Blue diode laser manufacturer Nuburu has raised $20 million in Series B funding to accelerate the development of its high-brightness AI Series and to expand its presence in the energy storage, e-mobility and 3D printing markets.
The round brings Nuburu’s total funding to nearly $50 million. It was co-led by industrial technology investment firm Anzu Partners, and by Thomas Wilson, chair, president and CEO of The Allstate Corporation, as well as chairman emeritus of the US Chamber of Commerce.
Wilson, along with Ron Nicol, former senior partner and managing director of the Boston Consulting Group, will join Anzu managing partners David Michael and David Seldin on Nuburu’s board of directors.
The funding comes soon after the key executive appointments of Dr Guy Gilliland and Chris Baldwin as CEO and CFO, respectively.
‘This new funding allows us to advance our Denver-based automated production facility and accelerate development of our ultra-high brightness product family,’ said Gilliland.
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Nuburu’s lasers provide speed and quality control in applications such as welding and additive manufacturing for industries including e-mobility and automotive, where reflective metals such as copper and aluminium are increasingly being used. The blue wavelength of the lasers offers relatively high absorption in such materials, enabling them to produce defect-free welds up to four times faster than alternative approaches.
‘The feedback we’ve received from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive and has proven that our high-power and high brightness blue lasers are a compelling option for processing aluminium, brass, gold and other challenging metals,’ confirmed Dr Mark Zediker, founder and chairman of the board at Nuburu. ‘We are now scaling operations to respond to this strong customer interest in migrating their processes to our blue laser technology.’
Wilson added: ‘As blue technology continues to mature, Nuburu has a head start with its application expertise and strong IP portfolio that position the company for continued success. I am delighted to co-lead the investment round supporting this company.
Learn more about Nuburu's blue diode laser technology in this webinar.