#TOP5: HoLa - Ultrafast Pulsar Laser for the Semiconductor Industry

Ultrashort laser pulses are used in many fields from material processing to medical applications. With them, new possibilities are found everyday. The founders of HoLa have developed a laser that can also be used to machine the depth of a workpiece. With this innovation, they convinced the jury and earned first place at the WSC Demo Day in March 2023. We interviewed the international team of HoLa, including Dr. Célia Millon, Dr. Yicheng Wang, Dr. Denizhan Kesim und Marc Leineweber, and talked about the idea, the WSC Demo Day, and the next steps.

First of all, briefly describe your start-up idea:

We are developing lasers that emit in an unprecedented color or wavelength. This color is invisible to the human eye (0.4 µm - 0.8 µm) and corresponds to a value of 2.1 µm. The lasers we have developed are compact, stable and deliver remarkable performance. These features are demanded in scientific applications and are very promising for silicon processing or medical applications.

As the founding team, why don't you briefly introduce yourselves, what sets you apart?

We are a team of four, and I think what sets us apart is that we are an international team. Four members, four nationalities. You can travel from Europe to Asia when you go through the gate of the Orient.... And we bring together very different profiles. Marc Leineweber has 7 years of experience with his own start-up and has an education in business. Dr. Wang is an international scientific expert in 2 µm lasers. Dr. Kesim has a very engineering oriented profile. His knowledge spans electronics and materials processes. Dr. Millon has experience in the application of different types of lasers: non-destructive testing, additive manufacturing, plasma generation, etc. 

How did you come up with the idea to start up?

You could almost say the idea came to us. When we saw the enthusiasm of our employees, partners and suppliers after we published the properties of the laser in a scientific journal, we realized that the lasers we were developing could be of interest to industry. 
We see ourselves first and foremost as developers, and questions of application, use cases and the market play a subordinate role at first. But after a bit of research, as the potential of our lasers for many different industries became clearer to us, we also realized that the lasers needed their own company. When you think about how to open up opportunities for scientists and industrial companies with your findings, it's the natural way to go. That's why we are in the EXIST application process right now.

How did you like Demo Day and what has happened to you since then?

It was our very first startup event. Just crazy to win first place at that event! Really. It was very interesting to see the other startup ideas, philosophy and teams. You get a little insight into the very vibrant startup ecosystem at RUB. There is a lot going on in the Ruhr! 
We also got in touch with investors at this event, through their questions we became aware of any weak spots in our concept. At the same time, we were very pleased to experience their interest in our project. That makes us want to continue.

Why did you decide to start up in the Ruhr region? What advantages does the Ruhr region offer founders from your point of view and what are you still missing here?

Let's start with the RUB. At the RUB, you can find research groups that are internationally known for their findings and developments. These usually work very hard and receive funding to support - I would say - excellent science. These groups work not only in lasers and photonics, but also in materials processing or chemistry. It's all very diverse. So in that sense, the science brings us here. 
In addition, WORLDFACTORY and the RUB in general offer a lot of workshops and coaching to develop your entrepreneurial skills, which is very important. 
As for the Ruhr area, it seems to be very active in terms of entrepreneurial events (Demo Days, Ruhr Summit, Digital Days, etc.). There are also many co-working spaces, incubators. Anyway, the whole region is quite international because of its history. Coal brought the whole world here. The mix of cultures, the diversity, the cultural and industrial events make you want to start a business, right? 
If there's one thing that's missing, it's perhaps making the Ruhr's startup network more international. But we are here to promote this process 😉 .

Is there a favorite place for you to work in Bochum?

There are two places in particular: First, of course, the university, my office, and a lunch break in the Botanical Garden. The other is Herner Straße, where my favorite coffee place is located.

Founding in times of crisis: Are you feeling the effects of the crises in recent months? If so, how do you deal with them?

Sure, inflation and shortages of raw materials - it's all unpleasant. We deal with it by trying to be as independent as possible, or at least as local as possible. By independent, I mean that we try to build as much as possible ourselves and keep all the knowledge we need "within our own four walls." For us, that means building significant parts of a laser that we used to outsource ourselves.

According to the German Start-up Monitor, the number of start-ups is steadily increasing. A good quarter of all start-ups take place in the university environment. From your point of view, what are the advantages of founding a company during your studies?

Well, we're not students anymore...
Nevertheless, of course you can only develop such a high-quality product like a laser at a university. That's something you can't do in your garage with your own money. You need very expensive equipment, clean rooms and enough transversal knowledge around you to be able to innovate and be creative. In this environment, conferences and scientific networks are essential opportunities for professional exchange.

Your invention can be applied in various industries. Is there one industry in particular that you have targeted?

Yes, the semiconductor industry. Because our lasers emit in a color that can act on silicon in a very specific way: You can weld and machine inside silicon with it. Silicon is the basis for all semiconductors. That is scientifically very interesting. But the market associated with semiconductors is also huge.

How do you manufacture your laser? Will mass production take place at some point?

If we can convince the users of silicon processing, I hope mass production will happen. The idea that every company that uses semiconductors would want our lasers - that would be so cool!

Where are you currently and what are the next steps?

We are currently located in the ID building of the RUB at the Chair of Photonics and Ultrafast Laser Technology. Right now we are still in the process of setting up our start-up project. Our next step is a pitch in Berlin to hopefully get EXIST funding. Then we will build our prototype with our own money! And our start-up journey can begin.