About Lightconnect
Lightconnect is a Technology company based in Newark (United States) founded in 1998, and was acquired by NeoPhotonics in June 2006. MEMS-based modules for fiber-optic communication systems were developed. Lightconnect has raised $33.2 million across 3 funding rounds from investors including NeoPhotonics, Sevin Rosen and Morgenthaler. Its focus areas include Semiconductors, Photonics, Optoelectronics and Optical Fibers. Its competitors include Ciena, Zayo and Broadcom; 1 of its 3 listed competitors has raised funding.
Company details
Lightconnect was founded in 1998 in Newark, United States, as a developer in the optics sector. MEMS-based modules for fiber-optic communication were produced, encompassing blockers, variable optical attenuators, and dynamic gain and channel equalizers. Optical components were constructed using diffractive MEMS technology. Operations centered on these systems until the companys closure.
- Headquarters Newark, United States
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsTechnology
- Website lightconnect.com
- Social LinkedIn
- Acquired by NeoPhotonics (Jun 2006)
- Total Equity Funding$33.2M (USD)
in 3 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$9M (USD), Series C
Sep 2002
- InvestorsNeoPhotonics
& 5 more
- Acquired byNeoPhotonics
(Jun 2006)
Funding Insights of Lightconnect
Lightconnect has successfully raised a total of $33.2M across 3 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Series C round of $9 million completed in September 2002. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $33.2M
- Total Rounds 3
- Last Round Series C — $9M
- First Round $8.4M
(Jun 2000)
- Investors Count 5
All 3 funding rounds of Lightconnect with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2002 | $9M | Series C | – | – | |
| Jul 2001 | $15.8M | Series B | – | – | |
| Jun 2000 | $8.4M | Series A | – | – |
6 investors in total: 6 institutional.
Investors in Lightconnect
Lightconnect has secured backing from 6 investors, including venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include NeoPhotonics, Sevin Rosen and Morgenthaler.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Early-stage US investments in technology and offline sectors are targeted. | srfunds.com | Dallas, United States | ||
Venture capital and private equity investment firm | morgenthaler.com | Portola Valley, United States | ||
Entrepreneur mentorship and selective investments are provided by Incubic. | incubic.com | Los Altos Hills, United States | ||
VC firm that focuses on early stage investments in the US | usvp.com | Menlo Park, United States | ||
Investment in technology startups focusing on compute, AI, and related innovations. | intelcapital.com | |||
Diversified lasers and optoelectronic products are manufactured for optical networks. | 1997 | neophotonics.com | San Jose, United States |
Investor details for Lightconnect
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
- Complete investor list
- Round participation
- Investor portfolios
- Co-investor network
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Timeline of Lightconnect
4 dated milestones of Lightconnect across 8 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Lightconnect is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $8.4M.
- Funding Latest funding round, Series C, of $9.0M.
- Exit Acquired by NeoPhotonics.
Competitors of Lightconnect
Lightconnect has 3 listed competitors in our database, 1 of them funded. They include Ciena, Zayo and Broadcom.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ciena.com | 1992 | Hanover, United States | 412 | Cloud-based network management software is provided for infrastructure planning. | ||
| zayo.com | 2007 | Boulder, United States | $825M | 1 | Fiber communication infrastructure and connectivity solutions are provided by Zayo. | |
| broadcom.com | 1991 | California, United States | 61 | Data center fiber optic networks and connectivity solutions are provided. |
Detailed competitors of Lightconnect
The full competitor set, operating metrics and side-by-side benchmarks require an active premium plan.
- Full competitor set
- Operating metrics
- Benchmarks
- Competitive positioning
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Top companies in Optical & Photonics Technologies
3 companies that operate in the same segment as Lightconnect (Optical & Photonics Technologies) in United States, ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cloud-based network management software is provided for infrastructure planning. | 1992 | Hanover, New Hampshire, United States | USD 4.77 B | 8,660 | ||
Fiber lasers are developed and supplied for industrial applications. | 2000 | Vancouver, Washington, United States | USD 203.65 M | USD 261.33 M | 800 | |
Photon-based universal quantum computers are developed for error correction. | 2015 | Palo Alto, California, United States | USD 2.77 B | USD 1.04 M | 672 |
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Frequently Asked Questions about Lightconnect
Lightconnect was founded in 1998 and raised its 1st funding round 2 years after it was founded.
Lightconnect is headquartered in Newark, United States. It is registered at Newark, New Jersey, United States.
Lightconnect is a funded company, having raised a total of $33.2M across 3 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Series A of $8.4M, raised on Jun 2000.
Lightconnect was founded in 1998 in Newark, United States, as a developer in the optics sector. MEMS-based modules for fiber-optic communication were produced, encompassing blockers, variable optical attenuators, and dynamic gain and channel equalizers. Optical components were constructed using diffractive MEMS technology. Operations centered on these systems until the companys closure.
Lightconnect has 6 investors. Key investors include NeoPhotonics, Sevin Rosen, Morgenthaler, Incubic, and USVP.
Yes. Lightconnect was acquired by NeoPhotonics in June 2006.