Optical chip start-up receives Ontario Accelerator funding

A start-up company formed by engineering physics professor Chang-Qing Xu that could transform the quality and power needs of TV and computer monitors is receiving $500,000 in funding from the Ontario Investment Accelerator Fund.

C2C Link Corporation, developers of optical chips that efficiently convert laser light from one colour to another, is one of eight Ontario new technology companies selected to receive funding. The announcement was made on January 5 by Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario and John Wilkinson, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation.

“Today's funding will help eight promising Ontario companies develop their technology and get to the global market first. New companies need capital to continue growing in Ontario and this means new jobs for the future,” said John Wilkinson, Minister of Research and Innovation.

C2C Link's technology is the only known method for producing commercially viable green and blue optical chips. Industry experts believe these chips will be the driving force behind a new generation of laser-based displays that might even replace LCD-based TVs and monitors, due to better quality, greater energy efficiency and capability of displaying 3D images.

“Without the strong support from McMaster University, it would have been impossible for C2C to get this important funding,” said Professor Xu.

Funding provided by the Investment Accelerator Fund supports research, field testing, and patent and promotion costs as companies expand. The $29-million fund is delivered by the Ontario Centres of Excellence and MaRS, with the support of the National Angel Organization – Ontario.

Atreo Medical Inc., a company started by three McMaster biomedical engineering students to develop the CPR Glove, was one of the first two companies to receive funding from the Investment Accelerator Fund when it was launched in May 2008.