Lightwave Logic Inc (LWLG)

[Slim_Jim]

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4547486-high-speed-interconnect-opportunity

" Lightwave Logic
At ECOC, I sat next to Michael Lebby, CEO of Lightwave Logic (NASDAQ:LWLG), at the IEEE/MSA presentation of the CW WDM MSA standard showcasing Ayar Labs. I met Michael over 20 years ago when he was the Co-founder/CEO of Ignis Optics, which was subsequently sold to Bookham Technologies at a fire-sale price of $15.5M in 2003 - Bookham subsequently merged with Avanex to from Oclaro in 2009, which was then acquired by Lumentum in 2018. He was quite positive on Lightwave Logic's polymer-based electro-optic technology. Polymers (i.e., plastics) were previously thought to be too slow and unstable to compete in the optical arena. At ECOC, Lightwave Logic announced that it partnered with photonic integrated circuit startup Polariton Technologies to create a 250GHz high bandwidth electro-optical-electrical link. The demonstration at ETH Zurich used Polariton's high-speed plasmonic modulators, Lightwave's proprietary perkinamine chromophores and ETH Zurich's high-speed graphene photodetectors.
While this news is encouraging, it's unclear what contributed to the super high-speed link. Was it the graphene material (which is many years away from industrial production), the Polariton circuit design, Lightwave Logic's chromophores or the combination of all three? At the Polariton booth, I asked about its future with Lightwave Logic. I got blank stares, and then they asked my opinion on the subject.
In any case, more testing and build-outs beyond current prototypes will determine if Lightwave's technology can scale to high-volume manufacturing. For this scaling to happen, very substantial investment is needed in Lightwave Logic by a large commercial partner to prove the technology - a large semiconductor foundry will not likely work with Lightwave Logic in its current state.
Lightwave Logic, which today comprises a small research team making minimal investments, has not generated any revenue since its inception in 2008. Realistically, Lightwave Logic must either raise >$100M to compete with the plethora of other high-speed interconnect startups (which would be highly unlikely, and very dilutive), or be acquired by a large industrial company (in my opinion, large players will not be content to merely license Lightwave Logic's technology).
The burning question: What is the strategic value of Lightwave Logic to a large player in the high-speed interconnect space? From my experience with private companies in Lightwave Logic's niche and at the same level of development of a key enabling technology, Lightwave Logic would not receive more than $100M, likely less. The rub is that Lightwave Logic is currently valued at $742M, despite the stock falling 56% this year."

quoting Edward Schneider