Ion Beam spin-off Silios Technologies raises EUR1.3m in first round funding

- plans to develop planar technology for integrated optics,

8 July 2003 Rousset, France--Silios Technologies, which spun off from Ion Beam Services to develop a planar technology for Integrated Optics, has secured EUR1.3 million in a first round financing from Vizille Capital Innovation, TechFund Capital Europe, Primaveris and 123 Multinova.

The proceeds will be used to further develop its patented I3O (Ion Implanted Integrated Optics) technology and to market a new generation of passive optical integrated components for telecommunication.

"I3O technology enables the design and manufacture of Planar Lightwave Circuits that will meet the new requirements of optical networks: low cost, miniaturisation, high capability of integration," said Laurent Roux, CEO of SILIOS.

Despite the funding slowdown in high tech, Silios says that its investors' vote of confidence in the company is based on its promising business plan. Alain Benisty, General Manager of Vizille Capital Innovation, said, "Silios Technologies is on the right track to become, two years from now, a serious player in the manufacturing of passive optical components.

"This start-up has developed a promising technology and with limited spending. Assets such as being close to IBS and the high quality of the technical team directed by an industrial manager, should ensure its success as soon as the market recovers."

Jean-Michel Barbier, Managing Partner of TechFund Capital Europe, added, "Silios is developing a disruptive technology that we expect will have a solid impact on its market. Silios brings together some unique technical experience, from R&D to industrialisation, which is why we committed to the project, in spite of the depressed market conditions today."

In addition to the optical networks market, I3O advantages like varying refractive index, mode field management and easy coupling make it also ideal for waveguides used in datacom, biophtonic and sensor applications.

Silios Technologies
the company designs and manufactures passive optical integrated components. Its proprietary technology I3O; enables to produce Planar Lightwave Circuits with advantages like: low cost, miniaturisation and high integration capabilities. It currently develops splitters, mode converters and WDM couplers but also passive optical platforms for modules manufacturers.

It focuses on optical networks, sensors and datacom markets.
It also proposes its expertise in design, manufacturing and test for optical systems addressing a wide range of applications: Diffractive Optical Elements, microarrays, silicon Microsystems etc.

The company was founded in July 2001 by Laurent Roux, PhD in Physics who founded IBS, Michel-Jean Dupré, Business Angel who founded Rhone-Siltec and Epitech and Stéphane Tisserand, PhD in Physics, specialist in integrated Optics and CTO of SILIOS.

For more information, visit www.silios.com or visit the stand at ECOC 2003 (Rimini-Italy) from 22-24 September.