Perceptra Establishes European Base in the Netherlands
US deep-tech company expands to Eindhoven to develop next-generation photonic sensing technology
High Tech Campus Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Perceptra, a US-headquartered deep-tech company developing photonic chip-based sensors for real-time chemical analysis, has established its European subsidiary, Perceptra Technologies B.V, at High Tech Campus Eindhoven. The company will develop photonic sensor chips and complete sensing solutions for customers across Europe from its new location, strengthening the Netherlands’ position as a leading hub for integrated photonics and high-tech innovation.
Spun out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Perceptra has developed a new approach to Raman spectroscopy, a technique used to identify and analyse chemical substances. Its technology puts the spectroscopy engine directly onto a silicon photonic chip, enabling the company to develop Raman sensors that are up to 100 times smaller and cheaper than conventional lab-grade systems while offering comparable performance.
With applications ranging from real-time monitoring of biomanufacturing processes to the detection of dangerous substances for security and public safety, the company’s mission is to enable people and machines to perceive the chemical world. Perceptra’s focus is on opening new possibilities for industrial automation and more portable chemical analysis.
Connecting with a world-leading integrated photonics ecosystem
By expanding in the Netherlands, the company joins one of Europe’s leading ecosystems for integrated photonics, which brings together world-class expertise across the design, development, manufacturing and packaging of photonic integrated circuits. Centered around Eindhoven and Twente, this ecosystem provides companies with access to specialized talent, advanced infrastructure and partners throughout the photonics value chain.
This established ecosystem was an important factor in Perceptra’s decision to choose Eindhoven. The company’s chips are made and packaged with partners in the Dutch and wider European photonics ecosystem, including LioniX International, PHIX Photonics Assembly and imec. Being located at High Tech Campus Eindhoven weaves Perceptra into this network, as well as the engineering talent and industrial customers it needs to develop and commercialize its technology.
The move was supported by Dutch photonic chip industry accelerator PhotonDelta, which invested €1.2 million in Perceptra in early 2026 to accelerate the development and commercialization of its next generation of photonic chip-based Raman sensors.
Amir Atabaki, CEO and co-founder of Perceptra, said: “Eindhoven is where everything comes together for us: integrated photonics, top engineering talent, companies like ours, and the industries we serve, from biotech to security. We can hire the best people here and still stay close to our customers.”
From introduction to investment
Perceptra’s journey to the Netherlands began at Photonics West in San Francisco in January 2025, where the company connected with the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA). That initial meeting opened conversations about a European presence. Later that year, Perceptra won PhotonDelta’s Global Photonics Engineering Contest, building a relationship that ultimately helped support the company’s expansion to the Netherlands.
Innovation from the Netherlands
From its new base, the company plans to grow its team and develop both photonic sensor chips and complete sensing solutions for European and international customers. By establishing its European base in Eindhoven, Perceptra joins a growing community of international high-tech companies choosing the Netherlands to innovate and expand.
The company’s expansion adds new applications, across biomanufacturing, industrial automation and public safety, to a Dutch integrated photonics ecosystem that is bringing advanced chip technology to a global stage.
Source: Brabant Business Region
10 November 2026