Iris Light was selected for the Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) program at Argonne National Laboratory, a highly competitive hardware entrepreneurship program designed to accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough technologies. Through CRI, Iris Light received a $220,000 grant and a two-year full-time salary to conduct applied R&D incubated within Argonne National Lab. This formed the initial technical foundation of the company’s photonic chip component portfolio.
CRI is a two-year program that embeds early-stage hardware startups directly within Argonne National Laboratory, enabling close collaboration with national-lab scientists while providing business development support through the University of Chicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship. Participating teams receive salary and research funding to advance prototypes and develop commercialization strategies alongside Argonne researchers.
Selection into CRI is highly selective. In 2018, 83 innovators from 26 states applied for just six available spots, with final selection determined through a rigorous, multi-stage pitch process and review by panels of industry experts, investors, scientists, and engineers. Participation in CRI marks a critical early milestone for Iris Light, supporting the transition from materials research to scalable photonic device development.
To learn more about the CRI project that supported Iris Light, visit their website.
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