Mr Stock asked, Can we SQUEEZE Yes! 16_MILLION_SHORTS!!! Yes we can!! The "smart" Shorts have exited and that caused the PPS to rise some lately, but the 16 MILLION "dumb" Shorts are hanging around for a good ole fashion azz whooping when Yves drops 2-4 Tier 1 Stage 3 deals before end of 2025
Based on statements by LWLG CEO Yves LeMaitre and the company's public communications, moving from Stage 2 to a Stage 3 deal involves a critical progression of accomplishments. Stage 2 is the technical evaluation and validation phase, while Stage 3 is the beginning of a significant commercial relationship.
Here's what companies will have accomplished in Stage 2 to be ready for a Stage 3 deal:
Demonstrating High-Performance Integration
In-Device Performance: Partners must successfully integrate LWLG's polymers into their own silicon photonics chips and demonstrate that they perform as promised. This means proving the technology provides the expected low voltage, low power consumption, and high bandwidth (e.g., 200 Gb/s and 400 Gb/s per lane) in a working device. The collaboration with companies like Polariton Technologies, where they have jointly demonstrated packaged modulators at industry conferences, is a public example of this.
Manufacturing Feasibility: A key part of this is proving that the integration process is compatible with existing semiconductor foundry processes. The partnership with Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF) is specifically aimed at this goal, ensuring that the polymer deposition process can be scaled to a 200mm wafer platform.
Validation of Design and Manufacturing Processes
Process Design Kit (PDK) Adoption: For a foundry partner, Stage 2 involves the creation of a Process Design Kit (PDK) that includes LWLG's polymers. This means the customer's engineers can use standard design tools to create chips that incorporate LWLG's technology. The existence and successful use of this PDK are essential for moving to volume production.
Testing and Characterization: The companies will have completed extensive testing and characterization of the polymer-enhanced chips, confirming performance, yield, and manufacturability. This builds the necessary trust and confidence in the technology's readiness for commercial deployment.
What is a "Stage 3" Deal?
Moving to Stage 3 signifies a formal commercial agreement, often involving one or more of the following:
Licensing Agreement: A deal to license LWLG's intellectual property (IP), allowing the partner to use the polymer technology in their own products.
Commercial Material Supply Agreement: A contract to purchase LWLG's polymer materials in commercial quantities for manufacturing.
Joint Development Agreement (JDA): A more formal, often multi-year, collaboration to co-develop products for specific customer applications.
In essence, Stage 2 is the scientific and technical "proving ground." Once a partner's engineers have thoroughly validated the polymers' performance, reliability, and manufacturability in their own labs and on their own silicon, the company has the confidence to transition to a formal, revenue-generating commercial relationship—the "Stage 3" deal.
Bullish