# Tim Jenks

> Tim Jenks is the Interim CEO of PowerLight Technologies, a Kent, Washington-based company pioneering laser-based wireless power beaming for drones, defense systems, and space infrastructure. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate with a nuclear engineering master's from MIT and an MBA from Stanford, Jenks spent over two decades building NeoPhotonics from a venture-backed startup into a NYSE-listed company before selling it to Lumentum Holdings for approximately $918 million in 2022. Now he's steering PowerLight through a pivotal moment: in April 2026, the company achieved the world's first wireless power beaming to a fielded military drone in flight, delivering kilowatt-class laser energy to a Kraus Hamdani Aerospace K1000ULE at 5,000 feet altitude - a breakthrough that could redefine how unmanned aircraft operate in contested environments.

- **Role:** Interim Chief Executive Officer at PowerLight Technologies
- **Organizations:** PowerLight Technologies, NeoPhotonics Corporation, Raychem Corporation, U.S. Navy
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Marine Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy, M.S. in Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Led NeoPhotonics for 20+ years from venture-funded startup to NYSE-listed public company, Sold NeoPhotonics to Lumentum Holdings for approximately $918 million in 2022, Successfully achieved NeoPhotonics IPO in 2011 (NYSE: NPTN)

## Career timeline

- **1980s-1990s** — Served as nuclear-power trained naval officer on multiple nuclear surface ships in the U.S. Navy
- **1990s** — Held positions of increasing responsibility at Raychem Corporation, a materials engineering company; Raychem was later acquired by Tyco International (now TE Connectivity) in 1998
- **~2000** — Joined NeoPhotonics Corporation as CEO, leading the venture-backed startup focused on optoelectronic products for optical communications
- **2011** — Led NeoPhotonics to a successful IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: NPTN)
- **2021** — Signed definitive agreement to sell NeoPhotonics to Lumentum Holdings for approximately $918 million ($16/share)
- **2022** — Completed sale of NeoPhotonics to Lumentum Holdings; concluded 20+ year tenure as Chairman and CEO
- **2023-07** — Named to PowerLight Technologies' Board of Advisors
- **2024-2025** — Became Interim Chief Executive Officer of PowerLight Technologies
- **2026-04** — PowerLight Technologies under Jenks's leadership achieved world's first wireless power beaming to a fielded military UAS in flight at Poinsett Electronic Combat Range, Shaw AFB

## Achievements

- Led NeoPhotonics for 20+ years from venture-funded startup to NYSE-listed public company
- Sold NeoPhotonics to Lumentum Holdings for approximately $918 million in 2022
- Successfully achieved NeoPhotonics IPO in 2011 (NYSE: NPTN)
- As Interim CEO of PowerLight Technologies, oversaw the first-ever wireless power beaming to a fielded military drone in flight (April 2026)
- Delivered kilowatt-class laser power to a Kraus Hamdani K1000ULE fixed-wing UAS at altitudes up to 5,000 feet
- Secured CENTCOM and DOD Operational Energy funding for the PTROL-UAS (Power Transmitted Over Laser to UAS) program
- Triple-credentialed: Naval Academy, MIT Nuclear Engineering, Stanford MBA
- Former nuclear-power trained naval officer with service on multiple nuclear surface ships

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — PowerLight Technologies achieved the world's first wireless power beaming to a fielded military UAS in flight at Poinsett Electronic Combat Range, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
- **2026-04** — Demonstrated kilowatt-class power delivery to Kraus Hamdani Aerospace K1000ULE at altitudes up to 5,000 feet across nearly one mile range
- **2026-01** — PowerLight unveiled its laser power beaming system to enable 'infinite flight' for DOD unmanned aerial systems
- **2024-08** — PowerLight Technologies raised latest funding round (venture, $5.25M) bringing total funding to approximately $9.6M

## Links

- Website: https://powerlighttech.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-jenks-7287b66

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/tim-jenks
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-13