Vilnius-based LITILIT secures €8 million financing to make femtosecond laser systems scalable

LITILIT, a Vilnius-based company, has received an €8 million loan from the Lithuanian National Development Bank ILTE for the development of a femtosecond laser modular system (FEMODA) intended to speed up the adoption of advanced lasers and open the door for new applications.

The total value of the project is €10 million, while the commercialisation of the new technology is planned for the second half of 2029. The company recently broke ground on a large-scale femtosecond-laser facility in Vilnius. 

Nikolajus Gavrilinas, CEO of LITILIT, says that the new system will significantly expand the applications of femtosecond lasers. “Currently, femtosecond lasers are mostly used in manufacturing high-value small parts. Our new laser system will open new applications in existing large-scale industries, such as the mass production of metal tools and the formation of specialised coatings on large surfaces, like aircraft or car bodies. It will also speed up current femtosecond laser applications, from consumer electronics to displays and chips,” he explained.

Founded in 2015, LITILIT is a femtosecond laser company that manufactures lasers based on patented technology that enables scalable production and simplifies integration into industrial systems. The company builds lasers based on a few patented inventions (patent 1, patent 2) made by its co-founders Kęstutis Regelskis, Nerijus Rusteika, and Gavrilinas, in close collaboration with the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) in Vilnius.

“Femtosecond lasers use extremely short pulses that process materials without damaging the surrounding structure. This quality, also known as cold ablation, makes them indispensable in applications ranging from eye surgery and vascular stents to manufacturing computer chips and display screens,” explained LITILIT. 

However, Gavrilinas notes that the adoption of femtosecond laser systems is often limited by their heavy infrastructure, installation, and maintenance requirements.

The company also highlighted that most existing systems use water cooling, requiring dedicated circulation and cleaning infrastructure and regular maintenance. It also added that these systems typically rely on large, heavy optical modules that must sit on massive optical bases, along with sensitive optics to deliver the beam to the process location. They also require a temperature-controlled operating environment. 

“All this adds complexity and limits where lasers can be used. We’re building a system that combines the control electronics, optics, and cooling into a single industrial unit that can easily integrate into any factory. Our new modular platform will be less sensitive to temperature, humidity, and vibration, and its modules can be combined into a more powerful system. If one fails, only that module needs replacing – not the whole system,” Gavrilinas noted. 

According to the company, FEMODA will advance its goal of making femtosecond laser systems scalable. FEMODA will target an average optical power of up to 1000 W split across 10 to 20 separate beam channels, each capable of delivering femtosecond pulses to a different processing point on a production line. Gavrilinas states that it will be one of the most powerful modular industrial systems.

To address the scalability gap, LITILIT began developing a new high-capacity laser factory in Vilnius in June. It will commence operations this fall and aim to produce 3,000 femtosecond lasers per year.

The project’s total value is €10 million, to be financed by the €8 million loan from the Lithuanian development bank ILTE and a €2 million investment from LITILIT. Commercialisation of the new laser system is scheduled for the second half of 2029.

Source: EU-Startups