Dream Photonics
Dream Photonics is a Vancouver-based University of British Columbia spin-off providing photonic wire bonding services and Process Design Kits for silicon photonics foundries, enabling fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and laser integration using two-photon polymerization 3D printing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dream Photonics does
Dream Photonics Inc. is a privately held technology spin-off from the University of British Columbia, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a secondary office in Woodinville, Washington. The company provides hybrid photonic integration solutions to silicon photonics foundries and end customers, built on two core offerings: photonic wire bonding (PWB) as a service and advanced Process Design Kits (PDKs). Its PWB technology uses two-photon polymerization 3D printing to fabricate freeform polymer structures that connect optical fibers, lasers, and chips with disparate mode field shapes, enabling high-yield, misalignment-tolerant, passive-alignment packaging for fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and on-chip laser integration. The company also produces Facet Attached Microlenses (FaMLs) with sub-2 dB insertion loss, greater than 100 nm broadband operation, and greater than 700 mW power handling at telecom wavelengths. PDKs deployed on commercial and open-source SiEPIC EDA tools include variability-aware models, lithography-aware devices, and Verilog-A compact models intended to enable first-time-right designs.
Dream Photonics generates revenue through a combination of professional services (PWB-based fiber and laser integration jobs, MPW tape-out support) and licensing/royalties (PDKs and silicon-verified IP cores). Distribution is anchored by embedded partnerships with major silicon photonics foundries — AIM Photonics, AMF, Applied Nanotools, and Tower Semiconductor — including listing on the AIM Photonics component library portal. The customer base of approximately 35 spans telecom/datacom, optical computing, quantum computing, chemical/biological sensing, and automotive LiDAR end markets, with named accounts including Intel, NRC, VTT, GWU, DEVCOM, CMC Microsystems, Psionic, and Illusense.
The company has been primarily funded through non-dilutive Canadian government programs (NSERC, NRC IRAP, CMC FABrIC, Pacific Economic Development Canada), accumulating more than $1 million in grants in 2025 for quantum light source integration and wafer-scale packaging. It has won a MITACS Commercialization Award (2023) and joined the e@UBC HATCH Venture Builder accelerator (2024). Leadership comprises UBC Professors Lukas Chrostowski (silicon photonics) and Sudip Shekhar (CMOS electronics) as co-founders, and Senior Scientist Matthew Mitchell.
Dream Photonics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dream Photonics
- Legal name
- Dream Photonics Inc.
- Website
- https://dreamphotonics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Dream Photonics is a Vancouver-based University of British Columbia spin-off providing photonic wire bonding services and Process Design Kits for silicon photonics foundries, enabling fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and laser integration using two-photon polymerization 3D printing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dream Photonics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Silicon Photonics Packaging and Process Design Kits
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413), Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242)
- SIC
- Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optics & Laser/Light Engine Components (Lenses, Galvos, Laser Modules, UV Engines) (IMAAAIAC), Quantum Photonics & Quantum Imaging (Single-Photon, Lidar, Ghost Imaging) (HDAGAHAF), Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)
Keywords
Where Dream Photonics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dream Photonics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Photonic Wire Bonding Services: The company offers photonic wire bonding as a service - providing fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and on-chip laser and fiber integration services for silicon photonics. This is a service-based model targeting foundries and end customers requiring packaging solutions.
- Process Design Kit (PDK) Licensing: Dream Photonics creates advanced PDKs for manufacturing foundries providing components and models to enable first-time-right designs. PDKs are developed and deployed for platforms like AIM Photonics Si and SiN, and AMF silicon photonics platforms.
- IP Cores and Device Licensing: Expanded IP Cores offering through collaboration with foundry partners and customers, providing silicon-verified devices and application examples.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Dream Photonics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dream Photonics provides photonic wire bonding as a service for fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and on-chip laser and fiber integration with silicon photonics, using two-photon polymerization 3D-printed polymer structures. It also develops and licenses Process Design Kits (PDKs) for silicon photonics foundries such as AIM Photonics, AMF, Applied Nanotools, and Tower Semiconductor, including variability-aware compact and Verilog-A models. The company further offers Facet Attached Microlenses (FaMLs), silicon-verified IP cores, and multi-project-wafer tape-out enablement for hybrid integrated lasers.
Product overview
Dream Photonics offers a portfolio of hybrid integration solutions for photonic integrated circuits (PICs), centered on photonic wire bonding (PWB) technology and Process Design Kits (PDKs). The core PWB product enables high-throughput fiber and laser integration with silicon photonic chips using 3D-printed optics. Supporting offerings include Facet Attached Microlenses (FaMLs) for waveguide coupling, and PDKs for AIM Photonics and AMF platforms with variability-aware models. The company operates as a technology spin-off from UBC providing photonic wire bonding as a service and enabling first-time-right PIC designs through foundry partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Photonic Wire Bonding (PWB) as a Service
Quantifiable outcome
- First publicly-available MPW run with lasers integrated on-chip (2022)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Dream Photonics
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dream Photonics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Dream Photonics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dream Photonics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vanguard Automation: Vanguard Automation is a direct competitor in photonic wire bonding and 3D-printed micro-optics for photonic integration, addressing the same fiber-to-chip and chip-to-chip coupling problems for silicon photonics.
- VLC Photonics: VLC Photonics is a photonic design services and PDK/PDL provider for silicon photonics, directly comparable to Dream Photonics' PDK and IP licensing business for foundries and fabless designers.
- ficonTEC: ficonTEC provides automated photonic packaging and assembly equipment (including flip-chip and active alignment) for hybrid photonic integration, overlapping with Dream Photonics' PWB and fiber/laser integration offerings.
- Ligentec: Ligentec is a silicon nitride photonic foundry offering custom and standardized PDKs; it operates in the same silicon photonics manufacturing and PDK ecosystem where Dream Photonics deploys its PDKs and integration services.
Broad incumbents
- Synopsys: Synopsys provides EDA tools and photonic PDK infrastructure (OptoCompiler) used alongside Dream Photonics' PDKs; it is a broad incumbent in the photonic design ecosystem where Dream Photonics operates.
- Tower Semiconductor: Tower Semiconductor operates a commercial silicon photonics foundry platform (PH18) for which Dream Photonics offers PWB-based fiber integration services, making it a key foundry customer and ecosystem incumbent.
- AIM Photonics: AIM Photonics is a major US-based silicon photonics foundry that distributes Dream Photonics' component library through its platform; it is both a customer/partner and a broader incumbent in the same ecosystem.
Emerging players
- Heidelberg Instruments: Heidelberg Instruments manufactures two-photon polymerization and direct laser writing systems for 3D micro/nano-optics, providing the underlying lithography technology class that Dream Photonics uses for FaMLs and PWB.
- NIL Technology (NILT): NILT produces 3D nano- and micro-optical components (lenses, gratings, waveguides) for photonics and AR/VR, partially overlapping with Dream Photonics' 3D-printed polymer micro-optics for hybrid photonic integration.
- Xanadu: Xanadu is a photonic quantum computing company using hybrid integrated photonic chips, making it a potential end-customer and ecosystem peer for Dream Photonics' quantum light source integration and PWB services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dream Photonics social profiles
Digital presenceDream Photonics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dream Photonics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Dream Photonics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dream Photonics 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 Dream Photonics
What does Dream Photonics do?
Dream Photonics provides photonic wire bonding as a service for fiber-to-chip, chip-to-chip, and on-chip laser and fiber integration with silicon photonics, using two-photon polymerization 3D-printed polymer structures. It also develops and licenses Process Design Kits (PDKs) for silicon photonics foundries such as AIM Photonics, AMF, Applied Nanotools, and Tower Semiconductor, including variability-aware compact and Verilog-A models. The company further offers Facet Attached Microlenses (FaMLs), silicon-verified IP cores, and multi-project-wafer tape-out enablement for hybrid integrated lasers.
Is Dream Photonics a public or private company?
Dream Photonics is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dream Photonics founded?
Dream Photonics was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Dream Photonics based?
Dream Photonics is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Dream Photonics make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Photonic Wire Bonding Services are the primary driver. The others are process Design Kit (PDK) Licensing and IP Cores and Device Licensing.
Who are Dream Photonics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vanguard Automation, VLC Photonics, ficonTEC and Ligentec. Broad incumbents are Synopsys, Tower Semiconductor and AIM Photonics. Emerging players are Heidelberg Instruments, NIL Technology (NILT) and Xanadu.
Does Dream Photonics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dream Photonics.
What industry is Dream Photonics in?
Dream Photonics's product category is Silicon Photonics Packaging and Process Design Kits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHACAG, Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser), with a secondary code of IMAAAIAC, Optics & Laser/Light Engine Components (Lenses, Galvos, Laser Modules, UV Engines). Its NAICS code is 334413 and its SIC code is 3674.