News: Optoelectronics
9 January 2026
Perceptra secures €1.2m funding from PhotonDelta
Perceptra of Oakland, CA, USA — which was spun off from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2021 to pioneer photonic chip-based AI-enabled Raman sensors for chemical monitoring — has secured a €1.2m investment from photonic chip industry accelerator PhotonDelta of Eindhoven, the Netherlands (which connects and collaborates with an ecosystem of photonic chip technology organizations worldwide).
The funding will accelerate the development and commercialization of its next-generation photonic chip-based Raman sensors.
The €1.2m funding with a loan marks the next stage in the collaboration between Perceptra and PhotonDelta, following the startup’s victory in the 2025 Global Photonics Engineering Contest for its ultra-compact photonic chip-based Raman sensor for real-time molecular monitoring in biomanufacturing. The contest highlighted Perceptra’s potential to disrupt industries where real-time sensing and control are key to efficiency and innovation.
Perceptra is focused on developing the first ultra-compact, low-cost photonic chip-based Raman sensor for real-time molecular monitoring in biomanufacturing and other process industries. Based on a hybrid silicon nitride (SiN) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) platform, its technology replaces traditional bulky dispersive spectrometers with on-chip tunable lasers for performing swept-source Raman spectroscopy, drastically reducing system size and enabling high-sensitivity molecular analysis directly on the chip.
Key features therefore include:
- ultra-compact design – a 1000x reduction in size compared to traditional systems;
- low-cost architecture – 100x cheaper to produce and deploy;
- high sensitivity – comparable to lab-scale Raman systems; and
- self-contained operation – no external optics or fibers needed.
Having demonstrated proof-of-concept, Perceptra will use the new funding to develop a first PIC-based version of the system.
Launching its solution at the PIC Summit Europe 2025 in October, Perceptra shared its journey from early-stage concept to ecosystem-backed venture, and outline the next stage of its technology roadmap. They also demonstrated a working prototype on the show floor developed in collaboration with PhiX Photonics Assembly and LioniX International (initiator and orchestrator of the establishment of PHIX B.V.), both of Enschede, the Netherlands.
The startup is relocating its integrated photonic R&D to the Netherlands to join the vibrant PhotonDelta ecosystem. This will facilitate access to a world-leading infrastructure, research networks, and a large engineering talent pool, enabling Perceptra to advance its technology and scale its business in Europe.
“PhotonDelta’s funding marks a milestone moment in turning our research into a scalable venture,” says Perceptra’s CEO & co-founder Amir Atabaki. “Integrated photonics is redefining what’s possible in molecular sensing and, by joining the PhotonDelta ecosystem in the Netherlands, we will be able to accelerate development, access world-class fabrication, and bring our first photonic sensing products to market,” he adds.
“Perceptra’s announcement at PIC Summit Europe showcases the major strides the integrated photonics space is taking,” says PhotonDelta executive director & CFO Laurens Weers. “It represents the kind of breakthrough thinking that integrated photonics enables. Their work at the intersection of photonic chip technology and AI is an example of how this technology can transform entire industries. We are excited to support Perceptra as they expand to the Netherlands and bring their vision to market.”
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