Optical Semiconductor Maker Closes Series B

Lumotive, a developer of programmable optical semiconductors, has closed a $45 million Series B funding round.

The oversubscribed round saw participation from new investors, including Swisscom Ventures, East Bridge, EDOM, Grazia, Hokuyo Inc., and TSVC, alongside existing backers such as Gates Frontier, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, USAA, and HiMax Inc.

The new Series B capital will be used to accelerate the adoption of the company’s Light Control Metasurface (LCM) technology across more industries. To date, Lumotive has raised a total of $94 million and anticipates generating double-digit million-dollar revenues this year.

Lumotive’s LCM chip is a software-defined photonic beamforming solid-state technology that enables precise light control at the chip level. This technology is used in 3D sensing, AI-driven data center infrastructure, and aerospace and defense applications, including autonomous vehicles, robotics, and secure communications. According to Lumotive, its chips offer capabilities comparable to mechanical LiDAR systems but with enhanced performance and reduced costs.

Lumotive, led by CEO Dr. Sam Heidari, was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. “This funding marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of programmable optics,” said Dr. Heidari. “Our LCM technology has already driven innovation across autonomous vehicles, advanced robotics, and industrial applications. With this new investment, we will accelerate sales in other new markets, particularly in AI data centers and satellite communications.”

“Lumotive’s unique technology represents a fundamental advance in optical semiconductors,” said Pär Lange, an investment partner at Swisscom Ventures. “Their proven success in automotive and industrial markets, combined with their ability to precisely control light at the chip level, enables applications that were previously impossible.”

Swisscom Ventures, headquartered in Zurich, is the venture capital arm of Swisscom AG, Switzerland’s largest telecommunications and IT services provider. The firm invests in early to growth-stage technology companies, with a specific focus on enterprise software, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, AI, digital health, and deep tech, including semiconductors and photonics.