Become an Integrated Photonics Startup Co-founder

1 maand geleden


Eindhoven, Nederland PhotonDelta Voltijd

Are you someone with an entrepreneurial spirit? Excited by technology that can help solve the world’s most challenging problems? Driven by a love of innovation and technology? 

is a deep-tech venture builder based in Brainport Eindhoven, Europe’s most innovative technology region, looking to give ambitious co-founders (CEO, CFO, CTO) an opportunity to build an integrated photonics startup from the ground up. 

Their structured program for entrepreneurs puts you in touch with industry experts and corporate partners – significantly improving your chances of reaching the funding stage.

What’s on offer 

This is your chance to take advanced technologies to market and tackle the big challenges faced by society today. If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own tech startup but didn’t know where to start, HighTechXL can provide the building blocks you need. 

Join a thriving and connected ecosystem of experienced tech and business professionals who’ll provide you with the industry insight and support you need to run a viable business. 

It’s a unique opportunity to work with advanced tech coming from CERN, ESA, Philips, TNO, PhotonFirst and other global innovators as part of a structured and supportive program. 

And when it’s time to launch, you’ll connect with investors and industry ecosystems like PhotonDelta, who share the mission of building deep-tech ventures with a purpose.

Who this opportunity is for

This is a call for entrepreneurs who want to build their own integrated photonics startup. That includes:

A photonic chip design company A supplier to the Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) value chain  A company building applications with photonic chips An existing startup interested in adding integrated photonics to your product 

Listen to the co-founder experiences of Betsy Lindsey, CFO at Aircision.

Not familiar with integrated photonics?

Not a problem Two of the three co-founder roles don’t require any technical expertise in integrated photonics. 

But if it’s new to you, here’s a brief explanation:

Photonic technology detects, generates, transports and processes light. Current uses include lasers, sensors and fiber-optic networks. 

combine two or more photonic functions into a single chip to create new, faster, and more energy efficient devices. PICs are highly effective at processing and transmitting data. They can also be integrated alongside traditional electronic chips.

Co-founders we’re looking for

As part of the C-suite in an integrated photonics startup, you’ll be: 

Willing to take on the support and coaching offered during the nine-month program Able to deal with uncertainty, setbacks and changing insights Resilient and able to adapt Dedicated to making the startup a success

There are three types of role available:

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chief Business Officer (CBO) Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

We believe startup teams should consist of at least a CEO, CTO, and CBO. Only the CTO roles require technical knowledge of integrated photonics. Here’s a profile of each role:

Chief Executive Officer

You have a keen business mind and are able to translate your vision into actions. You collaborate with your team and, together, develop a business proposition to take the tech to market. You respect your team members for their individual qualities and make sure each of them is able to use those qualities in their respective roles. You are not afraid to address difficult issues and not afraid to ask for help. Taking ownership comes to you naturally and involving others is second nature. You have led small teams before and are confident when facing the challenge of building a company with little budget from the ground up. You get things done and don’t dwell on what is not possible.

Chief Business Officer 

You are business-minded, and you are able to clearly see the opportunities in your market. You connect with others to help them see the possibilities as well. You are customer-centered and market-focused, aware of how and where your startup can add value. You love to engage with customers, validating the assumptions of your team and building a relationship for the future. You have had a commercial role before and love to talk to others about your solution. You understand that translating the technology into a solution takes time, but you are not afraid to engage with potential customers at an early stage.

Chief Technical Officer 

You have a technical background in integrated photonics. And because of your knowledge, you are the main contact person for the knowledge institution. You are able to ask the right questions to get the information you need from the knowledge institution and ensure your team can progress. You work closely together with your team to turn technology into solutions or applications. Using technologies and applying them to solve issues or problems makes you happy. You work fast. You don’t lose yourself in the details, and you can zoom out to see the big picture when necessary.

What you’ll need to succeed

Eagerness to take ownership and be in the lead Commitment and dedication to the startup Understanding that process is uncertain (setbacks may and will happen) Be able to deal with changing insights The skill to prove the business case you developed is viable after the first phase The right level of energy and ability to build relationships

How it works

Step 1: The first step to becoming a co-founder is to fill out the to determine if startup life is for you. You’ll then be invited to an interview. Step 2: Next, you’ll attend a Tech Briefing to learn more about the technologies which interest you. All Tech Briefings are held on the same day, giving co-founders the opportunity to attend more than one session before joining a team. Step 3: During the FasTrackathon, co-founder teams join entrepreneurs, technical experts and mentors and use their brainpower to generate creative and bright ideas around each technology, answering the question: Where can this technology really add value or solve problems? Step 4: Teams continue to work on their business propositions during Prep Week. On Final Selection Day, teams pitch their deep-tech startup ideas before a team of experts invites them to start the nine-month venture building program.

Who is HighTech XL?

HighTechXL (HTXL) combines entrepreneurship with deep tech to build ventures that address grand societal challenges. They believe anyone with the ambition to improve the lives of others deserves the opportunity to become an entrepreneur, and they are passionate about sustainability. Their deep-tech startups turn advanced technologies into solutions the market – and humanity – are waiting for.

Benefits

Most co-founder teams start with 70% of the shares Pre-seed investment, if the startup successfully passes the first phase A proven nine-month program, including workshops Experience labs, team and business coaching, legal support, and pitch training Marketing communications, including graphic design and branding When market-ready, support in deal-making and investor connections

Apply for this program

Interested? There are two ways to apply:

Send your motivation and resumé to Apply online via the 

  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland PhotonDelta Voltijd

    Are you someone with an entrepreneurial spirit? Excited by technology that can help solve the world's most challenging problems? Driven by a love of innovation and technology? is a deep-tech venture builder based in Brainport Eindhoven, Europe's most innovative technology region, looking to give ambitious co-founders (CEO, CFO, CTO) an opportunity to build...

  • Co-founder CTOs

    1 maand geleden


    Eindhoven, Nederland HighTechXL Voltijd

    HighTechXL is the Netherlands’ premier venture-building accelerator. We build teams of entrepreneurs and tech talents around the most advanced technology in the world developed at CERN, European Space Agency, TNO, Philips, PhotonFirst and other global innovators. As teams mature in our program, we connect them with the investors and mentors they’ll need...


  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    About this position The Photonic Integration Technology Center (PITC) is a leading R&D institute, founded by the Eindhoven University of Technology (TUe), the University of Twente (UT), the Netherlands organization for applied scientific research (TNO located at Holst Centre) and PhotonDelta. PITC's mission is to accelerate the uptake of integrated...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    About this position The Photonic Integration Technology Center (PITC) is a leading R&D institute, founded by the Eindhoven University of Technology (TUe), the University of Twente (UT), the Netherlands organization for applied scientific research (TNO located at Holst Centre) and PhotonDelta. PITC's mission is to accelerate the uptake of integrated...

  • Product Manager

    1 maand geleden


    Eindhoven, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    The SMART Photonics team is recruiting a Product Manager. As Product Manager at SMART Photonics, you are the interface between our Customers, SMART’s R&D- and Engineering teams as well as other industrial partners. Your job is to understand our customers’ application and market’s needs as well as their product roadmaps. You identify broader market...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    Make your mark on our time by driving the development of integrated photonics chips. Become business development manager at the Photonic Integration Technology Center in Eindhoven!Introduction To meet the ever-increasing demand for data and resolve society’s biggest challenges, faster and more energy efficient devices are crucial. Taking the lead in the...

  • Principal Scientist

    2 weken geleden


    Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    SMART Photonics has the ambition to become the TIER 1 Foundry on InP.To empower this ambition, we are recruiting a Principal Scientist. In this position you drive the innovation in our R&D team to develop the newest generation of Photonics Integrated Chips. Description of tasks: Connect research capabilities with product development needs. Alignment with our...

  • Principal Scientist

    1 maand geleden


    Eindhoven, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    SMART Photonics has the ambition to become the TIER 1 Foundry on InP.To empower this ambition, we are recruiting a Principal Scientist. In this position you drive the innovation in our R&D team to develop the newest generation of Photonics Integrated Chips. Description of tasks: Connect research capabilities with product development needs. Alignment with...


  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    About this position To meet the ever-increasing demand for data and resolve society's biggest challenges, faster and more energy efficient devices are crucial. Taking the lead in the development and production of such devices, TNO, University of Twente and Eindhoven University of Technology, and PhotonDelta have joined forces in the Photonic Integration...


  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland Eindhoven University of Technology Voltijd

    Job description The smart optical networks lab (SONL) at the Electro-Optics Communication (ECO) group at Eindhoven University of Technology is recruiting for a PhD position to research novel multiband photonic integrated wavelength selective switches for next generation optical networks. The electro-optical communications (ECO) group in the Faculty of...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland Eindhoven University of Technology Voltijd

    Job description The smart optical networks lab (SONL) at the Electro-Optics Communication (ECO) group at Eindhoven University of Technology is recruiting for a PhD position to research novel multiband photonic integrated wavelength selective switches for next generation optical networks. The electro-optical communications (ECO) group in the Faculty...


  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    Join us as a Business Development Manager at the Photonic Integration Technology Center in EindhovenTo make a significant impact on our time, we are seeking a candidate to drive the development of integrated photonics chips. At the heart of the Netherlands' Brainport region, you will play a vital role in helping leading brands in the semiconductor industry...

  • Principal Design Engineer

    2 weken geleden


    Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    At SMART Photonics we are reshaping the world of Photonics. We are an Indium Phosphide foundry specialized in Photonic Integrated Circuits. Our technology allows to uniquely combine semiconductor lasers and amplifiers, detectors, and high-speed modulators, to create state-of-the-art solutions, helping to solve major societal challenges, ranging from...

  • Principal Design Engineer

    1 maand geleden


    Eindhoven, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    At SMART Photonics we are reshaping the world of Photonics. We are an Indium Phosphide foundry specialized in Photonic Integrated Circuits. Our technology allows to uniquely combine semiconductor lasers and amplifiers, detectors, and high-speed modulators, to create state-of-the-art solutions, helping to solve major societal challenges, ranging from...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland TNO Voltijd

    About this position To meet the ever-increasing demand for data and resolve society’s biggest challenges, faster and more energy efficient devices are crucial. Taking the lead in the development and production of such devices, TNO, University of Twente and Eindhoven University of Technology, and PhotonDelta have joined forces in the Photonic...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland Eindhoven University of Technology Voltijd

    Job description Would you like to perform cutting-edge research at the intersection between IC hardware and artificial intelligence? Do you want to explore a new class of electronic-photonic components that mimics how biological neurons behave and helps reduce energy consumption and increase performance for AI hardware accelerators? Then you should...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland ASML Voltijd

    Introduction Are you a master student in Optics or Applied Physics, looking for an internship? Are you eager to apply your theoretical knowledge in a professional setting, while gaining valuable practical experience? Are you familiar withdifferential equations and Fourier analysis? Are you skilled in MATLAB? Then these internships might be...


  • Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    Join us at SMART Photonics B.V., the heart of innovation in photonics semiconductors. As a dedicated Indium Phosphide photonics foundry, we take pride in our collaborative approach to turn our clients' visions into reality. We are growing rapidly and are on the lookout for passionate individuals ready to shape the future of technology. As a Process...


  • Eindhoven, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    Join us at SMART Photonics B.V., the heart of innovation in photonics semiconductors. As a dedicated Indium Phosphide photonics foundry, we take pride in our collaborative approach to turn our clients’ visions into reality. We are growing rapidly and are on the lookout for passionate individuals ready to shape the future of technology. As a Process...

  • Principal Scientist

    2 weken geleden


    Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Nederland SMART Photonics Voltijd

    Photonic chips are faster and more energy-efficient than electronic chips. SMART Photonics Eindhoven. At SMART Photonics we are reshaping the world of Photonics. We are an Indium Phosphide foundry specialized in Photonic Integrated Circuits. Our technology allows to uniquely combine semiconductor lasers and amplifiers, detectors, and high-speed modulators,...