Diffractive optics specialists to merge

17 Jun 2002

Heptagon Oy of Helsinki, Finland, and the replicated micro-optical element activity of the Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) in Zurich, Switzerland, have merged to form a company.

The new company, called Heptagon, will have headquarters in Helsinki and a branch office in Zurich. At the same time, the Finnish venture capital organization Sitra and Innovations Kapital of Sweden have invested EURO 1.8 million in Heptagon.

Heptagon Oy designs and manufactures novel diffractive optics elements while CSEM has built up a technology group with expertise in laser writing and the replication of diffractive and micro-optical elements.

Earlier this year, Jan Melles, co-founder of Melles Griot, joined Heptagon as a shareholder and board member. Jyrki Saarinen is Heptagon's president and Markus Rossi heads the Zurich office. Mike Gale continues at CSEM with the remaining activities, in particular replicated optical microsystems.

PH