Scintil Photonics, a supplier of advanced silicon photonic integrated circuits with monolithically integrated lasers and optical amplifiers, secured €13.5 million ($14.4 million) in second-round financing. Funds will enable the company to accelerate CMOS-based industrialization and the global commercialization of its III-V augmented silicon PICs for optical interconnects. The round brings the company’s total funding to €17.5 million ($18.8 million). MAINZ, Germany — SCHOTT plans to triple its vial production capacity at its site in Lebanon, Pa. The company said it will make a “double-digit million Euro investment” to increase production to meet growing demand. SCHOTT will increase its regional manufacturing footprint in Lebanon to accommodate the increase in production. SWINDON, England — The commercializing quantum technologies challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will issue £6 million ($7.3 million) in funding split between 16 U.K.-based projects. The projects will advance the commercialization of quantum technologies in the U.K. and address technical challenges such as connectivity; seeing the invisible; positioning, navigation, and timing; and computing. BEAVERTON, Ore. — Leading standards organizations and companies have formed the Metaverse Standards Forum for industry-wide cooperation on interoperability standards needed to build the open metaverse. The forum will explore where the lack of interoperability is holding back metaverse deployment, and how the work of standards-developing organizations defining and evolving needed standards may be coordinated and accelerated. The forum will support standardizations to spatial computing technologies, such as interactive 3D graphics, augmented and virtual reality, photorealistic content authoring, and geospatial systems. It will also aim to develop consistent terminology and deployment guidelines. GLEICHEN, Germany — Kappa optronics acquired IT company Schmid Engineering. The acquisition expands Kappa optronics’ technology portfolio. Schmid Engineering will be merged into the company as an innovation center. Financial terms of the transaction were not provided. Michael Schmid (left), as of now director innovations at Kappa, and Johannes Overhues, co-partner, and CEO Kappa optronics GmbH. Courtesy of Kappa optronics. FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Humanetics acquired its longtime partner mg-sensor, a developer and designer of high-quality sensors, data acquisition, and calibration services. The acquisition expands Humanetics’ range of products and strengthens its service and repair operations; mg-sensor will add capabilities to Humanetics’ sensor technologies portfolio, which includes specialty fiber optic sensors and precision optical fiber processing. Mg-sensor will continue to operate under the same branding. AUGSBURG, Germany — Additive manufacturing technology company Velo3D opened its European Technology Center in Augsburg, Germany. The center will be the company’s regional headquarters and host customers for trainings, among other functions. The company’s European customer service, sales, and support teams will be based at the technology center. The Velo3D European Technical Center in Augsburg, Germany, will act as the company’s regional headquarters with an operating sapphire printer, demo center, offices, and other facilities to host customers, partners, and prospects. Courtesy of Velo3D. HOPEWELL JUNCTION, N.Y. — eMagin Corp., a designer and developer of high-resolution OLED microdisplays, was awarded a $2.5 million contract from the U.S. Army for a high-brightness, full-color OLED microdisplay prototype project, including manufacturing process technologies. As part of this project, eMagin will deliver high-brightness color OLED microdisplay prototypes for testing and evaluation within 24 months. HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Meta Materials, a developer of high-performance materials and nanocomposites, will acquire substantially all assets and intellectual property of Optodot Corp. for an aggregate of 48.5 million CAD ($37.31 million). The sum is composed of cash and common stock. The acquisition is expected to close within the month. AMHERST, N.Y. — Allied Motion Technologies acquired Airex, a manufacturer and supplier of high-precision electromagnetic components. The acquisition expands Allied Motion’s offerings in defense, life sciences, semiconductor, and other industrial markets. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. TUCSON, Ariz. — Directed energy company Applied Energetics was been awarded a $172,000 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer contract with the U.S. Army for research and development of a directed-energy system capable of defeating threats specified by the U.S. Army. Under this contract, Applied Energetics will model novel approaches for the eye-safe delivery of ultrabroadband infrared laser pulses to electro-optic sensors. Applied Energetics was awarded a multiyear grant from the Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research earlier this month.