The optical frequency spinout from Tokyo Institute of Technology has secured series B funding from investors including the institution's Innovations and Future Creation fund.
Optical Comb, a Japan-based developer of optical frequency combs spun out from Tokyo Institute of Technology, has secured ¥1.29bn ($11.8m) in series B capital from investors including the university’s Innovations and Future Creation fund.
Public-private partnership Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) also participated in the round, as did financial services groups Iyo Bank and Yamanashi Chuo Bank, through their respective subsidiaries Iyo Bank Capital and Yamanashi Chugin Management Consulting.
Nissay Capital, the venture capital arm of insurer Nippon Life, and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, a corporate venturing division of insurance group Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, also took part and were joined by Hiroshima Venture Capital and Chibagin Capital.
Founded in 2002, Optical Comb develops optical frequency combs, a type of laser source used to precisely measure light frequencies. The technology has applications in optical measurement systems for industrial inspections.
Optical Comb is based on work by chairman and executive director Motonobu Kourogi, a former researcher at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Optical Comb will use the capital to expedite software development and plans to offer artificial intelligence-based automatic industrial inspections. INCJ believes Optical Comb’s technology will enhance the capabilities of personnel and quality control in the manufacturing industry.
The spinout previously obtained $3.5m in March 2016 from Nissay Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital and a range of unnamed investors.