Nexus Photonics
Broadband spectrum photonic integrated circuits for next-gen systems
*DARPA-funded, Semiconductor, Photonics
Initiative Description
Nexus Photonics develops photonic integrated circuits that support wafer-scale integration of optical sources on silicon wafers. Integrating lasers in a wafer scale silicon process has long been sought after as it enables significant cost and size savings which are critical to success of the growing advanced communications network; however, silicon-based lasers have several limitations including limited operating wavelength range (no output at visible), limited powers and higher noise. Nexus Photonics has solved these problems by building photonic integrated circuit (PIC) platform supporting laser integration based on silicon nitride, enabling high performance optical sources and PICs at a significantly lower cost and smaller footprint to the current market alternatives while supporting operation from blue to infrared. This breakthrough has the potential to enable the next generation of quantum, AR/VR, RF photonics, healthcare, and spectroscopy sensing systems to enter the market.
Nexus Photonics was founded in 2018 by Tin Komljenovic, John Bowers (pioneer of heterogeneous photonics that has been commercialized by Intel for datacom market), and Chong Zhang. They have received several large government contracts (including two DARPA prime contracts) to support their work in heterogenous integration and have additionally closed a $5M Series A venture round in 2022 lead by Phoenix Venture Partners which brought senior leadership to Nexus including Frank Levinson (co-founder of Finisar). Nexus Photonics has been profitable each year since inception.
Job Description
Nexus Photonics is seeking a business executive who will partner with the CEO (Tin Komljenovic) and leadership to develop a dual-use go-to-market strategy their photonic integrated circuits.
Core Areas of Accountability
- Identify key verticals for Nexus Photonics’ technology in both government and commercial customers
- Develop a go-to-market strategy for capturing business in the identified key verticals
- Cultivate, manage, and grow partner relationships
- Utilize understanding of target verticals to help build a product roadmap and suggest minimally viable products
- Work cross-functionally internally to understand & communicate business objectives
Key Experience Needed
- Business development and strategic planning in photonics or related field
- Experience working for or with early-stage technology companies
- Experience with business models that support dual-use technologies and capturing government customers.
- Background in working with or pitching investors on early-stage technology commercialization.
Nexus Photonics is based in Goleta, CA. The company is open to the successful candidate working virtually with travel to Goleta as needed. This is a part-time consulting position with the potential of joining the team full time in the future pending success of the initial term in this position.