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Photon Bridge Lands €10M to Scale AI Data Center Lasers

Photon Bridge raised €10M to scale laser production for AI data centers and expand its team in Eindhoven.

By Raina Gimmel

Rui Santos, Co-founder of Photon Bridge

The big picture: Eindhoven-based Photon Bridge, a photonics startup, has secured €10 million in a funding round. The capital will support the development of laser sources critical for next-generation AI data centers.

Why it matters:

  • Optical Demand: The rapid expansion of AI computing systems is driving a surge in demand for optical networking infrastructure, with projections indicating a market reaching $154 billion by 2028.
  • Data Bottleneck: As AI clusters grow, optical connections are moving closer to processors to manage the increasing data traffic, necessitating high-speed, high-power laser sources.
  • Scalable Production: The shift towards co-packaged optics requires laser sources that can be manufactured at semiconductor scale, a challenge Photon Bridge aims to address with its multi-wavelength technology.

How it works:

  • Multi-Wavelength Lasers: Photon Bridge’s technology combines light from multiple lower-power semiconductor lasers to achieve the optical power required for advanced optical interconnects in AI infrastructure.
  • Improved Manufacturing: This approach is designed to enhance manufacturing yields and enable production across various indium phosphide (InP) foundries, improving supply chain resilience.
  • Product Roadmap: The fresh capital will fund further product development, customer qualification, and the delivery of initial samples in 2027, with volume manufacturing targeted for 2028.

The catch: While the demand for optical interconnects in AI is clear, Photon Bridge faces a long development and qualification cycle, with volume production not expected until 2028. The company will need to navigate a competitive landscape of established and emerging players in the photonics and optical networking sectors, all vying to meet the stringent performance and scalability requirements of hyperscale AI data centers.

Key Facts

  • Company: Photon Bridge
  • Amount: €10M
  • Investors: Amadeus APEX Technology Fund and 360 Capital (co-lead), Innovation Industries, Faber, Brabant Development Agency (BOM)
  • Founders: Rui Santos, Xaveer Leijtens
  • Sector: Photonics for AI Data Centers
  • Headquarters: Eindhoven, Netherlands

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