Lancaster University has created a new spinout company, Photarix, to pioneer secure communications in the quantum era.
Current encryption methods for banking, messaging and data storage are vulnerable to quantum computing. One promising solution is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), a super-secure way to encrypt data that makes eavesdropping impossible.
However, for QKD to work effectively, it needs to be a reliable source of single photons, the fundamental particle of light. Photarix is developing Quantum Ring Single-Photon Light-Emitting Diodes (QR SPLEDs), a new type of light source that overcomes one of the biggest challenges in making QKD practical.
The company grew out of Physics research by PhD student Gizem Acar Tekin who is now CEO alongside Professor Manus Hayne as Chief Scientific Officer, Jeremy Gidlow as Executive Chair and Dr Sam Jones as Chief Technical Officer.
What makes QR SPLEDs special is their ability to emit single photonsat the specific wavelengths used in fibre-optic networks. Unlike other systems that are bulky, expensive or need to be kept extremely cold, Photarix QR SPLEDs will be compact, produced at a low cost and work efficiently at, or close to, room temperature.
Gizem's original project received support through the European Commission's Horizon 2020 research programme via the pan-European doctoral training network 'Quantimony', while her journey as an entrepreneur started with participation in Innovate UK's Future Telecoms ICURe programme. This was followed by NW CyberCom, a £1.2M Research England-funded initiative led by Lancaster University which aims to unlock the North West's cybersecurity potential by accelerating research into commercially viable products and services. Photarix is the first Lancaster University spin-out company to be launched through CyberCom.
Following this, Gizem and the team successfully entered CyberASAP, an Innovate UK-funded initiative designed to help academic researchers transform their cybersecurity research into commercially viable businesses. The programme provides training, mentorship, and industry engagement opportunities to develop solutions that address critical cybersecurity challenges.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) recently invited Gizem to host a Photarix stand at the International Cyber Expo | 29 - 30 Sept 2026 in London, where she also gave a talk.
She said: "DSIT selected Photarix for the Pavilion and invited me to speak which is an unusual opportunity for a current-year CyberASAP project. That chance matters because it tells partners and investors that we're a credible, supported UK spinout with real momentum.
"The conversations at the Pavilion made one thing obvious: there's demand for simple, deployable quantum-safe solutions, and we're ready to build with partners. I shared how Photarix will keep data safe with a device that sends keys in a sequence of single photons, making any interference detectable, and that it works with standard optical fibres. There were great conversations about the new quantum era and what it means for cybersecurity."
Head of Research Commercialisation at Lancaster University Jess Wenmouth said: "Photarix is our latest spin out and a fantastic example of the strength of Lancaster University's research ecosystem, as well as the growing momentum across the North West Cyber Corridor. It's been a privilege to support the journey, from Professor Manus Hayne's early research to Gizem Acar Tekin's PhD in quantum photonics, which now underpins a company tackling one of today's most pressing cybersecurity challenges. Programmes like NW CyberCom and the newly launched Cyber Focus are helping build a strong pipeline of commercial opportunities, positioning the North West as a national leader in cybersecurity innovation."
