Optelian buys Versawave Technologies with eye on 100 Gbps
Optical transport systems developer Optelian says it has acquired Versawave Technologies Inc. of British Columbia, Canada. Versawave makes high-bandwidth gallium arsenide-based optical modulators with patented polarization-modulation technology. The acquisition provides Optelian with an in-house source of 100-Gbps technology.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Versawave began life in 2001 as JGKB Photonics Inc. and raised Series A financing in 2002. JGKB launched Versawave as a new product division focusing on modulators as well as design, engineering, and manufacturing services in 2005. Versawave also assumed marketing of JGKB’s other products. Investors included Greenstone Venture Partners, Dow Chemical Corp., Venture Coaches, Growthworks, and Business Development Bank of Canada. The company went through a restructuring in July 2006. It has produced modulators for 40-Gbps and higher applications.
“Our acquisition of Versawave is very much a part of our core strategy of continuing to manufacture in North America and being as vertically integrated as possible to provide our customers with very cost-effective solutions and short lead times,” said Optelian CEO David Weymouth.
“Versawave brings exceptional technology for 100 Gbps and will accelerate Optelian’s growth into the next generation of highly integrated photonic systems,” continued Weymouth.
Optelian says that Versawave, led by Hiroshi Kato, will continue to operate at its current Vancouver facility as a division of Optelian.
