Lumotive
Lumotive develops programmable optical chips for 3D sensing, imaging and networking, replacing traditional mechanical components with digital semiconductors. The 81-person company has raised $72M, including a Series B in February 2025.
The growth story
Lumotive grew from 28 to 81 employees between 2021 and 2026, raising $72M along the way, most recently a Series B in February 2025.
About
Lumotive makes flat, CMOS-based optical chips that can be programmed to perform functions like beam steering, lensing and splitting. Their Light Control Metasurface technology aims to replace bulky mechanical optics with reconfigurable semiconductors, targeting applications in 3D sensing, imaging and optical communications.
The company has raised $72M from investors including Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund and Bill Gates. With 81 employees, Lumotive draws engineering talent from semiconductor firms like onsemi and Quantenna Communications, as well as tech giants Microsoft and Amazon.
Founders and leadership
Engineering makes up a third of Lumotive's 81-person team, with 27 engineers. The company is led by a semiconductor industry veteran team, with talent sourced from established players like onsemi, Quantenna and Intellectual Ventures.
The Lumotive org chart
Sam Heidari (CEO) leads 27 mapped leaders with 5 direct reports. Click +N to expand a team; names link to the person’s public profile.
Departments, and which ones grew
Headcount by function: Engineering 40 (+14% YoY), Information Technology 12 (+33% YoY), Business Development 5 (+67% YoY), Operations 4 (0% YoY), Product Management 3 (0% YoY), Research 3 (+50% YoY).
Talent flow
Lumotive recruits heavily from the semiconductor industry, with top sources including onsemi, Quantenna Communications and Ikanos Communications. Alumni have moved to companies like Impinj, Blue Origin and TDK Ventures. The University of Washington is the top alma mater, followed by Simon Fraser University.
Most common previous employers of Lumotive staff: onsemi (5), Quantenna Communications (3), Ikanos Communications (3), Intellectual Ventures (3), Amazon (3), Microsoft (3). Former Lumotive employees most often moved to Impinj (2), TDK Ventures (1), EDGE Labs (1), Sandia National Laboratories (1), Blue Origin (1), UnitX (1).
Alumni worth knowing
Web traffic
Traffic mix: 0% direct, 0% search, 0% social, 0% paid.
What this company is made of
Most common skills at Lumotive: Python (Programming Language) (31), Semiconductor Engineering (19), MATLAB (19), Leadership (19), C++ (19), Microsoft Office (18), C (Programming Language) (17), Embedded Systems (16).
Where the team actually sits
Lumotive people are concentrated in Washington, United States (17), British Columbia, Canada (14), San Francisco Bay Area (8), Greater Seattle Area (7). 2 offices on record.
Search footprint
Lumotive attracts about 311 organic search visits a month, traffic worth roughly $0K a month if bought through ads. It gained 16 ranking keywords and lost 9 in the last period.
What employees say
- Compensation
- 3.90 / 5
- Career opportunities
- 4.30 / 5
- Senior management
- 4.10 / 5
- Work-life balance
- 3.30 / 5
Frequently asked
Lumotive has 81 employees as of September 2026.
Lumotive has raised $72M in total, most recently a Series B round in February 2025.
Lumotive was founded in 2017 by Gleb Akselrod.
Sam Heidari (CEO) sits at the top of Lumotive's reporting structure, with 5 direct reports.
The most common previous employers of current Lumotive staff are onsemi (5 people), Quantenna Communications (3 people), Ikanos Communications (3 people).
Former Lumotive employees most often move to Impinj (2), TDK Ventures (1), EDGE Labs (1).
Lumotive attracts about 311 organic search visits a month, worth roughly $0K a month in equivalent ad spend.
The most common skills among Lumotive staff are Python (Programming Language), Semiconductor Engineering, MATLAB, Leadership, C++.
Lumotive staff are concentrated in Washington, United States (17), British Columbia, Canada (14), San Francisco Bay Area (8).
Lumotive has about 40 people in Engineering, up 14% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Lumotive has about 12 people in Information Technology, up 33% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Computed from 65 current and 35 former Lumotive profiles, as of September 2026. Source: Crustdata.
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