iPronics raises $125m for AI optical networking
Author: Joe Peck
iPronics, a developer of silicon photonics-based optical circuit switching, has raised $125 million (£92.6 million) in Series B funding to scale its programmable optical networking technology for AI data centres.
The round was co-led by Maverick Silicon and Light Street Capital, with NVIDIA and other new and existing investors also participating. The funding brings iPronics’s total investment to $177 million (£131 million).
The company develops silicon photonics-based optical circuit switching (OCS) technology for AI infrastructure. It says the growth of AI clusters is increasing demand for optical connectivity as networks move beyond the limitations of copper in high-performance environments.
Funding supports commercial deployment
iPronics says the funding will be used to expand operations, accelerate commercial deployments, and meet demand for its Optical Networking Engine, a rack-mounted optical switch designed for AI applications.
Christian Dupont, CEO of iPronics, comments, “With this investment, we can significantly accelerate our commercialisation, delivering the scale our customers need to drive broad adoption and ensuring data centres can fully utilise their GPUs without compromising performance.”
The company notes that it has also opened an office in Santa Clara, California, as it expands its US presence and works to increase customer deployments and AI infrastructure partnerships.
