TAU secures $20m to start Space Radiation testing with world first commercial laser-plasma accelerator

Funding to expedite building commercial laser-plasma accelerator facility: TAU Labs Research programmes with DARPA & NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory underway

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, April 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TAU Systems, the company pioneering next-generation ultra-fast compact laser-plasma accelerators, today announces raising $20 million in extended seed funding, bringing its total to $35M. The round was led by Quantonation, with participation from original seed investor, Team Global. Other participating parties include Alumni Ventures, Impact Ventures, UT Seed Fund and a group of private investors.

This new funding round enables TAU Systems to open the doors of the first privately owned and operated laser-particle accelerator in Carlsbad, California, and to begin work with its first customer – a major satellite manufacturing company. The new TAU Labs center will be available for commercial customers as well as public institutions, with first applications focusing on radiation testing for space electronics and other environments, as well as other applications using ultrahigh power laser, electron, or x-ray beams.

TAU’s groundbreaking technology promises to unlock unprecedented access to ultrafast, high-energy particle beams in a compact form, offering transformative potential for applications across advanced imaging, materials science, and high-energy physics.

“This investment is a major step forward for TAU and for advancing the future of radiation testing for space applications,” said Bjorn Manuel Hegelich, CEO and Founder of TAU Systems. “With the launch of TAU Labs in Carlsbad, CA, our first private laser accelerator center, we can now offer Beamtime-as-a-Service specifically tailored for space radiation testing, as well as x-ray imaging, metrology, and medical research. Our laser-driven accelerator technology enables precise, repeatable, and customizable radiation environments that help aerospace companies, satellite developers, and defense agencies and space centres, such as DARPA and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to validate and harden their systems. We’re excited to provide the space industry with faster, more flexible access to the radiation testing capabilities they need, without the wait times of traditional facilities.”

“TAU is a fantastic example of what we look for in physics tech. The team has deep scientific know-how that builds for customers today in space radiation, and can grow to solve civilization level challenges in next generation semiconductor manufacturing,” said William Zeng, Partner at Quantonation. “We’re thrilled to partner with Manuel and the TAU team as they launch their first commercial facility.”

"Laser Plasma Accelerators, a cutting-edge frontier technology, holds vast potential to spark new industries and advance human scientific discovery," added Team Global’s Lukasz Gadowski.

TAU Systems' technology builds on decades of research in laser-plasma physics and leverages recent breakthroughs in ultrafast lasers and AI-based control systems. Its goal is to create a commercially viable, compact, and cost-effective accelerator capable of delivering beams that previously required massive, billion-dollar infrastructure.

The new funding will also support the company’s upcoming trailblazing research programs with academic and industry partners including DARPA and NASA’s JPL, laying the groundwork for real-world use cases in radiation-testing-as-a-service, semiconductor metrology, biomedical imaging, and materials testing.

ENDS


About TAU Systems
TAU Systems is an Austin, Texas-based deep-tech company commercializing the first compact particle accelerators and specialized X-ray free-electron lasers that combine the capabilities of large accelerators with a small footprint to provide easy and affordable beam-time access for any company. Led by premier experts in laser-driven particle accelerators, TAU is democratizing access for the progress of semiconductors, batteries, medical imaging, nuclear energy, and more.

In 2023 TAU, together with the University of Texas reached a world record with the successful demonstration of an electron beam with an energy of 10 billion electron volts (10 GeV) generated in 10 centimeters.

Learn more at www.tausystems.com


About Quantonation
Quantonation is the first early-stage VC fund dedicated to deep physics and quantum technologies. Fields such as high-performance computation, secure communications, drug design, or ultra-precise sensing are now driven by innovation based on these disruptive technologies. Quantonation aims at supporting their transition into commercially available products. Quantonation is headquartered in Paris, France, and in Boston, USA, with investments in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. More on www.quantonation.com or LinkedIn (https://fr.linkedin.com/company/quantonation).

About Team Global
Team Global is a technology holding company dedicated to fostering a better world through strategic investments in innovative tech solutions. The company is founded and led by CEO Lukasz Gadowski, with offices in Berlin and Palo Alto. Team Global invests in frontier technology companies in the sectors of mobility, aerospace, energy and robotics across Asia, Europe and the USA. Notable portfolio companies include Archer Aviation, AutoFlight, Volocopter, Enpal and MILES mobility.

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Influence emobility
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TAU Systems: Delivering next-generation ultra-fast compact laser-plasma accelerators