{
  "id": 1919179,
  "title": "Scotland’s Singular Photonics secures €1.85 million to scale SPAD image sensors with on-chip computing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/scotlands-singular-photonics-secures-1-85-million-to-scale-spad-image",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-19T11:17:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "EU-Startups",
    "slug": "eu-startups",
    "url": "https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/08/scotlands-singular-photonics-secures-e1-85-million-to-scale-spad-image-sensors-with-on-chip-computing/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Edinburgh-based semiconductor firm Singular Photonics has successfully raised €1.85 million ($2.15 million) in a heavily backed funding round, led by ACF Investors and featuring participation from Wren Capital, Cambridge Angels, Scottish Enterprise, Quantum Exponential and Old College Capital. The venture capital injection follows the company's announcement that former Arm CTO Dipesh Patel has joined its board of directors.\n\nIn its maiden year, Singular Photonics has already achieved double-digit growth targets, with management reporting a doubling of 2025 sales in the first half of 2026. CEO Shahida Imani highlighted the company's ability to respond to customer demands more swiftly, thanks to the funding, which will enable expansion of its sensor portfolio and deployment of new features aligned with customers' needs.\n\nThe startup was founded in February 2024 by CEO Imani, CTO Dr. Aravind Venugopalan, Professor Robert Henderson, and Dr. Neil Finlayson. Emerging from stealth mode in January 2025, Singular Photonics is a fabless innovator developing SPAD image sensors with on-chip computation. The company's technology represents a shift in image sensor capabilities, moving beyond conventional intensity measurement to precise detection and timing of individual photons, thereby enabling new imaging possibilities beyond the reach of traditional cameras.\n\nSingular Photonics' Andarta and Sirona product lines are currently commercially available and generating revenue. The company's investment will be directed towards scaling engineering capacity and hastening the delivery of new image sensors, targeting diverse markets such as machine vision, industrial automation, physical AI, scientific discovery, and medical imaging.\n\nACF Investors' Managing Partner Tim Mills expressed enthusiasm for Singular Photonics' potential, noting the company's unique blend of groundbreaking sensor science and commercial viability. The investment round underscores the increasing importance of real-time photon detection in the evolving landscape of edge computing and AI applications.",
  "summary": "Singular Photonics, an Edinburgh-based fabless semiconductor company developing SPAD (single photon avalanche diode) image sensors with on-chip computation, has closed an oversubscribed €1.85 million ($2.15 million) funding round. The round was led by ACF Investors, with participation from Wren Capital, Cambridge Angels, Scottish Enterprise, Quantum Exponential and Old College Capital. It also…",
  "key_points": [
    "Edinburgh-based Singular Photonics raises €1.85 million in funding round",
    "Former Arm CTO Dipesh Patel joins board of directors",
    "Funding accelerates sensor portfolio expansion and new feature deployment"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}