AUCKLAND, NZ - New Zealand based Coherent Solutions, a world leader in coherent optical communication and photonics test and
measurement is now known as Quantifi Photonics. The new brand reflects the company’s broad portfolio of test and
measurement products for the rapidly expanding and diverse global market for photonic devices.
Photonics is the technology of using light to create, process, and transmit information, with applications ranging from
subsea fibre-optic cables, high speed secure communications, data centres, Silicon Photonics, LIDAR enabled autonomous
vehicles, free space optical data transmission and more.
The company was founded in 2012 and has a distinctive approach to test and measurement, starting with very high speed
technology using “coherent” optical communications. It has since delivered the world’s highest-performing test and
measurement instruments to a range of marquee clients, including Google, NASA, Cisco, leading semiconductor
manufacturers and Government research organisations.
Quantifi Photonics has also signed exclusive partnership agreements with global test and measurement companies National
Instruments and Tektronix, and generates almost 100% of its sales offshore.
Andy Stevens, CEO of Quantifi Photonics says, “From the first subsea fibre-optic cable in the 1980s, the photonics
industry has exploded in size and complexity, and we now have near universal mobile and fixed internet capabilities.
Photonics enables the Internet of Things (IOT) and is the enabling technology of new 5G networks.” Andy goes on to say,
“What has happened over the last 10 years is that all this amazing technology developed for telecommunications has
enabled the development of new products for new markets and applications. For example, autonomous cars that scan the
road using laser-based LIDAR systems, and your smart phone’s facial recognition are both built using fundamental
photonics technologies.”
The new name, Quantifi Photonics, reflects the expansion of photonics technology well beyond telecommunications, and
underpins the company’s vision of being the trusted test and measurement partner for some of the world’s largest
technology companies.
According to the latest SPIE Optics and Photonics Report, the global market for photonics enabled devices will reach a
staggering US$2.4b in 2020. Quantifi Photonics has a leading role in the test and measurement of existing and emerging
technologies, from research and development in the lab through to full scale production environments. Their equipment is
used to develop and test key components that are driving the expansion of the industry and gives the company an edge as
the market expands.
Lance Wiggs, Director, and Manager of the Punakaiki Fund which led the Series-A investment into Coherent Solutions
states, “Quantifi Photonics has built a strong range of products that offer high quality modular development and
production testing solutions. The company can deliver complete photonics testing solutions for high end photonics-based
electronics that replace slow and sometimes manual processes. This removes one of the key barriers to very high-volume
manufacturing and development of the next generation of photonics equipment. They are selling into a market that is
increasingly dominated by a handful of suppliers and aim to be the leading independent player serving clients across the
world. The company is on a clear path, even with the impact of COVID-19, to turn this into a US$100m revenue business
for New Zealand”.
The company is currently considering a Series-B investment to accelerate their international growth plans and add new
capabilities.