German laser start-up Klastech raises €2.1M in first-round funding

First-round funding

Klastech Karpushko Laser Technology GmbH of Dortmund, which is developing diode pumped solid state (DPSS) lasers used for use in semiconductor production, pharmaceutical industries and scientific applications, has raised €2.1 million in a first round funding.

The company was spun out in 2006 to commercialise the work of Fedor Karpushko, a scientist with more than 30 years’ experience in photonics research. The proprietary optical design results in a substantial reduction in the complexity compared to conventional lasers.

This delivers marked improvement in beam quality that opens up many new application areas, but also enables the laser to be manufactured in an industrial process instead of using the more traditional craft production method. The company says the result is high quality accompanied by a competitive price. Klastech believes its laser could replace argon ion and helium-cadmium lasers.

The company will use the proceeds from the funding round to build up international
sales and marketing and expand its product portfolio.

The funding round was led by Triangle, the only venture capital firm in Germany that invests solely university and research spin-offs.