Company opens fiber-optics factory in Aurora

Capitalizing on growth in 5G technology and with support from state and local officials, a startup company called viaPhoton has opened a fiber-optics factory in Aurora, where it is hiring 30 people and hopes to add another 200 employees in three to five years.

CEO Baber Abbas said the company will supply data centers and mobile communications companies throughout the Midwest. Its presence here will help Illinois expand access to 5G services statewide, he said.

State officials and the company announced its launch Monday. Backed by $5 million in seed money, viaPhoton operates from a 25,000-square-foot building at 2640 White Oak Circle.

“We are a startup company, but all members of the executive team have more than 20 years’ experience in the industry,” Abbas said.

In a prepared statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker praised viaPhoton for “building on the state’s strong legacy of utilizing technology to expand access to needed services while prioritizing community investment and job creation.”