics (Thorlabs) and Sacher Lasertechnik. Emerging players are Aeris Technologies and Praevium Research.
Does Alpes Lasers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alpes Lasers.
What industry is Alpes Lasers in?
Alpes Lasers's product category is Semiconductor Lasers and Photonic Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAL, Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL), with a secondary code of HDAHALAE, Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3827.