Lidrotec secures $1M in Luminate accelerator competition

Lidrotec was named the winner of Luminate Finals 2022, which was live in Rochester at the Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science conference. As a result, the German-based company will commit to operating in the region for at least the next 18 months. A group of judges from the optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) industry and venture capitalist community completed the scoring after listening to the business pitches the applicants completed during the Luminate accelerator program.

Lidrotec’s patent-pending wafer-dicing laser technology for the semiconductor industry enables thinner cuts with a virtually zero percent damage rate, providing cost savings and an increase in productivity.

It is innovative in its use of liquids in the laser processing zone, which cool and rinse wafers while the laser cuts out the chips. The high-speed process is clean and free from surface contamination and the process works with a wide selection of materials, including metals, semiconductors, ceramics, glasses, composites, and polymers.

Through Luminate, Lidrotec was introduced to AIM Photonics. This collaboration is helping Lidrotec build the infrastructure to establish U.S. operations and for developing the next iteration of its technology.

Luminate NY, which is administered by NextCorps, is the world’s largest business accelerator for emerging companies that have optics, photonics and imaging enabled technologies. Located in Rochester, Luminate selects ten promising companies each year to participate in a six-month program. During this time, companies are provided with comprehensive training and resources to advance their technologies and businesses.

To date, Luminate has assisted more than 50 startups with $15 million in investments. New York has committed to funding Luminate for four more years.

Applications are now available for Round 6 of the competition and will be accepted through the beginning of January. For information, go to NextCorps Luminate. More information about Lidrotec is also available online.