INLEAP Photonics is a Hannover-based deep-tech company founded in 2023 as a spin-off from Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH). The company develops ultra-fast, high-precision laser beam steering systems under its proprietary INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® platform, which eliminates mechanical moving mirrors and enables beam steering up to 2,500 times faster than conventional galvanometer or polygon scanners.

Its flagship defence product, INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD®, is an eye-safe, laser-based counter-drone system designed for use in urban environments and on military sites. The system targets identified vulnerable points on a drone with a highly precise, high-energy laser spot, neutralising aerial threats within fractions of a second, without posing risks to surrounding people or infrastructure. A second product, INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® HELD, deploys the same laser effector on unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for mobile C-UAS operations. The technology requires less than 10 kW of power, versus 50–100 kW for conventional laser weapons.

Customers and partners span European defence and critical infrastructure operators, including a joint testing programme with the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub ("Laserdome") and a strategic partnership with STARK for integration into unmanned surface vessel (USV) platforms. The company is targeting series production of 100 systems per year by 2027, scaling from approximately one system per month in 2026. INLEAP Photonics has won the Lower Saxony Innovation Award 2024 and was named Digital Startup of the Year 2025.