RIO Funding Round Nets $8.4M

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 13 -- Redfern Integrated Optics Inc. (RIO), a Santa Clara, Calif., maker of optical transmitters, announced it has raised $8.4 million in its third funding round, including $2.2 million from GE Capital Equity Investments and Jolimont Ventures. Other participants are Advent International, Tallwood Venture Capital, TMT Ventures and Redfern Photonics. RIO also announced that Stephen Ezekiel of GE Commercial Finance has joined its board of directors.
Radu Barsan, president and CEO of RIO, said funding from this round will enable the company to finish developing its first line of products -- starting with 40/80km and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) 10 Gb/s transmitters -- and to broaden its product portfolio, diversify its customer base and markets and accelerate its manufacturing capabilities.
RIO's optical transmitters are based on planar technology "that enables transceivers and transponders to deliver telecom-grade performance with datacom economics," the company said. It is also producing a 1550-nm 10 G commercial laser using directly modulated planar-based hybrid laser technology.
Redfern Photonics, based in Sydney, Australia, was established in 1998 to invest in Australian research and development in photonics-based communications industries; it has diversified its interests into industrial, sensing and defense industries.
For more information, visit: www.rio-inc.com