On Wednesday, Aeluma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALMU) saw a robust surge, with its stock closing at $17.04 after rising 21.80%. As part of the 2025 Russell index reconstruction process, the news of Aeluma’s participation in the Russell 3000 Index, which will take effect after the U.S. market opens on June 30, was followed by the steep surge.
Growth Milestone Marked by Inclusion in the Major Index
The inclusion of Aeluma in the Russell 3000 Index is a significant accomplishment for the business. The 4,000 biggest U.S. equities are ranked by total market capitalization as of April 30 in the yearly reconstitution of the Russell U.S. indexes.
As a result, Aeluma will be included in a number of related growth and value indexes as well as the Russell 1000 or Russell 2000 Index. The FTSE Russell determines these inclusions by looking at objective market capitalization and style traits.
This acknowledgement highlights the increasing investor confidence and momentum behind Aeluma’s cutting-edge photonic technology and comes soon after the company’s successful equity raising and NASDAQ listing. Institutions are starting to take notice of the company’s innovative technologies and strategic focus on commercialization.
New Defense Contract Enhances Photodetector Development
In parallel with its market milestone, Aeluma also disclosed a new contract with the U.S. Navy to support the development of next-generation high-speed photodetectors. Valued at up to $1.3 million, the contract includes collaboration with a major global interconnect manufacturer and backing from a prominent government prime contractor.
Aeluma’s proprietary platform has already demonstrated high-performance photodetectors essential for applications in government, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-performance computing (HPC). The company’s large-diameter wafer platform supports CMOS-compatible wafer-scale integration, aligning with the packaging standards increasingly adopted by leading firms in data centers, computing, and optical networking.
Positioned to Lead in Emerging Tech Markets
This dual momentum—from index inclusion and federal support—reinforces Aeluma’s trajectory toward leading roles in defense and commercial sectors. The company’s competitive edge in sensing and optical communication technologies will be further cemented with the new capital, which will allow it to grow its products while satisfying strict performance and reliability criteria.
