What RedWave Labs Ltd does

RedWave Labs Ltd is a privately held UK electronics design and manufacturing company founded in 2004, headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Didcot, Oxfordshire. The company specialises in photonics control electronics, producing off-the-shelf laser controllers, temperature controllers, data acquisition cards, photoreceivers, single photon detectors, time taggers, RF generators, and power distribution boards. Its flagship architecture is the Universal Platform — a modular, PC/104- and PICMG-compliant system built around a Kontron Apollo CPU, integrated FPGA-based laser control and DSP (TI DM6437), line-lock/offset-lock modules for frequency stabilisation, and comprehensive firmware — with a dedicated variant for quantum applications covering PNT, atomic clocks, and laser frequency stabilisation. The company has independently validated state-of-the-art single photon detection performance through a 2026 Journal of Lightwave Technology characterisation of its AD200 silicon detector.

The company's business model combines three revenue streams: off-the-shelf product sales via an e-commerce storefront at unit prices ranging from £334 to over £1,500, custom electronics design and development services from concept through to industrial production, and OEM volume production of customised versions of standard products with tiered volume discounts (10+/50+/100+ units) and a 7-year minimum production support guarantee. Customers are primarily in industrial manufacturing, environmental monitoring, defence, aerospace, and academic photonics/quantum research, with deployments described as spanning all continents including Antarctica.

RedWave Labs operates with a small team of 8 employees and appears to be bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors. It is a member of the PICMG and PC/104 specifications consortiums and maintains close component relationships with Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, and AMD/Xilinx. In 2024 it participated as a lead photonics control partner in the UKRI-funded quantum navigation flight trials consortium with Infleqtion, BAE Systems, QinetiQ, and Fraunhofer. The company continues to invest in product launches (C450 Digital Laser and Temperature Controller, May 2026) and event presence (UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase, SPW 2026) to maintain visibility in the emerging quantum customer vertical.

Name

RedWave Labs Ltd

Legal name

RedWave Labs Ltd

Website

https://redwavelabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RedWave Labs Ltd is a privately held UK photonics control electronics designer and manufacturer (founded 2004, 8 employees, Didcot) that sells off-the-shelf laser/temperature controllers, DAQ cards, single photon detectors, and Universal Platform systems to industrial, defence, aerospace, and quantum research customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics Control Electronics

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optics & Laser/Light Engine Components (Lenses, Galvos, Laser Modules, UV Engines) (IMAAAIAC), Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Photonics control electronics
• Laser control systems
• Temperature controllers
• Data acquisition cards
• Custom OEM electronics

Headquarters

HQ city

Didcot

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Off-the-shelf Product Sales: Sale of standardised control electronics products including laser controllers, temperature controllers, data acquisition cards, photoreceivers, power supplies, and quantum technology components through e-commerce storefront. Products manufactured on-demand with 1-5 week lead times.
2. Custom Design and Development Services: Electronics and optics design, development and pilot production services from concept through prototype to industrial product and continuous manufacturing. Includes compliance engineering for electrical, mechanical, and optical aspects.
3. OEM Products: Volume production of custom OEM versions of standard products for integration into customer's own instruments and systems. Discounts available for larger quantities (10+, 50+, 100+ units).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RedWave Labs Ltd designs and manufactures photonics control electronics, offering a catalogue of laser controllers, temperature controllers, data acquisition (DAQ) cards, photoreceivers and quantum technology products, alongside bespoke custom OEM electronic design and build services for industrial and research customers. The company combines off-the-shelf catalogue products with tailored engineering for clients requiring specialised photonics instrumentation.

Product overview

RedWave Labs Ltd designs and manufactures high quality custom electronics specializing in photonics, with particular expertise in control electronics for spectroscopy and quantum technologies. The product portfolio is organized across seven main categories: laser controllers (including digital and analog controllers, ultra-short pulsed drivers, pump diode drivers, and LED sources), temperature controllers (digital and linear controllers with various current ratings), spectroscopy control and acquisition systems (Universal Platform for spectroscopic instruments and Quantum Control & Integration Platform), quantum technologies (single photon detectors, time taggers, PXIe carriers, RF generators, and DAC boards), photoreceivers (low noise visible photoreceivers), data acquisition cards (high-precision multifunction DAQ modules), and power supplies/distribution boards. The Universal Platform serves as a modular, extensible system architecture combining open Express CPU (Kontron Apollo series), backplane with power supplies, integrated laser controllers, and comprehensive firmware/software. The Quantum Control & Integration Platform extends this for quantum applications including PNT, atomic clocks, and laser frequency stabilization. Products range from individual components to complete turnkey systems, serving industrial, environmental, and quantum technology markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laser Controllers

Quantifiable outcome

• AD200 single photon detector achieves dark count rates of 4-18 s⁻¹, among the lowest reported, with >40% detection efficiency at 852nm and ~160-210ps timing precision
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InfleqtioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Lead partner in UKRI-funded quantum navigation flight trials project. Infleqtion led a consortium including RedWave Labs, Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Alter Technology UK, Caledonian Photonics, PA Consulting, BAE Systems, and QinetiQ to test quantum-based navigation systems on commercial aircraft.
• Fraunhofer Centre for Applied PhotonicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the UKRI-funded consortium working on quantum navigation technology testing. Contributed to the quantum inertial navigation system (Q-INS) project alongside RedWave Labs.
• Alter Technology UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in UKRI quantum navigation project, contributing to quantum technology development alongside RedWave Labs.
• Caledonian PhotonicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in UKRI quantum navigation project for quantum-based navigation systems.
• PA ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in UKRI quantum navigation project providing consulting expertise.
• BAE SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace company collaborating on quantum navigation flight trials using QinetiQ's RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator. Part of UKRI-funded project including RedWave Labs.
• QinetiQcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator aircraft for quantum navigation flight trials. Part of UKRI consortium with RedWave Labs for quantum PNT technology testing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moglabs: Australian designer and manufacturer of photonics control electronics including laser controllers, frequency locking modules, and quantum technology components — the closest comparable niche specialist to RedWave Labs in product portfolio and target customer base.
• ID Quantique: Swiss specialist in single photon detectors, quantum key distribution systems, and quantum sensing instruments — overlapping product line with RedWave's AD200/AD300 single photon detectors and quantum platform offerings.
• PicoQuant: German photonics instrumentation company offering single photon counting modules, time taggers, and pulsed laser drivers — directly comparable to RedWave's single photon detector and Time Tagger product families.
• Swabian Instruments: Swedish manufacturer of time taggers and photon counting electronics for quantum optics and single photon research — overlapping Time Tagger and single photon detector product categories.
• Becker & Hickl: German manufacturer of TCSPC (time-correlated single photon counting) modules and photon counting electronics — closely comparable to RedWave's photonic detection and timing products.
• Vescent Photonics: US photonics company producing laser controllers, frequency locking electronics, and integrated control modules for cold atom and quantum technology applications — directly comparable to RedWave's Quantum Control & Integration Platform.

Broad incumbents

• Hamamatsu Photonics: Japanese photonics manufacturer offering photodetectors, single photon counting devices, and photonic modules — overlaps with RedWave's AD-series single photon detectors and photoreceivers within a much broader photonic components catalogue.
• Toptica Photonics: German laser systems specialist with extensive diode laser and frequency-locked laser offerings; overlaps with RedWave's quantum/laser control capabilities as part of a much broader laser systems portfolio.
• Thorlabs: Large US photonics equipment manufacturer offering a broad catalogue of lasers, photodetectors, controllers, and photonics instrumentation — competes with RedWave's laser controllers and photoreceivers but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• MKS Instruments: Global US-listed provider of laser, photonics, and process control instrumentation — competes with RedWave's laser controllers and spectroscopy control platforms as part of a much larger industrial portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/redwave-labs-ltd

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 RedWave Labs Ltd