News: Optoelectronics
6 November 2025
BluGlass gives update on September-quarter activities and results
BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has provided the following update and financial report for its fiscal first-quarter 2026 (to end-September 2025).
“BluGlass’ project pipeline remains strong, exceeding US$100m across approximately 30 active projects and programs,” notes CEO Jim Haden. “This sustained momentum reflects continued demand for our novel visible laser technologies, which are enabling next-generation applications across multiple sectors. Purchase orders from global defence prime Collins Aerospace, and quantum leader Infleqtion, reinforce the critical nature of visible laser technology for advanced applications as well as the calibre of customers we’re working with. Our high-energy visible lasers provide the precision, fidelity and stability needed to address some of the most complex quantum commercialization challenges, including the ability to scale down in size and up in volume to deliver more cost-effective quantum sensors and processors,” he adds.
“We’re also progressing project submissions for the Microelectronics Commons with CLAWS (Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors) Hub members and our tier-one partners. Despite the US Government shutdown delaying projects with US government departments and agencies, our diversified customer pipeline spanning leading OEMs, defence primes, and other national governments has enabled us to advance and grow our commercial opportunities. While we are encouraged by the health and breadth of our pipeline, we remained focused on converting these projects and commercial partnerships into large revenue-generating contracts,” Haden continues.
“Importantly, our non-dilutive capital R&D tax rebate has partially offset operational costs as we continue to improve the performance of our gallium nitride lasers, secure new revenue-generating projects, and scale revenues.”
Laser order from Collins Aerospace
During the quarter, BluGlass received an initial purchase order of its visible gallium nitride gain chips from RTX Corp subsidiary Collins Aerospace, an American aerospace & defense technology company that delivers advanced systems and services across commercial, military and business aviation sectors. Its portfolio includes avionics, navigation systems, and information management solutions, all designed to enhance efficiency, safety and connectivity for customers worldwide.
Laser order from Infleqtion
In October, BluGlass received an initial purchase order of its GaN gain chips from global quantum technology company Infleqtion. The gain chips will be integrated within Infleqtion’s quantum systems to support next-generation quantum applications. Infleqtion designs and builds quantum computers, precision sensors and quantum software for governments, enterprises and research institutes. Its customers and collaborators include Nvidia, NASA, DARPA and the US Army.
While BluGlass considers revenue from initial purchase orders from both customers to be immaterial on their own, these collaborations have the potential to become long-term supply contracts with significant revenues, it is reckoned.
“The strong commercial interest BluGlass is receiving from world-leading partners is testament to our best-in-class visible gain chip capabilities,” says CEO Jim Haden. “These partnerships will be instrumental to our platform development, supporting the delivery of unmatched precision and fidelity, at scale, for the most exacting of applications.”
Omer Granit appointed to board
During the quarter, BluGlass enhanced the board’s commercialization expertise, welcoming US-based Omer Granit as an independent non-executive director. As an entrepreneur, investor and corporate lawyer, his experience spans capital markets, strategy, technology, defence and advanced manufacturing. BluGlass says that his appointment strengthens its engagement in the UAS, improving access to strategic customers, the global defence industry, and investment community.
“Omer brings renewed energy and the unique combination of deep insight into the US technology and defence sectors as well as valuable experience supporting ASX-listed companies through cross-border growth,” comments chair James Walker. “His strong connections across global capital markets and the defence sector make him a tremendous asset at this pivotal time for BluGlass,” he adds.
“I would also like to thank Vivek Rao, who retired from the board during the quarter, for his invaluable contribution to BluGlass over the past decade, where he has played a key role in guiding BluGlass from its R&D roots to a global commercialization company.”
Semiconductor Australia 2025
In October, BluGlass partnered with the Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau (S3B) and Corporate Connect to host Semiconductor Australia 2025 – the second annual conference for the semiconductor, quantum and photonics sectors.
Attended by more than 350 in-person participants and hundreds more online, the event showcased 22 of the nation’s deep-tech innovators and featured keynote presentations from industry luminaries including Australia’s ninth chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley, and scientist, entrepreneur and investor Dr Simon Poole. Five expert roundtable sessions covered critical discussions around essential policy frameworks, global supply chain access, and growth capital.
“Market education has never been more important in helping Australia’s investment community understand the deep-tech landscape, commercialization timeframes, and growth opportunities,” comments Haden. “In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, we are critically able to actively support the United States in restoring resilient supply and production chains in these strategic advanced technologies.”
Industry events
During the quarter, BluGlass participated at several industry events including, as part of the Team Australia delegation, the Quantum World Congress in Washington DC, the India Defence Ministry forum in Sydney, and the Quantum Semiconductor Workshop in California.
Fiscal Q1/2026 financials
Revenue of $1.75m in fiscal Q1/2026 included payments under the North Carolina State University (NCSU) CLAWS Hub contract, laser orders, and foundry services for a European wafer developer. During the quarter, BluGlass received a $6.05m tax rebate for R&D activities carried out across its Australian and US facilities in fiscal year 2025.
Quarterly R&D expenses (comprising laser product development) were $2.81m, inclusive of salaries, materials and fabrication costs. Payments to related parties during the quarter were $109,000, encompassing chair and non-executive director fees.
Outlook
“BluGlass is continuing to advance its world-leading laser performance and innovation expertise to solve our customers’ biggest challenges, at the same time as establishing critical strategic partnerships with leading OEMs, defence primes, and government agencies,” says Haden. “The company’s project-to-product strategy delivers growing revenues while building a long-term pipeline of laser orders as our customers’ next-generation applications come to market,” he adds.
“Visible GaN lasers are increasingly underpinning global mega-trends from quantum, defence, biotech, to space applications. Many of these technologies will require custom solutions that scale-up commercial usability while scaling-down in size,” Haden continues. “With just a handful of GaN laser manufacturers globally, BluGlass is the only pure-play specialist offering manufacturing and packaging flexibility as well as custom development capability. The breadth and scale of our pipeline is indicative of the market opportunity ahead of us, and we continue to work hard on converting these sizeable projects.”
BluGlass appoints US-based entrepreneur, investor and corporate lawyer Omer Granit to board
BluGlass to supply Indian Department of Defence with GaN lasers
BluGlass enters into contract with NCSU for visible laser development as part of CLAWS Hub
