Rabobank has granted a 13-million-euro loan to Smart Photonics, the Eindhoven-based foundry for indium phosphide photonics components. The financing will used to scale up production capacity. “Currently, we’re shifting gears in our plan to become the leading foundry and development partner for integrated photonics,” CFO Maarten Wellens says. “With this new financing, we can accelerate the investment in our manufacturing facilities, new equipment and the needed know-how to keep our leading position.”
About a year ago, Smart Photonics received a capital injection of 35 million euros. This included a 20-million-euro investment from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK). State secretary Mona Keijzer said that she considers the company of systemic importance to the Dutch photonics ecosystem, and stepped in to prevent it from falling in foreign hands.