LZH scientist founds FiberBridge Photonics

05 Jul 2017

Individualized bespoke fiber components destined for the world market; many types of product co-developments proposed.

Dr.-Ing. Thomas Theeg, a scientist at Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) has established the 18th spin-off company from the research institute.

Specializing in custom glass fiber components, fiber modules and manufacturing systems for these components, FiberBridge Photonics is aiming to provide customers from research, production, telecommunications and medical technology with bespoke products.

Dr. Theeg’s business idea was first recognized in March 2016, at the StartUp-Impuls ideas competition organized by Sparkasse Hannover (bank) and the Hannoverimpuls company in the “Going Global” category.

Furthermore, in November 2016, LZH scientists won funding through the EXIST research transfer program managed by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy.

“With this support we have been able to develop our research findings into the foundation of the company. Start-ups like ours, which require extensive development works in preparation of these foundations, would not be possible without such funding,” said Dr. Theeg, who is now FiberBridge’s CEO.

Optimum conditions

Previously, the FiberBridge Photonics team had been working in the Laser Development Department of the LZH for ten years, and gathered extensive competences and experiences in the field of glass fiber components and fiber-based laser systems.

“We encourage our employees to develop business ideas, and offer startups the opportunity to test their business model here while keeping the investment costs at a low level before they leave the LZH at some point,” explained Dr. Dietmar Kracht, Executive Director of the LZH, the entrepreneurial culture at the institute.

Before FiberBridge, LZH had established no fewer than 17 spin-off companies in the region of Hannover, and created about 500 jobs.

In their search for financing options and while preparing their EXIST proposal, the LZH scientists were supported by hannoverimpuls. This is the business development agency of the city and region of Hannover, which is dedicated to strengthening Hannover as a business through transferring innovations from science.

Flexible fiber

The FiberBridge Photonics team says it will now enter the world market “with a highly innovative and competitive product portfolio”. The optical properties of their glass fiber components and fiber modules, which are manufactured in a semi-automated process using CO₂ laser radiation, match perfectly because all products come from a single source.

Customers can select, for example, their individual wavelength and fiber type, and can flexibly combine various components. Both small, medium and large production volumes are available, with high reproducibility.

The company lists the following types of product it could manufacture on its website: fiber components, single-mode components, tap coupler wavelength combiner (WDM), broadband filter, broadband coupler, pump combiner, cladding light stripper, mode field adapter, end caps, fiber beam dumps, fiber taper, fiber assemblies,fiber component machinery, multi taper (500) and end Cap (2540).

About FiberBridge

The following video (in German), presented by Dr Theeg, describes some of the activities of the new company: