This comes as the company reaches a £3.6m initial close of its £6m seed round, co-led by Blackfinch Ventures and Empirical Ventures. It has been created to take world-leading high-energy laser technology “out of the lab and into the field” for applications including protecting critical infrastructure, strengthening national security, and accelerating future industries. One of the potential applications being developed is to counter aerial security threats, such as drones and other unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
DiPOLE Systems is spinning out from the UK’s Central Laser Facility (CLF), based at the Harwell Campus, near Oxford, which is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The commercialisation of this state-of-the-art technology also paves the way for strengthening the UK’s sovereign capability.
The company will initially focus on applications where its technology can deliver near-term value, including countering drones, advanced and penetrative imaging for infrastructure and industrial inspection, while working closely with partners to explore future applications in areas such as security, fusion energy and semiconductor manufacturing.
Dr Tom Butcher, CEO of DiPOLE Systems, said: “We have created DiPOLE Systems to harness exceptional UK science and engineering to deliver results in the real world. We have been developing this laser technology at the CLF for the past 15 years, now we want to take it out of the lab and into the field.
We are focused on commercialising proven laser technology - being clear about what is possible today, what requires further testing, and how this capability can deliver real benefit to our customers, from advanced imaging to protecting critical infrastructure.”
Built on more than five decades of research at the CLF near Oxford, DiPOLE Systems is commercialising a laser architecture that combines high pulse energy and high repetition rates, which is world-leading. The technology has already been delivered to major international research facilities, demonstrating reliability, scalability and demand.
Proven DiPOLE laser technology will be used as a high repetition rate pump source in the CLF’s new facility,
the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC)
The spin-out brings together a team of leading UK laser scientists and engineers from the CLF, with decades of experience delivering complex laser systems globally.
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, UKRI CEO said: “This is a strong example of how public research can translate into real-world impact and reinforces the importance of how UKRI and government support helps to catalyse growth in new high-potential technologies.”
Professor Michele Dougherty, STFC Executive Chair said: “I would like to pay tribute to the scientists and engineers in our Central Laser Facility whose work over many years developing and finessing this technology has enabled the spin-out of DiPOLE Systems today. This new private enterprise creates the opportunity for the continued development of that capability to now be scaled responsibly through a UK-based company.”
The company has reached an initial close for its seed funding round and plans to expand its team over the next 12 months, with a focus on commercial, operational and manufacturing capability. DiPOLE will remain UK-based and operate within a clear framework of strengthening the nation’s sovereignty in photonics applications, reflecting the power and responsibility associated with advanced laser technologies, as well as seeking commercial opportunities in the rest of the world.
Kimberley Hay, Ventures Director at Blackfinch Ventures said: “At Blackfinch we are always excited to back founders who are redefining what deep‑tech can achieve, and DiPOLE is exactly that. Their laser systems unlock capabilities that were previously out of reach, with applications ranging from industrial inspection to next‑generation security and energy technologies. What impressed us most is the team’s honesty about what is proven today and their disciplined roadmap for responsible, real‑world deployment. DiPOLE is building a sovereign, strategically important capability for the UK, and we are proud to support them at this stage of their journey.”
Dr Johnathan Matlock, General Partner at co-lead investor Empirical Ventures said: “DiPOLE Systems stands out as a rare example of world-class UK science with clear commercial potential. The team has already demonstrated the reliability and scalability of the DiPOLE laser architecture, and we believe they are exceptionally well placed to bring this technology out of the lab and into high-growth sectors, from advanced imaging to the protection of critical infrastructure. We are excited to support a company that combines technical excellence, integrity and the ambition to become a globally significant photonics business headquartered here in the UK.”
