Meet the Team

Dr Stephen Kitson is Chair of the Board at Light Trace Photonics, bringing extensive experience in technology leadership, commercial strategy, and scaling deep‑tech ventures.

With a background in physics and corporate R&D, he has co‑founded and led tech companies to successful exits and now advises and chairs multiple technology businesses. At Light Trace, Steve provides strategic guidance and mentorship, supporting the commercialisation of cutting‑edge photonics innovations.

Dr. Anthony Yu is a semiconductor industry executive and board advisor with decades of leadership experience in advanced computing and photonics. He previously served as Vice President of Silicon Photonics Product Management at GlobalFoundries, where he led the development of silicon photonics manufacturing platforms supporting applications including AI/ML infrastructure, optical interconnects, and quantum computing. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles at IBM across microelectronics, engineering services, and business consulting.

Dr Jake Biele is Co-Founder and CEO of Light Trace Photonics, where he leads the company’s strategy, partnerships, and commercial development. He specialises in translating cutting-edge photonics research into practical, scalable products, with a focus on accelerating the adoption of integrated photonics technologies.

Jake holds a PhD in integrated quantum photonics from the University of Bristol, where his research focused on chip-scale quantum sensing. Prior to founding Light Trace, he worked in photonics startups and data science, gaining experience bringing deep-tech innovations from research to market. As an Innovate UK Young Innovator, he is passionate about building tools and platforms that make photonic engineering faster, more accessible, and commercially viable.

Dr. Dominic Sulway is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Light Trace Photonics, where he oversees technology strategy and product innovation. With deep expertise in integrated photonics—ranging from design and fabrication to advanced packaging—Dominic focuses on developing the hardware architectures required for scalable photonic systems.

Dominic earned his PhD in Quantum Engineering from the University of Bristol, where he pioneered ultra-low-loss fibre-to-chip coupling solutions. An award-winning innovator and published scientist, he bridges the gap between fundamental research and practical engineering to drive the commercial deployment of high-performance integrated photonics.

Dr Quinn Palmer is a Senior Integrated Photonics Engineer at Light Trace Photonics, specialising in the design and characterisation of photonic integrated circuits for quantum and advanced optical systems. He helps develop scalable components and tools that accelerate prototyping and commercialisation.

Quinn earned his PhD in Integrated Photonics from the University of Bristol, focusing on ultra‑high integrated pump‑suppression filters. He applies this expertise to advance Light Trace’s component library and next-generation photonic solutions.

Dr. James Blatcher is an Integrated Photonics Engineer at Light Trace Photonics, specialising in the design, simulation, and characterisation of photonic integrated devices. He helps develop scalable, high-performance components and tools that accelerate prototyping and commercialisation of photonic systems.

James has a PhD in Integrated Photonics from the University of Bristol, where his research focused on engineering periodic structures in dielectric waveguides for quantum applications. He brings expertise in device optimisation and on-chip photonic systems to bridge advanced research and practical engineering.

Samuel Gears is an Integrated Photonics Engineer at Light Trace Photonics, specialising in the design, simulation, and experimental development of integrated photonic systems. He helps build scalable components that accelerate prototyping and commercialisation.

Sam is completing a PhD in Quantum Photonics at the University of Bristol, where his research focused on optical cryogenic packaging, nonlinear material characterisation, quantum entanglement experiments, all-optical frequency conversion, and ultrafast quantum optics simulations.

Hannah brings expertise in business and financial administration, implementing new systems, streamlining procedures, and creating comprehensive guides to improve workflow efficiency.

With a background in writing and journalism, she also applies her editorial skills to proofread and refine company content, ensuring clarity, consistency, and professionalism across all communications.