QPICs
QPICs is a Colorado-based photonic integrated circuit foundry offering 3-4 week rapid-turn PIC fabrication for quantum technology developers, including trapped ion, neutral atom, and photonic quantum computing and sensing companies. The company operates within the Elevate Quantum tech hub and recently expanded to Singapore.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBoulder City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What QPICs does
QPICs is a privately held photonic integrated circuit (PIC) fabrication foundry, founded in 2023 and headquartered in Colorado, that targets quantum technology developers who require rapid, customized photonic chip manufacturing. The company operates a B2B foundry model in which customers submit designs for fabrication, with quoted pricing tied to design complexity, materials, batch size, and turnaround requirements. QPICs serves customers building trapped ion and neutral atom quantum computers, cryogenic and superconducting systems, photonic quantum sensors, and photonic quantum computers, addressing pain points around slow industry-standard turnaround times (claiming 3-4 weeks versus 4-8 months), rigid CMOS-only processes, and large minimum batch sizes.
The company's core technical offering is a fast-turn PIC fabrication service based on advanced plasma processing and flexible material systems that support waveguides from 300nm to 7µm across non-CMOS materials including lithium niobate, indium phosphide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, lithium tantalate, barium titanate, Thin Film PZT, diamond, and tantala. QPICs claims up to 1000x reductions in size, weight, and power (SWaP) versus traditional optical setups, with batch flexibility from single-unit prototyping through at-scale production. Complementary Process Design Kits (PDKs), notably co-developed with Lightwave Logic for electro-optic polymer platforms, extend the offering into design enablement. QPICs is establishing its primary fab at Quantum Commons in Arvada, Colorado, as the operating partner of the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub (backed by over $160 million in U.S. Department of Commerce and state funding), and has established an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore alongside selection for the Singapore Quantum Accelerator cohort in 2026.
The business model is a hardware-services foundry revenue stream with quote-based pricing and a pay-as-you-go cadence; pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the company is currently soliciting preorders via direct contact. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, primarily through direct website inquiries, conference presence (including Optica's Quantum Industry Summit), and ecosystem channels tied to Elevate Quantum. With 1-10 employees and no public revenue disclosure, QPICs states its capital needs are met through Elevate Quantum grants and signals an upcoming seed round to scale manufacturing against growing customer demand.
QPICs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- QPICs
- Legal name
- QPICs
- Website
- https://qpics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- QPICs is a Colorado-based photonic integrated circuit foundry offering 3-4 week rapid-turn PIC fabrication for quantum technology developers, including trapped ion, neutral atom, and photonic quantum computing and sensing companies. The company operates within the Elevate Quantum tech hub and recently expanded to Singapore.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
QPICs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Photonic Integrated Circuit Foundry Services
- NAICS
- Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Photonic (Optical) QPU Systems (HDAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Quantum Hardware Architecture & Systems Engineering Research (HDAGAMAB)
Keywords
Where QPICs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
QPICs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- PIC Fabrication Services: Custom photonic integrated circuit fabrication services offering rapid prototyping and production runs. Customers submit designs for fabrication with flexible batch sizes from single units to large-scale production. The company serves quantum technology companies requiring specialized PICs for quantum computing, sensing, and communication applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom fabrication quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
QPICs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
QPICs operates a pure-play photonic integrated circuit (PIC) foundry providing custom fabrication services for quantum and photonic device developers. The company delivers rapid prototyping and production runs with industry-leading 3-4 week turnaround (vs. the typical 4-8 months), enabling up to 1000x size, weight, and power (SWaP) reduction, full-spectrum waveguide fabrication from 300nm to 7µm, and flexible material selection beyond standard CMOS constraints.
Product overview
QPICs operates as a pure-play photonic integrated circuit (PIC) foundry focused exclusively on quantum applications. The company offers a single core service: fast-turn PIC fabrication with industry-leading 3-4 week turnaround times (vs. 4-8 months typical), enabling 1000x size, weight, and power (SWaP) reduction. Their Process Design Kit (PDK) offerings, including the Lightwave Logic partnership PDK, extend the platform by enabling customers to design custom solutions using specialized materials. The company positions itself as a '3D printer for photonic chips' serving trapped ion/neutral atom computers, cryogenic/superconducting systems, photonic quantum sensors, and photonic quantum computers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fast-Turn PIC Fabrication Service Custom photonic integrated circuit fabrication service offering rapid prototyping and production runs for quantum technology and photonic device developers. Supports flexible batch sizes from single units to large-scale production, full-spectrum waveguides, and a broad range of non-CMOS materials. Target customers are quantum computing, quantum sensing, and photonic device companies seeking to miniaturize optical systems and accelerate R&D cycles.
- Process Design Kits (PDKs) Custom Process Design Kits developed with partners (e.g., Lightwave Logic) that enable quantum computing and quantum sensing customers to design custom photonic integrated circuit solutions on silicon using specialized material platforms. PDKs abstract manufacturing complexity so engineers can design photonic circuits without deep photonics fabrication expertise.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1000x reduction in size, weight, and power (SWaP) compared to traditional optical setups
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use QPICs
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
QPICs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
QPICs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- QAI Ventures (Singapore Quantum Accelerator)coreQPICs was selected as one of four startups in the inaugural cohort of Singapore's first quantum technology accelerator, the Singapore Quantum Accelerator, backed by Enterprise Singapore and aligned with Singapore's National Quantum Strategy. The five-month program runs from July to October 2026, providing participants with mentorship, access to QAI Ventures' global network, and positioning the company for the Asia-Pacific market.
- Plasma-ThermcorePlasma-Therm has deployed its CORIAL platform within the Elevate Quantum/QPICs Quantum Fab infrastructure to enable collaborative process development and technology translation aligned with future manufacturing requirements. This collaboration supports scalable process development for next-generation quantum technologies, strengthening QPICs' manufacturing capabilities with advanced plasma processing equipment and technical expertise.
- Lightwave LogiccoreQPICs signed a memorandum of understanding with Lightwave Logic to jointly develop Process Design Kits (PDKs) for photonic integrated circuit-based quantum solutions using Lightwave Logic's proprietary electro-optic polymer platform. The partnership aims to accelerate PIC production timelines for quantum computing customers and enable them to design custom solutions on silicon circuits without extensive manufacturing modifications.
- Elevate QuantumflagshipQPICs operates as the foundry partner for Elevate Quantum, the federally designated Tech Hub by the U.S. Department of Commerce. QPICs establishes rapid turnkey fabrication of photonic devices at Colorado's Elevate Quantum facilities which are being established with over $160 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the State of Colorado, and the State of New Mexico. QPICs is the operating partner for the Elevate Quantum fast-turn quantum PIC fab.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
QPICs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Applied Nanotools: Canada-based silicon photonics foundry serving academic and commercial PIC developers with multi-project wafer runs and custom processes. Comparable to QPICs as a pure-play PIC fab enabling rapid prototyping.
- CompoundTek: Singapore-based pure-play silicon photonics foundry offering custom PIC fabrication services to researchers and commercial developers. Most directly comparable to QPICs as a dedicated merchant PIC foundry serving photonics-adjacent markets.
- Ligentec: European merchant photonic foundry specializing in silicon nitride and low-loss PIC fabrication for quantum, sensing, and telecom applications. Comparable as a dedicated photonic foundry serving quantum and adjacent photonic developers.
Broad incumbents
- AIM Photonics: US Manufacturing Innovation Institute consortium operating a silicon photonics foundry at SUNY Albany. Comparable as a US-based, federally supported photonic foundry serving emerging photonic and quantum customers.
- GlobalFoundries: Large-scale semiconductor foundry with an established silicon photonics PDK (GF Photonics) and 300mm manufacturing capacity. A broader incumbent whose photonics capability competes for the same quantum and photonic integrator customers QPICs targets.
- Tower Semiconductor: Specialty foundry offering silicon photonics, RF, and analog processes at scale. Comparable as a broader incumbent whose photonic process could absorb quantum-related fab demand from larger customers.
- IMEC: European semiconductor R&D center operating silicon photonics and heterogeneous integration pilot lines for academic and industrial partners. Comparable as a high-capability photonic process platform serving quantum-adjacent developers.
Emerging players
- PsiQuantum: Photonic quantum computing company building its own large-scale silicon photonic fab. An emerging player that is both a potential customer of QPICs' PIC services and a vertical competitor should it insource production.
- Lightwave Logic: Electro-optic polymer material platform company that has signed an MOU with QPICs to develop Process Design Kits. Comparable as an emerging photonic component player whose commercial path intersects directly with QPICs' PIC platform.
Others
- Vescent Technologies: Colorado-based photonic and quantum instrumentation company where QPICs' founder-CEO serves as a board advisor. Comparable as a Colorado-rooted photonic company operating in the same Elevate Quantum regional ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
QPICs social profiles
Digital presenceQPICs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
QPICs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
QPICs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
QPICs 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 QPICs
What does QPICs do?
QPICs operates a pure-play photonic integrated circuit (PIC) foundry providing custom fabrication services for quantum and photonic device developers. The company delivers rapid prototyping and production runs with industry-leading 3-4 week turnaround (vs. the typical 4-8 months), enabling up to 1000x size, weight, and power (SWaP) reduction, full-spectrum waveguide fabrication from 300nm to 7µm, and flexible material selection beyond standard CMOS constraints.
Is QPICs a public or private company?
QPICs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was QPICs founded?
QPICs was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is QPICs based?
QPICs is headquartered in Boulder City, United States, in the North America region.
How does QPICs make money?
One revenue line is on record: PIC Fabrication Services.
Who are QPICs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Applied Nanotools, CompoundTek and Ligentec. Broad incumbents are AIM Photonics, GlobalFoundries, Tower Semiconductor and IMEC. Emerging players are PsiQuantum and Lightwave Logic. Vescent Technologies is listed as an others.
Does QPICs have an API?
No public API is recorded for QPICs.
What industry is QPICs in?
QPICs's product category is Photonic Integrated Circuit Foundry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAGAAAD, Photonic (Optical) QPU Systems, with a secondary code of HDAGAMAB, Quantum Hardware Architecture & Systems Engineering Research. Its NAICS code is 334419 and its SIC code is 3827.