Diode vs Lightmatter
Diode vs Lightmatter, compared side by side on 16 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Diode is on 50/100 and Lightmatter on 63/100.
Where each one leads
Diode
Leads on none of the measures we hold for both companies.
Lightmatter
- our overall score: 63/100 against 50/100
- agent readiness: 45/100 against 34/100
- domain rating: 56/100 against 43/100
- headcount: 318 against 15
- funding raised: $400M against $11.4M
At a glance
| Measure | Diode | Lightmatter |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI-powered PCB design platform that cuts circuit board development from months to days. | Developing photonic computing and interconnect technology to accelerate AI infrastructure and improve energy efficiency. |
| Category | Hardware, AI, Electronics, Manufacturing | Hardware, Semiconductors, Photonics, AI Infrastructure |
| Sells toBusiness model | Not published | B2B |
| Offering | Not published | Hardware |
| Founded | 2024 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, United States | Mountain View, United States |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Diode | Lightmatter |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 15 | 318 |
| Total funding | $11.4M | $400M |
| Latest round | Series A | Series D |
| Valuation | Not published | $4.4B |
| LinkedIn followers | Not published | 63,729 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Diode | Lightmatter |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 50/100 | 63/100 |
| Traction | 47/100 | 60/100 |
| Team | Not published | 10/100 |
| Community | Not published | 8/100 |
| Search visibility | 14/100 | 39/100 |
| Quality | 68/100 | 78/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | F (34/100) | D (45/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 43/100 | 56/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Diode | Lightmatter |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vercel | Not detected |
| CDN | Vercel | Cloudflare |
| CMS | Not detected | WordPress |
| Frameworks | Next.js | Alpinejs, Tailwind CSS |
| Analytics | Not detected | Google Analytics 4 |
What users say
| Measure | Diode | Lightmatter |
|---|---|---|
| Reddit sentimentThreads we track | Not published | 1 positive, 0 negative across 5 threads |
“Lightmatter unveils Guide DR, the AI Industries first liquid-cooled laser NIC that quadruples rack density. This isn’t just a product update—it’s a fundamental rethink of how light powers the data center. The future of AI infrastructure is ”r/u/peterbordes
Diode vs Lightmatter: common questions
Which is better, Diode or Lightmatter?
On our 0-100 score Lightmatter rates higher (63/100 against 50/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 16 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Diode and Lightmatter compare on the numbers?
Lightmatter leads on our overall score (63/100 against 50/100), agent readiness (45/100 against 34/100), domain rating (56/100 against 43/100), headcount (318 against 15), funding raised ($400M against $11.4M).
What do real users say about Diode and Lightmatter?
Lightmatter: 1 positive and 0 negative mentions across 5 Reddit threads we track, mostly in r/u/peterbordes.
Read the full Diode review and pricing or the Lightmatter review and pricing. You can also browse other Diode alternatives we track.