What Advanced Photonics does

Advanced Photonics, Inc. (APi; 先端フォトニクス株式会社) is a Tokyo-based private photonics components company founded in 2006 as a spin-off from the University of Tokyo's Nakano Laboratory at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST). The company designs, manufactures, and sells optical interconnection products spanning four product families: (1) world-first reflowable Gbps digital isolator chips for USB 3.x, HDMI 2.0, 12G-SDI, and general-purpose interfaces, built on semiconductor laser technology; (2) photoelectric conversion modules and optical circuit boards based on an exclusive license from the University of Tokyo covering a novel lensless waveguide embedding architecture; (3) miniature VCSEL/PD optical modules and engines operating at 3-25 Gbps per channel over glass, POF, or polyimide fiber; and (4) custom Active Optical Cables including IBTA-certified InfiniBand EDR (100Gbps) and FDR (56Gbps) products with i2c firmware control.

The company monetizes primarily through direct hardware sales to enterprise customers including Sony (CineAlta F65 cinema camera), Advantest (semiconductor test equipment), KT Group (automotive dealership camera systems), and medical device OEMs requiring IEC 60601-1 compliant galvanic isolation. Pricing is quote-based with no public list pricing; distribution is direct only, supplemented by trade show presence at MEDICA/COMPAMED, Photonix, JPCA Show, FOE, and InterOpto. All products are sold as one-time hardware purchases with custom AOC firmware/services as ancillary revenue. Headcount is in the 11-50 range and the company has raised disclosed venture financing from Japan Finance Corporation, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, and MSIVC.

The company's strategic positioning centers on its University of Tokyo-licensed lensless optical interconnect architecture and a portfolio of medical-grade (IEC 60601-1, TUV, cTUVus) digital isolators that compete against conventional optocoupler and transformer-based isolation technologies at Gbps data rates. Leadership includes President Xueliang Song (宋 学良), Vice President Foo Cheong YIT (イット フーチョン), and Supreme Technology Advisor Professor Yoshiaki Nakano (中野義昭) of the University of Tokyo, providing a continuous academic research pipeline.

Name

Advanced Photonics

Legal name

先端フォトニクス株式会社

Website

https://advancedphotonics.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Advanced Photonics (APi) is a Tokyo-based private photonics company, spun out of the University of Tokyo in 2006, that designs and sells world-first reflowable Gbps digital isolator chips (USB, HDMI, 12G-SDI) and lensless optical interconnection modules for medical-device OEMs, semiconductor test equipment makers, and broadcast/automotive customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Interconnection Components

NAICS

Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413), Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing (335921), Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Active Optical Cables (AOC) & Optical Interconnects (HDAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optical Transceivers (SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP/QSFP-DD/OSFP) (HDAFAEAE), Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH), Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)

Keywords

• Optical interconnection components
• Digital isolator chips
• Photoelectric conversion modules
• Active optical cables
• Optical circuit boards

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Sale of physical products including Gbps isolator chips (USB 3.x, HDMI 2.0, 12G-SDI, General Purpose), photoelectric conversion modules, optical circuit boards, Active Optical Cables (AOC), camera sensor optical links, and evaluation boards. Products are sold as one-time purchases (one-time license/perpetual license model per product unit).
2. Custom AOC Design and Fabrication: Custom AOC design and fabrication services for customers with specific requirements. Includes firmware support compatible with SFF-8636 standards, internal i2c control of VCSEL-Driver and TIA, external i2c command response with microcontroller.
3. Licensing Royalties (Historical): Revenue derived from technology licensing. The company holds an exclusive license from the University of Tokyo for the photoelectric conversion module technology. Licensing agreement was concluded in January 2007.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Advanced Photonics (APi) designs, manufactures and sells optical interconnection products including the world's first reflowable Gbps digital isolator chips (USB 3.x, HDMI 2.0, 12G-SDI, General Purpose), photoelectric conversion modules, optical circuit boards with embedded waveguides, VCSEL/PD optical modules, and InfiniBand Active Optical Cables (AOCs) at speeds up to 100Gbps. Products are sold as one-time hardware purchases to enterprise customers across medical, datacom, semiconductor test, broadcast and imaging end markets.

Product overview

Advanced Photonics (APi) is a University of Tokyo-spin-off company specializing in optical interconnection and high-speed digital isolation hardware. Its product portfolio centers on four interconnected technology families: (1) Gbps-range digital isolator chips — the world's first reflowable semiconductor laser isolators — covering USB 3.x (APISU30/31, APISLCU30/31), HDMI 2.0 (APIS4CU), 12G-SDI (APISSDIA), and general-purpose variants (APIS4CU, APISU31-GP); (2) Photoelectric Conversion Modules and Optical Circuit Boards based on licensed University of Tokyo technology enabling lensless optical interconnects within and between PCBs; (3) Optical Modules and Optical Engines using VCSEL/PD technology at 3–25Gbps per channel; and (4) Custom Active Optical Cables (AOC) including InfiniBand EDR (100Gbps) and FDR (56Gbps) products with i2c firmware control. A Camera Sensor Optical Link product using MIPI CSI-2/DSI-2 interfaces over plastic optical fiber completes the lineup. All isolator products carry IEC 60601-1 medical safety compliance with TUV/cTUVus certification, targeting medical equipment, high-speed testers, factory automation, and industrial video applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USB 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.2 Isolator Chip (APISU30/APISU31/APISLCU30/APISLCU31) World's first reflowable USB 3.x isolator chip using semiconductor lasers for galvanic isolation in medical and high-speed industrial equipment. Supports SuperSpeed 5Gbps (Gen1) and SuperSpeed+ 10Gbps (Gen2), available in 1MOPP (APISU30/APISU31) and 2MOPP (APISLCU30/APISLCU31) medical-grade variants with AC 5000V RMS isolation and creepage 6.1-8.1mm.
• HDMI 2.0 Isolator Chip (APIS4CU) World's first reflowable HDMI 2.0 isolator chip (TMDS) supporting up to 40Gbps total throughput (10Gbps per lane), HDMI 1.0-2.1 compatible, resolutions up to 8K at 30Hz, with DDC and HPD lines isolated. Creepage/Clearance 6.25mm/6.25mm; P/N APIS4CU. For medical-grade isolation in HDMI-enabled equipment.
• 12G-SDI Isolator Chip (APISSDIA) World's first reflowable 12G-SDI isolator chip for broadcast video applications. Supports 12G-SDI (ST-2082-1), 6G-SDI (ST-2081-1), 3G-SDI (ST-424), and HD-SDI (ST-292). Creepage/Clearance 8.1mm/8.1mm, 2MOPP IEC 60601-1 compliant for 250V-AC. P/N APISSDIA.
• General Purpose Gbps Isolator Chip (APIS4CU, APISU31-GP) General-purpose reflowable digital isolator chips supporting 0.1-40Gbps for any NRZ/DC-balanced differential signal. APIS4CU provides 4-channel uni-directional at 40Gbps total; APISU31-GP provides 2-channel bi-directional at 20Gbps total. Compatible with CML, TMDS, DisplayPort 1.0-1.4, V-by-One HS, DVI. 5000V RMS isolation, IEC 60601-1 compliant.
• Photoelectric Conversion Module Exclusive licensed photoelectric conversion module based on University of Tokyo patents, enabling low-cost, high-reliability mutual conversion between electrical and optical signals without mirrors or lenses. The foundational technology for all APi optical circuit board and interconnect products, supporting 10Gbps per channel and 80Gbps total (8-channel) transmission. World's first lensless optical interconnection module achieving mass production since 2012.
• Optical Circuit Board Printed circuit board embedded with optical waveguide film enabling in-board optical transmission without mirrors or lenses. Developed using proprietary photoelectric conversion module technology, with epoxy resin waveguides embedded in FR-4 or other substrate materials. Supports transmission at 10-100Gbps per channel across multiple channels for routers, servers and supercomputers.
• Camera (CMOS) Sensor Optical Link Optical link solution for camera/CMOS sensor interfaces supporting MIPI D-PHY CSI-2 for parallel image data and MIPI DSI-2 display interface. Compact form factor using plastic optical fiber (POF). Adopted by KT-G Kanagawa Toyota (Odawara & Fuchinobe) shops since 2018 for automotive dealership applications.
• Optical Module / Optical Engine Miniature VCSEL and PD-based optical transceiver modules and optical engines in configurations from 1 to 12 channels at 3Gbps, 10Gbps, or 25Gbps per channel. Supports glass multimode fiber, plastic optical fiber (POF), and polyimide optical fiber at distances up to 100m in a super-tiny form factor.
• Custom AOC (Active Optical Cable) Custom-designed and fabricated Active Optical Cables with firmware support (compatible with SFF-8636). Features internal i2c control of VCSEL-Driver and TIA, and external i2c command response with microcontroller. Supports InfiniBand, Ethernet and custom protocols at customer-specified lengths and speeds.
• 100Gbps EDR QSFP+ AOC 100Gbps Infiniband EDR QSFP+ Active Optical Cable. IBTA-authorized. Used for high-speed bi-directional serial links between processors and peripherals in data centers and supercomputers. Released October 2014.
• 56Gbps FDR QSFP+ AOC 56Gbps InfiniBand FDR QSFP+ Active Optical Cable. IBTA-authorized. Released August 2012 for high-speed interconnect applications.
• Infiniband Active Optical Cable (DDR/QDR) Active Optical Cable for Infiniband interconnections, IBTA-authorized. Supported types: DDR (20Gbps, 1-100m) and QDR (40Gbps, 1-100m). Released February 2012.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 80% reduction in server power consumption when using optical interconnection vs. electrical wiring
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• KT GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2017APi co-developed a tiny high-resolution POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) camera with KT Group and Honda Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd. The camera was demonstrated at KT Group's private technical exhibition in April 2017. The technology was adopted by Kanagawa Toyota dealerships for automotive applications. The POF camera uses APi's camera sensor optical link technology.
• Honda Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2017Co-developed POF camera with APi and KT Group. Contributed manufacturing expertise for the tiny high-resolution camera demonstrated at KT Group's private exhibition.
• Sony CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2012APi collaborated with Sony in developing optical interconnect technology for Sony's CineAlta F65 professional cinema camera. The camera employed optical interconnect technology jointly developed with APi, enabling 40Gbps data transmission for uncompressed 4K2K recording. Sony's F65 received the Academy Scientific and Technical Award in 2017, validating the collaboration's success. The collaboration leveraged APi's lensless waveguide technology and Sony's cinematography expertise.
• Advantest CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2008APi entered a joint development agreement with Advantest Corporation to develop optical PCB technology enabling 160Gbps (40Gbps per channel) transmission for semiconductor test systems. Advantest publicly announced the partnership in September 2008, describing APi as a development partner. The technology was reported in major Japanese media (Nikkei, Kahoku Shimbun). This collaboration represents APi's entry into the semiconductor test equipment market.
• NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)coreOthers · 3 October 2006APi's project 'High-speed, high-capacity optical wiring board commercialization research & development' was selected for NEDO's Fiscal 2006 Second 'University-oriented Business Creation - Commercialization R&D Projects'. NEDO provided subsidy support with commercialization targeted within 2 years after R&D completion. In April 2009, APi completed 240Gbps optical interconnect board development supported by NEDO.
• The University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2003APi was spun off from and maintains ongoing joint research with the Nakano Laboratory at RCAST. The company's foundational technology (photoelectric conversion module) is exclusively licensed from the University of Tokyo. APi's R&D is conducted based on joint research with Nakano Office of University of Tokyo. CEO/President Song Xueqiang and CTO/VP Foo Cheong YIT maintain active ties to the university.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Intel: Intel's silicon photonics platform targets the same optical interconnect/embedded-waveguide use cases APi's optical circuit board technology addresses for servers and switches.
• Broadcom: Broadcom is a leading merchant optical transceiver/PAM4 DSP platform vendor for hyperscale datacom and is a large-scale competitor to APi's optical interconnect and isolator chip portfolio.
• Lumentum: Lumentum is a major merchant supplier of VCSELs, optical transceivers, and active optical components used in datacom AOC and optical-module designs that overlap APi's Optoelectronic Module / Optical Engine and AOC lines.
• Coherent Corp: Coherent (formerly II-VI) is a broad photonics incumbent producing lasers, transceivers, and optical interconnects for datacom and HPC, the same end markets APi's lensless optical PCB and AOC technology serves.
• Marvell Technology: Marvell (including the Inphi DSP franchise) supplies the optical DSPs and pluggable transceivers used in high-speed datacom links that intersect with APi's AOC and optical-engine roadmap.

Direct peers

• Texas Instruments: TI is the dominant capacitive/inductive digital isolator vendor and the largest incumbent APi must displace in USB, HDMI, and SDI medical-isolation sockets.
• Silicon Labs: Silicon Labs' CMOS-based digital isolator portfolio directly targets the same Gbps isolation sockets that APi's reflowable semiconductor-laser isolators address.
• Analog Devices: Analog Devices' iCoupler digital isolator family competes head-on with APi's USB 3.x, HDMI 2.0, 12G-SDI and General Purpose Gbps Isolator Chips in medical, factory automation, and high-speed test applications.

Regional players

• Mitsubishi Electric: Mitsubishi Electric is a Japanese optical-communications component and laser/module vendor serving similar datacom and industrial customers as APi within the Japanese market.
• Sumitomo Electric Industries: Sumitomo Electric produces optical fiber, AOC, and photonic components from Japan and competes with APi in chip-to-chip and board-level optical interconnects primarily within Asian markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 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 Advanced Photonics