DiPOLE Systems raises £3.6M to commercialize high-energy lasers

DiPOLE Systems, a startup company formed out of developments at the UK’s Central Laser Facility, says it has raised an initial £3.6 million in seed funding that will help it start to commercialize cutting-edge laser systems.

The firm, which is based at the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Harwell Campus near Oxford, is looking to harness high-pulse-energy laser technology that now underpins systems deployed at the CLF’s Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC), as well as the HiLASE Centre in the Czech Republic and the European XFEL in Germany.

Co-led by UK-based Blackfinch Ventures and Empirical Ventures, the initial seed funding is part of a planned £6 million financing effort that it is hoped will ultimately result in DiPOLE’s systems being used “in the field”, potentially as drone countermeasures.

“The company will initially focus on applications where its technology can deliver near-term value, including countering drones, advanced and penetrative imaging for infrastructure and industrial inspection, while working closely with partners to explore future applications in areas such as security, fusion energy and semiconductor manufacturing,” announced the firm.

CLF expertise

Documents from the UK’s Companies House database indicate that DiPOLE Systems was founded in late 2024 by current CEO Tom Butcher, alongside equal shareholders John Collier, Paul Mason, and Stephen Blake - all bringing expertise from STFC.

“We have created DiPOLE Systems to harness exceptional UK science and engineering to deliver results in the real world. We have been developing this laser technology at the CLF for the past 15 years, now we want to take it out of the lab and into the field,” said Butcher, who previously headed up the CLF’s Centre for Advanced Laser Technology and Applications (CALTA)."

Citing potential applications in nuclear waste inspection, through-barrier surveillance of shipping crates, and non-destructive testing and inspection of aircraft engines, Butcher added: “We are focused on commercialising proven laser technology - being clear about what is possible today, what requires further testing, and how this capability can deliver real benefit to our customers, from advanced imaging to protecting critical infrastructure.”

DiPOLE’s technology is built on more than five decades of research at the CLF that has produced world-leading laser architectures that combine high pulse energy with high repetition rates, to deliver very high average power output for cutting-edge physics experiments and with potential for fusion energy.

“The technology has already been delivered to major international research facilities, demonstrating reliability, scalability and demand,” points out the startup.

Plans for the next 12 months include expanding the SiPOLE team, with a focus on commercial, operational and manufacturing capability.

Sovereign capability

Kimberley Hay from Blackfinch Ventures said: “We are always excited to back founders who are redefining what deep‑tech can achieve, and DiPOLE is exactly that. Their laser systems unlock capabilities that were previously out of reach, with applications ranging from industrial inspection to next‑generation security and energy technologies.

“What impressed us most is the team’s honesty about what is proven today and their disciplined roadmap for responsible, real‑world deployment. DiPOLE is building a sovereign, strategically important capability for the UK, and we are proud to support them at this stage of their journey​.”

Empirical Ventures general partner Johnathan Matlock added: “DiPOLE Systems stands out as a rare example of world-class UK science with clear commercial potential.

“The team has already demonstrated the reliability and scalability of the DiPOLE laser architecture, and we believe they are exceptionally well placed to bring this technology out of the lab and into high-growth sectors, from advanced imaging to the protection of critical infrastructure.

“We are excited to support a company that combines technical excellence, integrity and the ambition to become a globally significant photonics business headquartered here in the UK.”