There has been a lot of movement within the photonics community in recent years, between mergers and acquisitions, the use of special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), and the more traditional initial public offerings (IPOs). While each approach has its pros and cons, the ultimate goal is often the same—fueling and enabling stronger growth opportunities, including the ability to better capitalize on new markets.
Focuslight Technologies, a photonics developer and manufacturer based in Xi’an, China, recently announced its IPO, and Laser Focus World had the opportunity to find out more in its discussion with Focuslight’s Jennifer Zhang.
Laser Focus World: What are Focuslight’s goals within the photonics market?
Jennifer Zhang: Focuslight seeks to unlock the potential of photonics to enhance and enrich people’s lives, and we aim to be a global trusted photonics solution provider through innovation, manufacturing excellence, and our fast response time.
We’re a fast-growing company that develops and manufactures high-power diode lasers (photon generation) and laser optics (photon control) used within various applications of advanced manufacturing, health, research, automotive, and consumer electronics. Currently, our scope of business is being expanded by the development and manufacturing of photonic application modules and systems—photonics application solutions, such as lidar transmitter modules and UV-L optical systems.
We strive to be a trusted partner, helping push the boundaries of photonics and exploring new possibilities to shape the future of the photonics industry.
LFW: Can you give us some insight into your IPO?
JZ: We announced our IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on December 24, 2021. Our IPO funding better positions our future and will help us continue to invest in research, development, and engineering.
In 2017, Focuslight acquired LIMO GmbH, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of micro-optics, fiber-coupled modules, and optical systems, as well as a pioneer of groundbreaking new photonics production technologies. The two entities worked together during the past five years to streamline their combined sales, service, R&D, and manufacturing efforts. These changes have significantly reduced administrative duplications while combining engineering expertise and the advantages of shared resources and knowledge, which is allowing Focuslight to become more efficient at creating quality products while advancing integrated solutions that push the boundaries of exploration to advance the photonics industry. It also allows us to focus on strengthening our core competencies and building a unified global presence within the industries we serve.
Beginning with January 2022, our combined business entities will conduct business as one company: Focuslight Technologies. By combining our strengths as one company, we are better able to provide quality products and deliver photonics solutions that will help unlock the future potential of photonics.
LFW: Are you seeing any interesting trends emerging within the photonics market right now?
JZ: Lasers have three essential functions: providing energy, delivering information, and illumination. With advanced laser (photon generation) technologies and the beam shaping (photon control) technologies, photonics application solutions are evolving and innovating. For example, a laser system based on diode lasers, which replaced the traditional thermal annealing technology, has become the mainstream solution of the high-end logic chip manufacturing process, such as the 28 nm technology node and below. Meanwhile, laser technologies are entering areas lasers weren’t conventionally used. For example, lidar is moving into commercialization for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving applications, which is a milestone for both the automotive and the photonics industries.
Some new and emerging markets, such as 3D sensing, home-use medical and aesthetics, to mention only a few, are further popularizing photonics technologies—letting photonics enhance and enrich our lives.