GigOptix was formed in March 2008 in order to facilitate a combination between GigOptix LLC and Lumera. Before the combination, GigOptix was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lumera, and was formed to complete the merger. Prior to the merger, GigOptix had no operations or material assets. GigOptix LLC, an operating company, was formed in June 2007 and acquired the assets of iTerra Communications LLC in July 2007 and Helix Semiconductors AG in January 2008. As a result of the transaction set forth in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 27, 2008, among Lumera, GigOptix LLC, Galileo Merger Sub G, LLC and Galileo Merger Sub L, Inc., on December 9, 2008, the merger was completed and Lumera and GigOptix LLC became wholly owned subsidiaries of GigOptix, and GigOptix became the successor public registrant to Lumera. At the time of the merger, Lumera was a developer of high performance proprietary electro-optic polymer materials and products based on these materials for various electro-optic applications. Lumera's main products in development were 10Gbps to 100Gbps modulators for use in high bandwidth, low power consumption optical networks. Lumera used polymer materials to improve the design, performance and functionality of products for use in optical communications devices and systems.

At the time of the merger, GigOptix LLC was a fabless semiconductor company specializing in the specification, design, development and sale of integrated circuits and electronic multi-chip module solutions. GigOptix LLC's primary products consisted of drivers and receivers which are capable of performing in various applications demanding a wide range of data processing speeds, from consumer electronics and computing systems which perform at data processing speeds of 3Gbps to 10Gbps, to sophisticated ultra-long haul trans-oceanic ("submarine") telecommunications systems which require performance at data processing speeds of 10Gbs to 100Gbps. In January 2008, GigOptix LLC acquired Helix Semiconductors, a company based in Switzerland, which enabled GigOptix LLC to expand its product offering into short reach devices and systems. On November 9, 2009, GigOptix acquired ChipX, a leading independent fabless supplier specializing in analog and mixed signal custom ASICs. GigOptix's last acquisition was of Endwave Corporate, which was finalized on June 17, 2011.