Eindhoven-based Photon Bridge raises €10 million to build optical engines for AI and telecom

Eindhoven-based startup Photon Bridge has secured €10 million in funding to develop optical engines for the artificial intelligence and telecommunications sectors. The new round of investment was led by Amadeus APEX Technology Fund and 360 Capital, with participation from existing backers Innovation Industries, Faber, and Brabant Development Agency (BOM).

Photon Bridge was founded in 2020 by Rui Santos and Xaveer Leijtens, aiming to revolutionize the production of high-performance photonic systems at scale. The company focuses on building laser sources capable of meeting the increasing demand for millions of units as optical connections become closer to AI chips.

As AI clusters expand, data transfer between processors is becoming a performance constraint, making optical connections a more efficient alternative. Photon Bridge's technology combines and multiplexes light from multiple lower-power semiconductor lasers, reducing power densities and improving production yield. This approach allows their architecture to scale efficiently as volumes increase, moving the manufacturing challenge from individual lasers to the laser architecture itself.

The capital raised will be used for accelerating product development, customer qualification, delivering first samples in 2027, and preparing for volume manufacturing from 2028. The company plans to expand its Eindhoven team to support its commercialization efforts.