Save the dates: 27 January - 1 February 2024

Congratulations to the 2023 SPIE Startup Challenge finalists

Learn more about the companies that will present at SPIE Photonics West
Speaker giving a presentation at an SPIE event

Finalists announced: Come hear the pitches and see the winners selected

These teams have been selected go on to the live pitch event at Photonics West. Finalists are organized by development stage:

  • Startup Challenge competition pitches
  • Series A/B fund-raising pitches

One team representative from each team will pitch their light-based business. Presenters in the Startup Challenge are competing for a US $10,000 first prize.

31 January 2023

Plan to attend the final presentations live at Photonics West.

See schedule below; click to add to your MySchedule.

Schedule of Startup Challenge Events


2023 SPIE Startup Challenge finalists


Actoprobe Actoprobe, with Nano-Spectroscopy Probe for advanced manufacturing and life science Category: Deep Tech

FluIDect GmbH

FlulDect, with sensor technology combining the effects of whispering-gallery-modes (WGM) with functionalized fluorescent beads to detect pathogens in applications including food safety

Category: Deep Tech

KostaCLOUD Inc.

KostaCLOUD Inc., with a cloud-based optical design and simulation tool enabling real-time, optical-mechanical design collaboration, dramatically improving design-optimization times

Category: Deep Tech

Lighthanded Enterprises LLC

Lighthanded Enterprises, with LasEar Laser Otoscope, to improve diagnosis of common causes of childhood-hearing loss

Category: Healthcare
PatenSee PatenSee, with an innovative combination of machine learning and imaging technology for dialysis patients Category: Healthcare
PhoMedics Ltd. PhoMedics Limited, with a histological imaging microscope offering real-time status during cancer surgery Category: Healthcare
Phosio Corp. Phosio, with nanoimprintable, high-refractive index transparent coatings, a critical tool for expanding optical designs in AR Category: Deep Tech
PhosPrint P.C. PhosPrint, with a novel technology that repairs in vivo human tissue during surgery Category: Healthcare
QART Medical Ltd. QART Medical, utilizing biophotonics and data for 3D analysis of sperm cells during IVF Category: Healthcare
Swave Photonics Swave Photonics, enabling display-makers and content-creators with immersive holographic displays Category: Deep Tech

2023 Series A/B Finalists


Comptek Solutions

Comptek Solutions has created a novel passivation technology that boosts the performance of compound semiconductors used in optoelectronics, RF, and power devices.

Category: Deep Tech

Nicslab Ops Inc

Nicslab

Nicslab is a fabless chip company developing electronics and photonics integrated circuits for future optical solutions in data centers, AI, and quantum computing.

Category: Deep Tech

Scantinel Photonics

Scantinel Photonics

Scantinel Photonics is developing a groundbreaking FMCW Photonic LiDAR Engine with a range three times higher than current lidar Systems

Category: Deep Tech

Scinvivo

Scinvivo

Scinvivo aims to revolutionize cancer diagnostics and care through an imaging platform that enables real-time imaging of the tissue structure below the surface. Combined with AI, a powerful diagnosis tool is created, and photonics-based localization enables robotic surgery.

Category: Healthcare