Nanophotonics Technology Center

What Nanophotonics Technology Center does

The Nanophotonics Technology Center (NTC; legal name Centro de Tecnología Nanofotónica) is a research institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), founded in 2005 (with some research-staff roots to 2003) and located on the UPV campus in Valencia, Spain. The center specializes in nanophotonics and micro/nanofabrication using CMOS-compatible silicon technology, with core activities spanning photonic integrated circuits (PICs), optomechanics, metasurfaces, III-V semiconductor integration on silicon, and biosensing. Its physical asset base is a 500 m2 ISO-4 to ISO-7 certified cleanroom (TÜV-certified to ISO-14644) with a 6-inch (150mm) wafer production line, plans to migrate to 200mm, four MBE epitaxy reactors, JEOL 8100 e-beam lithography, and multiple PECVD systems, all organized under three service pillars: micro/nanofabrication, optical/structural characterization, and assembly/packaging.

NTC serves a mix of large industrial clients (Huawei, Thales, SENER, Bosch, EADS) and academic/research partners across telecom, datacom, computing, biosensing, energy, and space applications. Its revenue mechanics are diversified across four streams: competitive research grants (European Commission Horizon Europe/H2020, Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación, regional Conselleria), fee-based fabrication and characterization services (tiered: Group 1 internal UPV, Group 2 OPIs/PYMES/spin-offs, Group 3 external companies), technology transfer and licensing (more than 50 agreements), and equity/relationships through three spin-off companies — DAS Photonics (photonic technology), Lumensia Sensors (sensor technology), and Fibernova Systems (fiber optic systems) — collectively employing more than 100 people.

The center operates within Spain's ICTS Micronanofabs network alongside CNM Barcelona and ISOM Madrid, and is one of 24 European competence centres in the ACTPHAST 4R photonics innovation hub. It holds 29 registered patents (majority internationally protected) and has participated in more than 40 European research projects. Leadership for 2026-2032 was recently appointed under Prof. Pablo Sanchis Kilders as Director, with Dr. Ana Díaz Rubio as Deputy Director and Prof. Jaime García Rupérez as Secretary.

Name

Nanophotonics Technology Center

Legal name

Centro de Tecnología Nanofotónica

Website

https://ntc.upv.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nanophotonics Technology Center (NTC) is a university research institute at Universitat Politècnica de València operating a 500 m2 ISO-certified silicon-photonics cleanroom, serving telecom, defense, healthcare, energy, and space clients via contract research, fabrication, characterization, and packaging services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics Research and Nanofabrication Services

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441), Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing (334418), Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Electronic Components, Nec (3679), Printed Circuit Boards (3672)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundry Platform & Design Enablement Services (PDK/DFM/Process Qualification) (HDAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

PCB Assembly (PCBA/EMS) (HDAHAOAI), Silicon Wafers (Prime/Test/SOI) (HDAHAGAA), Physical Design, DFM & Manufacturing/Mask Data Prep (HDAHAFAC)

Keywords

• Silicon photonics
• Nanofabrication services
• Photonic integrated circuits
• MEMS packaging
• Cleanroom fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia, Valencia

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Project Funding: NTC generates revenue primarily through competitive research funding from European Commission (Horizon Europe, H2020), national agencies (Agencia Estatal de Investigación), regional government (Conselleria), and private funding. The center has participated in over 40 European projects.
2. Service Fees: Fee-based characterization and fabrication services offered to internal UPV research centers (Group 1), OPIs, PYMES & Spin-off companies (Group 2), and external companies (Group 3) at different rate structures
3. Technology Transfer Agreements: Revenue generated through more than 50 technology transfer agreements with technology firms, including top tech companies in their respective industries
4. Spin-off Companies: Three spin-off companies (DAS Photonics, Lumensia Sensors, Fibernova Systems) employing more than 100 people, generating indirect revenue through equity and commercial relationships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NTC operates a state-of-the-art 500 m2 ISO-certified cleanroom providing micro/nanofabrication services on 6-inch silicon wafers using CMOS-compatible technology, along with optical and structural characterization labs and back-end assembly/packaging services for photonic, optoelectronic, MEMS, MOEMS, sensor and LED/OLED devices. The center also conducts contract research, participates in European and national R&D projects, and transfers technology through spin-off companies and licensing of patented nanophotonic innovations.

Product overview

The Nanophotonics Technology Center (NTC) is a research institute at Universitat Politècnica de València offering state-of-the-art nanofabrication and characterization services rather than a commercial product portfolio. Its core offerings include a 500m2 ISO-certified cleanroom for micro/nanofabrication on silicon wafers up to 200mm using CMOS-compatible technology, optical and structural characterization laboratories, and assembly/packaging services for photonic devices. These services are offered to internal research groups, external researchers, and technology companies (national and international) through tiered pricing structures. The institute also conducts research in nanophotonics applications spanning telecom, datacom, computing, biosensing, space, and photovoltaics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Micro/Nanofabrication Services 500 m2 cleanroom (Class 10-100-10,000) with a complete CMOS-compatible production line for 6-inch silicon wafers, including wet benches, spin coating, lithography, dry etching, developer and lift-off, deposition, and thermal processing for photonic and electronic integrated circuits. Services are offered to internal UPV research centers, OPIs/PYMES/spin-offs, and external companies.
• Characterization Lab Services Optical and structural characterization services using ellipsometers, profilometers, microscopes, THz-TDS, film stress measurement, SNOM, test wafer, RAMAN-AFM, and bio-sensor characterization platforms for photonic devices and biosensors.
• Assembly and Packaging Lab Services Back-end and packaging technologies for photonics, optoelectronics, MEMS, MOEMS, sensors and LED/OLED devices, including dicing, die-attach, flip-chip, alignment and pigtailing, housing, die bonding, wire-bonding, sealing, and testing services.
• ICTS Micronanofabs Network Services Shared access to micro-nanofabrication facilities within the ICTS Micronanofabs network, alongside CNM (Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica) in Barcelona and ISOM in Madrid, offering certified cleanroom infrastructure to researchers and companies.
• Contract Research and Industry Collaboration Joint research projects, technology transfer, and innovation partnerships covering nanophotonic applications in telecom, datacom, computing, biosensing, space, and photovoltaics for domestic and foreign businesses and research institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 spin-off companies employing more than 100 people with strong graduate and PhD retention
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACTPHAST 4RcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2020EU innovation hub specializing in photonics technologies deployment. NTC participates as one of 24 European photonics competence centres providing researchers open access to advanced photonics technology platforms, expert coaching, and hands-on training for developing breakthrough concepts into industrially-relevant demonstrators.
• SECPHOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish technology platform organizing roadshows for photonics institutions and companies. NTC professor Alejandro Martinez participated in roadshow to Philips Innovation Services in Eindhoven to discuss potential collaborations.
• Micronanofabs ICTS NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish singular infrastructure (ICTS) approved by Ministry of Science. NTC is part of this network together with CNM (Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica) in Barcelona and ISOM in Madrid, providing shared access to micro-nanofabrication facilities.
• King's College London (KCL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research collaboration on near-field directionality and Janus dipoles, with work selected as one of the most interesting research in optics and photonics in 2019 by OSA OPN.
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel (B-PHOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels Photonics Team serving as central coordinator of ACTPHAST 4R. NTC collaborates through this EU innovation hub for photonics technology deployment.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• CompoundTek: Commercial silicon photonics foundry offering 200mm CMOS-compatible wafer services to academic and industrial customers. Less diversified than NTC (no packaging or characterization breadth) but a relevant benchmark for commercial-volume photonic component manufacturing.

Direct peers

• ISOM (UPM Madrid): Polytechnic University of Madrid's Institute for Systems Based on Optoelectronics and Microtechnology. Third node in Spain's ICTS Micronanofabs network alongside NTC and CNM, providing nanofabrication and characterization services with overlapping photonics and semiconductor focus.
• Tyndall National Institute: Irish research institute with a semiconductor and photonics nanofabrication facility, operating contract R&D and spin-off generation in photonics, MEMS, and microelectronics. Comparable scale and similar European funding/tech transfer mix.
• CEA-Leti: French micro/nanotechnologies research institute running 200mm and 300mm cleanrooms with strong silicon photonics, MEMS, and packaging programs. Comparable in business model (contract R&D, technology transfer to industry, spin-off creation) and overlapping customer base in telecom, defense, and biosensing.
• IHP - Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics: German research institute operating a silicon-germanium BiCMOS pilot line with strong silicon photonics capabilities and a comparable contract R&D / tech transfer / spin-off business model. Overlap with NTC in photonic integrated circuits, biosensing, and European project participation.
• Fraunhofer HHI: German Fraunhofer institute focused on photonic networks and systems, with InP and silicon photonics fab capabilities and a strong record of spin-offs in telecom and datacom optics. Comparable academic-industry hybrid operating model and customer base in optical communications.
• Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica (CNM): CSIC research center in Barcelona that shares the ICTS Micronanofabs infrastructure designation with NTC. Operates its own silicon and MEMS nanofabrication line with similar technology-transfer and academic-industry collaboration model. Sister institution within the same national network.
• IMEC: Independent semiconductor R&D center in Leuven operating a leading silicon photonics program with a 200mm/300mm CMOS-compatible pilot line, design enablement, and packaging services. Closest functional analog to NTC's nanofab + packaging one-stop shop, with a much larger scale and global industry pull.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish applied research organization with a micro/nano fab and silicon photonics program, offering contract R&D, characterization, and packaging services. Comparable business model and overlapping European research consortium footprint.

Regional players

• AIM Photonics: US-based public-private silicon photonics foundry operated out of Albany NanoTech with integrated packaging capabilities. Comparable in providing a foundry + packaging pathway for photonic ICs, though primarily serving North American customers and a different funding ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/upvntc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanophotonics-technology-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Nanophotonics Technology Center