What Luceda Photonics does

Luceda Photonics (legal entity Luceda NV) is a Belgian privately held software company founded in 2014 as a spin-off of imec, the Photonics Research Group at Ghent University, and the B-PHOT team at the Free University of Brussels (VUB). The company develops and sells software and services for designers of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), with its core product being IPKISS, a Python-based design framework that integrates schematic capture, parametric component design, layout, circuit simulation, and physical verification in a single environment. The platform is extended through specialized modules (AWG Designer, IP Manager, Circuit Analyzer), a native cross-platform Design Rule Check (DRC) engine, and the recently launched Nexus Data Hive and Data Explorer product line for measurement data management and yield analytics. Luceda distributes foundry Process Design Kits, Application Design Kits, and Technology Design Kits, and integrates with third-party simulation tools (Ansys Lumerical, Tidy3D, 3DS Simulia) and EDA environments (Siemens EDA L-Edit) via dedicated "Link" connectors.

Luceda operates a sales-led go-to-market model targeting industrial R&D teams and research institutes that design PICs for applications including data and telecom, LIDAR, quantum computing, sensing and biosensing, and medical imaging. The company sells software licenses and subscriptions (with a free trial and quote-based enterprise pricing) alongside professional design services for tape-out, layout, and design kit creation. Distribution combines direct sales from its Ghent headquarters and Shanghai office (opened 2021) with regional channel partners Spark Photonics in North America, ETSC Micro Devices in Japan, and Taiwan Auto Design Co. in Taiwan. Notable partnerships include imec, the photonixFAB European silicon photonics initiative, GlobalFoundries (PDK and DRC deck), and multiple foundries such as AMF, LIGENTEC, SilTerra, Tower Semiconductor, and Solinide Photonics. Named reference customers include DeepSight Technology (medical imaging) and photonixFAB, and the company states that IPKISS has been used to validate over 300 designs.

The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or revenue figures. Headcount is listed at 11-50 employees across firmographic sources.

Name

Luceda Photonics

Legal name

Luceda NV

Website

https://lucedaphotonics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Luceda Photonics is a Belgian privately held software company founded in 2014 as a spin-off of imec, Ghent University, and VUB. It sells the IPKISS Python-based photonic integrated circuit design platform, related verification and data analytics tools, and design services to industrial R&D teams and research institutes worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonic IC Design Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Photonic IC design
• Photonics design software
• Silicon photonics tools
• PIC verification software
• Photonic integrated circuits

Headquarters

HQ city

Dendermonde

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Luceda generates revenue through software licenses for the IPKISS platform and related design tools. The platform appears to be offered via subscription or license-based models with support and maintenance included.
2. Design Services: Professional services including front-end circuit-level design and simulation, layout to match fab design rules, tape-out support, and design kit creation to help customers streamline their design flow.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Luceda Photonics develops and sells the IPKISS-based Luceda Photonics Design Platform, a Python framework for first-time-right photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design that unifies schematic capture, layout, circuit simulation, verification, and yield analysis. The company also offers the Nexus Data Hive and Data Explorer for measurement data management and analytics, supported by professional design services including tape-out support and design kit creation.

Product overview

Luceda Photonics offers a unified PIC design platform centered on IPKISS, a Python-based framework for first-time-right photonic IC design. The platform bundles design and simulation tools (IPKISS core), specialized modules (AWG Designer for arrayed waveguide gratings, IP Manager for automated IP testing, Circuit Analyzer for yield analysis), and verification capabilities (Native DRC Engine). The Nexus product line adds photonics data management and analytics (Data Hive for measurement data pipelines, Data Explorer for visualization and statistical analytics). The platform is extended through partner integrations with third-party simulation tools (Ansys Lumerical, Tidy3D, 3DS Simulia) and EDA environments (Siemens EDA/L-Edit), plus co-simulation capabilities. Design Kits (PDKs, ADKs, TDKs) and DRC decks provide technology-specific support for foundries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IPKISS: First-time-right PIC design software and complete design framework including measurement feedback for true component validation, with a state-of-the-art component library, centralized data management, and versatile Python scripting capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-time-right design experience similar to electronic IC designers, reducing costly iterations and tape-out cycles
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GlobalFoundriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Strategic partnership to release a Luceda Process Design Kit (PDK) for GF's silicon photonics platform. This collaboration accelerates silicon photonics innovation by providing designers with access to GlobalFoundries' manufacturing capabilities through Luceda's design platform.
• Spark PhotonicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial partner in North America. Spark Photonics provides experienced support on designs and serves as the primary channel partner for the North American market.
• ETSC Micro DevicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial reseller in Japan responsible for sales and support in the Japanese market.
• Taiwan Auto Design Co. (TADC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial reseller in Taiwan responsible for sales and support in the Taiwanese market.
• photonixFABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the photonixFAB initiative to accelerate industrialization of silicon photonics in Europe. Collaboration strengthens Europe's silicon photonics value chain and supports the journey from innovation to high-volume production.
• ePIXfab (European Silicon Photonics Alliance)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of ePIXfab Silicon Photonics Summer School and design competitions. Collaboration supports training and ecosystem development for the silicon photonics community.
• CORNERSTONEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of ePIXfab Silicon Photonics Summer School Design Competition. CORNERSTONE offers dedicated student MPW runs for competition participants.
• imeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuceda is a spin-off company of imec, the Photonics Research Group at Ghent University, and the B-PHOT team at the Free University of Brussels (VUB), giving the company deep roots in European photonics research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Synopsys: Synopsys offers OptoCompiler for photonic IC design and has acquired PhoeniX Software and Photon Design, making it the most direct and most formidable competitor to Luceda's IPKISS platform in the silicon photonics EDA space.
• VLC Photonics: VLC Photonics is a fabless silicon photonics design services house that overlaps directly with Luceda's professional services offering, including front-end design, simulation, layout, and tape-out support for photonic IC customers.
• VPIphotonics: VPIphotonics provides photonic design and simulation software targeting similar PIC designers and system-level photonic applications, competing head-on with Luceda across component and system simulation workflows.
• FlexCompute (Tidy3D): FlexCompute's Tidy3D is a cloud-native FDTD photonic simulation platform that increasingly competes with Luceda's integrated simulation workflow while also serving as a Luceda integration partner via IPKISS Link for Tidy3D.
• Lumerical (Ansys): Lumerical, now part of Ansys, provides FDTD and EME photonic simulation tools that overlap with Luceda's simulation capabilities. It is also an integration partner via IPKISS Link for Ansys Lumerical, making it both a peer and a collaborator.

Broad incumbents

• Cadence: Cadence is a major EDA incumbent increasingly active in silicon photonics design through its Virtuoso and broader custom IC platforms, representing an indirect but intensifying competitive threat to Luceda.
• Siemens EDA: Siemens EDA (formerly Mentor Graphics) offers broad electronic and photonic design capabilities through its L-Edit platform — a current integration partner of Luceda — and competes as a general EDA incumbent expanding into photonics.
• Dassault Systèmes (3DS Simulia / CST Studio Suite): Dassault's SIMULIA portfolio includes electromagnetic simulation tools (CST Studio Suite) used by photonic designers, overlapping with Luceda's simulation integration offerings while serving a much broader multiphysics customer base.
• COMSOL: COMSOL provides multiphysics simulation software widely used in photonic and optoelectronic device design, representing an adjacent incumbent that photonic designers may use alongside or instead of Luceda's integrated workflow.

Emerging players

• GDSFactory: GDSFactory is an open-source Python framework for photonic IC layout and design that mirrors much of IPKISS's Python-based workflow. It targets the same PIC designer audience but as a free alternative, posing a long-tail commoditization risk.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/luceda
• Xx.com/lucedaphotonics
• Facebookfacebook.com/lucedaphotonics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Luceda Photonics