1 The EIC Accelerator Project

The EIC Accelerator program is a pivotal initiative launched by the European Innovation Council (EIC) aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, especially those operating in the DeepTech sector. The program focuses on innovative companies that are developing breakthrough technologies with high societal and economic impact. By providing a blend of grant funding and equity investments, the EIC Accelerator facilitates the scaling of these enterprises, helping them to bring their innovations to market and secure additional private sector funding.

Funding Structure

Under the EIC Accelerator, companies can access blended finance, which consists of:

Purpose and Impact

The EIC Accelerator's primary purpose is to nurture innovation within the European DeepTech and startup ecosystem. It aims to bridge the funding gap that many high-risk, high-reward projects face in their early stages. By providing both grants and equity, the EIC Accelerator incentivizes private investors to engage with innovative startups, knowing there is a supportive backing from a reputable public entity. This dual funding mechanism not only strengthens the financial stability of startups but also enhances their market readiness.

Role in Scaling Companies

The EIC Accelerator plays a crucial role in helping companies scale by:

• Providing Financial Support: The combination of grants and equity allows companies to fund their projects without immediate financial returns, giving them the time and resources needed to innovate.
• Connecting to Networks: Beyond funding, the EIC Accelerator offers access to a vast network of investors, mentors, and industry experts, facilitating partnerships that can lead to further investment and collaboration.
• Promoting Visibility: Winning EIC Accelerator funding serves as a stamp of approval, enhancing the visibility and credibility of a startup in the crowded market, which can attract additional private sector investments.

SCINTIL Photonics and the DOLPHIN Project

SCINTIL Photonics, a French company, emerged as a winner of the EIC Accelerator with its project named DOLPHIN (Disruptive OpticaL Engines with PHotonic fully INtegrated Circuits for Optical Communications). The submission for the Step 2 proposal took place on October 6, 2021, culminating in success during the Step 3 interview.

Project Overview

The DOLPHIN project focuses on developing fully integrated photonic circuits designed to revolutionize optical communications. As the demand for high-speed data transmission continues to grow, traditional electronic communication systems are reaching their limits in terms of bandwidth and energy efficiency. DOLPHIN aims to address these challenges by creating advanced photonic solutions.

Technology Background

The core technology behind DOLPHIN encompasses several innovative aspects of photonics:

• Integrated Photonic Circuits: DOLPHIN seeks to leverage integrated circuits that utilize light (photons) instead of electricity (electrons) for data transmission. This shift to photonics can significantly enhance speed and reduce power consumption.
• Optical Engines: The project aims to develop disruptive optical engines that will serve as the backbone for next-generation communication systems. These engines are designed to provide higher bandwidth, improved performance, and greater reliability compared to existing electronic devices.
• Scalability and Versatility: The integrated nature of the proposed circuits allows for scalability across various applications, from data centers to telecommunications, making them a versatile solution for current and future demands in optical communication.

Through the EIC Accelerator funding, SCINTIL Photonics is positioned to push the boundaries of optical communications, contributing to the advancement of digital infrastructure while addressing pressing challenges in speed and energy efficiency. The DOLPHIN project exemplifies the innovative spirit and potential of the European DeepTech landscape, further underscoring the EIC Accelerator's role in fostering transformative technologies. For more information on SCINTIL Photonics and its initiatives, the company’s website is available at scintil-photonics.com.

2 The Funding Rounds

SCINTIL Photonics: Financing and Funding Rounds

SCINTIL Photonics, a French company specializing in silicon photonic integrated circuits, has been a recipient of significant funding from various investors. While the company did submit a proposal to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator in October 2021, specific details about any funding received from this initiative are not mentioned in the available search results.

Financing Raised

• Total Funding: As of the latest available data, SCINTIL Photonics has raised a total of approximately €19 million in funding, following its second round, which included additional investments from Applied Ventures and ITIC-Taiwan.
• Recent Total: The company's total funding has been reported to reach around $28.2 million across multiple rounds.

Funding Rounds

SCINTIL Photonics has completed several funding rounds:

Timing and Amount of Funding Rounds

• 2019: Initial funding of €4 million.
• June 2022: €13.5 million in the second round.
• September 2022: Additional investment from Applied Ventures and ITIC, increasing the total to €19 million.

Investor Information

Key investors include: - Robert Bosch Venture Capital (RBVC): Led the second round of funding.

• Innovacom: Initial investor and participated in subsequent rounds.
• Supernova Invest: Historic shareholder and contributor to multiple rounds.
• Bpifrance: Contributed through its Digital Venture fund.
• Applied Ventures: Invested through the ITIC Innovation Fund in the second round.

Company Valuations

There is no specific mention of SCINTIL Photonics' valuation in the available search results.

Funding or Exit Events

No exit events have been reported for SCINTIL Photonics. The company continues to focus on developing advanced silicon photonic integrated circuits for high-speed optical communications.

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Source URLs: scintil-photonics.com
scintil-photonics.com
seedtable.com
innovacom.com
optics.org
electrooptics.com
cbinsights.com
privateequitywire.co.uk
startupportugal.dealroom.co
rasph.com

3 The Press Releases

SCINTIL Photonics, a French fabless silicon photonics company and EIC Accelerator winner since October 6, 2021, has made significant developments and announcements in recent years. Their proprietary technology, SHIP™ (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics), enables monolithic integration of III-V lasers and amplifiers on silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs), which supports ultra-high data rates critical for AI data centers and high-speed optical communications.

Key Press Releases and Blog Updates

• Leadership Change: In November 2024, SCINTIL announced the appointment of Matt Crowley as CEO. Founder Sylvie Menezo continues as CTO and managing director focusing on technology development and customer partnerships. This leadership evolution coincides with establishing a US subsidiary to better support their expanding global customer base in data centers, machine learning, and AI sectors.
• Funding Milestones: SCINTIL raised €13.5 million in a second round led by Robert Bosch Venture Capital to accelerate industrialization of their CMOS-based silicon photonic ICs with integrated III-V components. Earlier funding rounds included €4 million to scale product development.
• Technology Demonstrations: At OFC 2023 (Optical Fiber Communication Conference), SCINTIL demonstrated the first single-chip 100 GHz distributed feedback (DFB) laser comb source enabling dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) for high-performance computing applications. They also showcased LEAF Light™, their flagship single-chip light source integrating multiple lasers with precise channel spacing designed specifically for AI GPU interconnects in data centers.
• Partnerships & Manufacturing: SCINTIL collaborates closely with Tower Semiconductor foundry using Tower’s PH18M process for volume production of their laser-integrated PICs at their Newport Beach facility. This partnership is pivotal to meeting growing market demands driven by 5G connectivity and AI computational requirements while maintaining scalability, performance, reliability, power efficiency, small form factor integration.
• Board Observer Appointment: Soitec joined as a board observer recognizing SCINTIL’s industrial progress within semiconductor materials innovation space .

Technology Advancements

SCINTIL’s SHIP™ process uniquely bonds unprocessed InP/III-V dies onto the backside of processed silicon wafers only where needed—enabling precise fabrication using deep UV lithography on standard silicon photonic platforms. This facilitates controlled laser frequency spacing critical for DWDM systems required by modern datacenter optics.

Their products target ultra-high speed optical communication applications supporting up to 1600 Gbit/sec data rates through monolithically integrated DFB lasers combined with modulators and detectors on one chip. The LEAF Light product line offers scalable multiplexed laser sources compatible with industry standards such as CW-WDM multisource agreements.

Team Updates

As of late 2024:

• Matt Crowley appointed CEO bringing extensive experience from Qualcomm business development.
• Sylvie Menezo remains deeply involved driving innovation as CTO/managing director.
• Company headcount around thirty employees across France headquarters plus offices in Canada and USA subsidiary established recently to boost US market presence.

Summary

Since winning EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021, SCINTIL Photonics has progressed rapidly through new financing rounds totaling over €17M+, leadership strengthening via hiring an experienced CEO while retaining founder technical leadership; advancing production readiness through foundry collaboration; showcasing breakthrough PIC demonstrations at major industry events; expanding global footprint including US presence; securing strategic partnerships like Soitec board involvement; all focused on delivering scalable laser-integrated silicon photonics solutions optimized for next-gen AI datacenter optical interconnect markets.

Sources

• Scintil Photonics Press Releases & Blog
• Scintil Photonics News
• Wiley Industry News - CEO Appointment
• Optics.org - Tower Semiconductor Partnership
• Chiplet Marketplace - OFC 2025 Showcases

4 The Technology Advancements

SCINTIL Photonics: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Advancements Since receiving EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021, SCINTIL Photonics has made significant strides in silicon photonics technology, particularly in advancing DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) solutions for AI data centers. Below are their key developments:

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Core Technology Enhancements

• LEAF Light™ Launch: In 2025, SCINTIL unveiled LEAF Light™, the world’s first single-chip multi-wavelength laser source for co-packaged DWDM optics. This innovation enables up to 2 Tbps bandwidth per fiber, reduces latency, and improves power efficiency compared to legacy CWDM systems.
• SHIP™ Process Maturity: Their proprietary Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics (SHIP™) technology now integrates III-V materials (e.g., DFB lasers) with standard silicon photonics processes at commercial foundries like Tower Semiconductor. This ensures compatibility with high-volume manufacturing.
• Frequency Precision: LEAF Light offers 8–16 multiplexed lasers with 100 GHz or 200 GHz spacing, critical for uncooled DWDM operation in AI infrastructure.

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Market Demonstrations & Customer Engagement

• OFC 2025 Showcase: SCINTIL demonstrated LEAF Light at OFC 2025 (San Francisco), targeting its integration into co-packaged optics switches and XPU accelerator systems. The ELSFP (External Laser Small Form-Factor Pluggable) packaging was highlighted as a key enabler for scalability.
• Sampling Timeline: Limited customer sampling began in late 2024/early 2025, with broader ELSFP engineering samples slated for 2026.

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Intellectual Property & Technical Publications

While no new patents are explicitly cited post-2021:

• The SHIP™ process leverages wafer-scale III-V bonding techniques refined since their EIC funding milestone. Earlier prototypes from March 2022 already showcased integrated modulators and germanium photodetectors supporting 56 GBaud PAM4 signaling.
• CTO Sylvie Menezo presented technical analyses at OFC symposia on monolithic laser integration advantages versus external sources, emphasizing thermal management and cost efficiency for co-packaged optics.

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Strategic Positioning

SCINTIL aims to align production volumes with the projected $600 billion XPU accelerator market by 2030 (~35 million units), leveraging partnerships with commercial foundries to scale to tens of millions of annual units by the late 2020s.

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Sources Used:

-OFC Announcement | -Semiconductor Today | -Photonics.com | -Laser Focus World Interview | -Tower Integration Update.

5 The Partnerships and Customers

SCINTIL Photonics: Partnerships and Customer Relationships

SCINTIL Photonics, a French company that received the EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021, has been actively engaging in various partnerships and customer relationships to enhance its position in the market.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Customers and Market Positioning

SCINTIL Photonics primarily serves the data center, AI, and high-performance computing sectors. Its products, such as the LEAF Light™, are designed to improve computing system performance and power efficiency in these markets. The establishment of a US subsidiary under the leadership of Matt Crowley aims to strengthen its presence in the AI and advanced computing markets, enhancing customer relationships and accelerating market adoption.

New Relationships and Purpose

The appointment of Matt Crowley as CEO and the establishment of a US presence mark a strategic shift towards expanding customer bases in data centers, machine learning, and AI. This move strengthens SCINTIL Photonics' ability to serve customers and accelerate market adoption of its technology.

Technology Advancements and Scaling

The relationships with Tower Semiconductor and investment partners like Applied Ventures and Robert Bosch Venture Capital are crucial for SCINTIL Photonics' technology advancements. These collaborations enable the development of innovative products like the single-chip 100 GHz DFB Comb Laser Source and the III-V Augmented Silicon Photonic IC, which support high-speed data rates and improve performance in data centers and AI applications. The integration of lasers onto silicon ICs, a technology developed initially at CEA-Leti, positions SCINTIL Photonics for significant scaling opportunities in the silicon photonics industry.

Market Positioning

SCINTIL Photonics' partnerships and customer relationships position it as a leader in photonic integrated circuits, particularly in AI data centers and high-performance computing. The company's innovative products, such as LEAF Light™, are critical for enhancing data center communications, and its collaborations ensure a robust supply chain to meet growing market demands.

Source URLs: - scintil-photonics.com

• scintil-photonics.com
• scintil-photonics.com
• photonics.com
• ala.associates
• scintil-photonics.com
• yolegroup.com
• eetimes.eu

6 The Hiring and Company Growth

Scintil Photonics: Team Growth and Hiring

Current Team Size and Headcount

The current team size or headcount of Scintil Photonics is not explicitly mentioned in the available sources. However, the company's presence in France, the U.S., and Canada suggests a growing and distributed team.

Hiring and Team Growth

Scintil Photonics is actively involved in expanding its operations and hiring for various positions. Previously, the company was known to be hiring for several roles, especially during its early stages of development. However, specific details about the number of new hires or growth in headcount are not provided in recent reports.

Recent Hiring and Key Positions

One of the significant recent appointments is that of Matt Crowley as the CEO of Scintil Photonics. Crowley joined the company after leading Vesper Technologies through its acquisition by Qualcomm and previously serving as a senior director of business development at Qualcomm. This appointment aligns with Scintil's strategy to strengthen its U.S. presence and accelerate growth in AI and advanced computing markets.

Impact on Future Growth

The appointment of Matt Crowley as CEO and the establishment of a U.S. subsidiary are strategic moves aimed at supporting Scintil's expanding customer base in data centers, machine learning, and AI. Crowley's experience in scaling high-tech companies is expected to help Scintil navigate rapid market growth, particularly in AI-driven sectors.

Major Changes in Management or Founding Team

A major change in management includes the transition of Sylvie Menezo, the founder of Scintil Photonics, from her role as the leader to focusing on technology developments and customer partnerships as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Managing Director. This shift allows for a more specialized leadership structure, with Crowley handling the overall direction of the company.

Future Scaling and Growth

Scintil Photonics is positioned for significant growth due to its innovative technologies, such as the LEAF LightTM and SHIP (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) process, which integrate III-V materials with silicon photonics. These advancements are crucial for meeting the demands of high-speed optical communications in AI and 5G applications. With its partnership with Tower Semiconductor, Scintil is prepared for high-volume production, further supporting its growth aspirations.

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Source URLs: yolegroup.com laserfocusworld.com scintil-photonics.com optics.org semiconductor-today.com semiconductor-today.com optics.org

7 The Media Features and Publications

Media Coverage and Industry Presence of SCINTIL Photonics Since securing EIC Accelerator funding in October 2021, SCINTIL Photonics has significantly expanded its media footprint and industry participation through strategic announcements, partnerships, and event engagements.

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Media Features and Publications

• Press Releases: SCINTIL’s collaborations with Tower Semiconductor (optics.org) and the launch of its LEAF Light™ multi-wavelength laser source at OFC 2025 were covered by Optics.org, Yole Group, and industry-specific outlets.
• Comprehensive Coverage: ALA Associates’ PR campaigns generated 230 articles across seven news releases, including features in European, US, and Asian trade publications. Key messages emphasized monolithic integration of lasers for AI datacenter optics.
• Executive Insights: CEO Sylvie Menezo highlighted Scintil’s technology as a “game changer” in interviews with Laser Focus World podcasts (laserfocusworld.com) and IRT Nanoelec, detailing plans for 800 Gbit/s to 1.6 Tbit/s optical interconnects.

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Podcasts and Interviews

• March 2025 Podcast: Featured on Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast discussing LEAF Light™ advancements (laserfocusworld.com).
• June 2024 Presentation: CCO Yannick Paillard presented on augmented silicon photonics for AI datacenters at a YouTube-hosted event (youtube.com).

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Conferences and Exhibitions

| Event | Activity | Citation | |----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------| | OFC 2025 (San Francisco) | Showcased LEAF Light™ (8–16 lasers/chip) at Booth 6357; Sylvie Menezo presented on co-packaged optics. | ofcconference.org | | PHOTONICS WEST | Likely participation inferred from industry alignment (not explicitly cited). | – |

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Strategic Positioning Post-EIC Funding

SCINTIL leveraged visibility from its €20M+ funding rounds to secure partnerships with Tower Semiconductor for high-volume PIC production using their PH18M process, targeting the $7B optical transceiver market by 2025.

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Source URLs:

7.OFC Exhibit Details (Note : URL fragmented due to source formatting ; verify direct link via scintil website) 10.Laser Focus World Podcast