PINC Technologies, a Caltech spinout developing integrated nonlinear photonic devices, has closed its Seed+ round and now reports $6.8 million in total funding. The Pasadena-based company plans to use the capital to accelerate commercialization of technology born from research at the Caltech Nonlinear Photonics Laboratory.
Quantonation led the latest round. Other investors include Wilson Hill Ventures, Freeflow Ventures, Hamamatsu Ventures, Qubits Ventures, Santec, and the Caltech Seed Fund.
Photonics has long been viewed as essential for faster, more efficient computing and communications. But the field has struggled with a persistent problem: the lack of scalable nonlinear solutions. As demand grows across medical diagnostics, quantum technologies, and next-generation data networks, companies and researchers need better tools to harness light-based systems at scale.
PINC is working to solve this. The company has developed a platform designed to make nonlinear photonics practical for real-world use. Target applications include quantum information processing, advanced communications, and industrial photonics systems.
The new funding will support several priorities. PINC intends to expand its engineering team, speed up product development, and establish partnerships that enable new capabilities across multiple sectors.
"Our vision at PINC is to bring nonlinear photonics out of the lab and into industry," said Farzaneh Afshinmanesh, CEO and Co-founder of PINC Technologies. "This funding allows us to scale our engineering team, accelerate product development, and build collaborations to enable new capabilities in industrial photonics applications, quantum computing, biomedical sensing, and beyond."
The company sees opportunities in industrial photonics, quantum computing, and biomedical sensing. These markets are evolving quickly, and PINC believes its platform can address bottlenecks that currently limit performance and adoption.
Founded in 2023, PINC Technologies emerged from work conducted at Caltech's Nonlinear Photonics Laboratory. The company develops integrated photonic devices and circuits intended to power applications in quantum technologies, optical communications, and industrial systems.
Afshinmanesh co-founded the company with a focus on translating academic research into commercial products. The board and leadership team bring experience from both academia and industry, positioning the company to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and market needs.
PINC is based in Pasadena, California, close to its academic roots. This proximity allows the company to maintain ties with Caltech while building out its commercial operations.
Quantonation, the lead investor in this round, focuses exclusively on deep physics and quantum technologies. The Paris- and Boston-based fund invests in early-stage companies working on high-performance computation, secure communications, drug design, and ultra-precise sensing.
"Quantonation is excited to lead this round for PINC Technologies," said Christophe Jurczak, Managing Partner at Quantonation. "The company's integrated nonlinear photonic platform represents a critical enabling technology for the quantum era. We believe PINC has the potential to become a cornerstone in the photonics and quantum ecosystem."
The investor syndicate also includes Wilson Hill Ventures, Freeflow Ventures, Hamamatsu Ventures, Qubits Ventures, Santec, and the Caltech Seed Fund. Each brings sector expertise and networks that could help PINC navigate technical and commercial challenges as it scales.
