Accelerating chip packaging processes for next generation optical motion sensors

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Zero Point Motion creates tiny chips that use optical resonances to detect motion and rotation. Our goal is to improve positioning, stabilisation and navigation by bringing the performance of space and defence grade sensors to industrial and consumer applications. We create our optomechanical devices by combining high volume compatible mechanical chip structures with silicon photonic integrated circuits. Existing sensors like the ones inside your smartphone and car, use a noisy electrical readout which is prone to drift, meaning the sensitivity is poor and the accuracy degrades over time. We improve the noise floor dramatically by using optical resonances that are coupled to mechanical motion, which also resonantly enhances our detection scheme compared to measurements where the motion is only blocking the path of light. The power of optomechanics is best demonstrated by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave observatory, which is now the most sensitive human-made motion detector in the universe.I'm Lia, I'm the Founder of Zero Point Motion and also the inventor of our technology. The company is the culmination of my entire life's research and the opportunities I have been lucky to pursue as a woman of colour; from building lasers at Imperial College, to fabricating sensor chips at BAE Systems, to developing classical and quantum optomechanical systems at University College London. My founding team comprises UK chip entrepreneurs Dr Gordon Aspin and Pascal Herczog, seasoned semiconductor experts who have scaled startups to exit and IPO.Alongside funding the development of an integration process for our sensors that will accelerate our time-to-market, the Women in Innovation award also provides mentorship and publicity. This is important because time-to-market is lengthy for chip companies, with large investment rounds required (£20-50M) and no roadmap to follow as there has never been a high volume (100's millions of units shipped per year) inertial sensor company in the UK. However, our vision is to scale to over 100M units year, potentially generating billion dollar revenues and creating 50+ jobs, which makes our proposition highly desirable and worth striving for. I'm excited to find mentorship to manage the transition from prototyping to production, to understand how to grow our IP portfolio, and to increase customer engagement.