5 days ago
ITHCA Group, Amazon invest in US chip tech pioneer Lumotive
Muscat – Lumotive, the US-based pioneer in programmable optical semiconductor technology, on Tuesday announced investments from Oman's ITHCA Group and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund.
The investments will help Lumotive rapidly accelerate product deployments in industrial applications and enhance its global market presence, the Redmond, Washington-based company said in a press statement.
Lumotive said that the investment from ITHCA Group, Oman's sovereign tech fund, reflects a strategic alignment with its breakthrough technology and the sultanate's digital transformation goals. It said, 'As Oman accelerates smart infrastructure and AI initiatives, Lumotive's entry into the region positions both sides to benefit from regional momentum and global innovation.'
Said Abdullah al Mandhari, CEO of ITHCA Group, said, 'This strategic investment reflects our confidence in Lumotive's world-class technology and its potential impact on the region. Lumotive's presence in Oman strengthens our innovation ecosystem and supports national priorities across telecommunications, AI, and smart infrastructure. We are proud to welcome Lumotive to our growing portfolio of future-focused companies.'
Earlier in May 2025, ITHCA Group signed the investment agreement with Lumotive in the field of programmable semiconductors. The agreement was signed by Mandhari and Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive.
The investment in Lumotive constitutes a strategic step in the progress of ITHCA Group, boosting its role in supporting global innovators and backing Oman's semiconductor ambitions. It also aligns with Oman's national digital transition plan under Vision 2040, which seeks to promote Oman as a regional hub for advanced technologies and a knowledge-based economy.
Additionally, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund backs technologies that advance automation, robotics, and next-generation industrial systems. Its support of Lumotive signals confidence in the company's game-changing approach – replacing bulky mechanical optical components with a fully digital, reconfigurable semiconductor.
Lumotive's LCM™ platform enables a new era of intelligent perception systems that are compact, software-defined, and essential for the factories, robots, and logistics networks of the future. With Amazon's backing, Lumotive joins a select group of transformative companies shaping the future of automation and industrial AI.
'We invest in breakthrough technologies that redefine what's possible – and Lumotive is doing just that,' said Franziska Bossart, Director, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. 'With their programmable optical beamforming chips, Lumotive is building a critical foundation for the next generation of intelligent machines. We are excited to support their mission and see broad potential for their technology in industrial automation, robotics, and beyond.'
Dr Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive, said that the investments from ITHCA Group and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund reinforce the transformational potential of their programmable optical semiconductor platform.
'As global industries embrace software-defined automation, Lumotive is uniquely positioned to deliver the intelligent sensing solutions needed for the future of robotics, logistics, and manufacturing. This funding fuels our mission to scale rapidly and lead this new wave of innovation,' he added.
The investments by Amazon and ITHCA Group, together with financing by Stifel Bank, expand Lumotive's Series B-related funding and add to previous investments from EDOM, East Bridge, Gates Frontier, Grazia, HiMax, Hokuyo, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, Swisscom Ventures, and TSVC. As adoption of its optical semiconductor platform accelerates, Lumotive is positioned to power the next generation of applications across automation, mobility, smart infrastructure, and beyond.
