Pisa-based startup CamGraPhIC, which develops energy-efficient, high-bandwidth graphene-based optical transceivers for advanced photonic communications, has raised €25 million in a Series A funding round from the NATO Innovation Fund, CDP Venture Capital, and Sony Innovation Fund.
- Founded in 2018 by Andrea Ferrari and Marco Romagnoli, CamGraPhIC, a wholly owned subsidiary of 2D Photonics SpA, develops graphene-based optical transceivers.
- These transceivers deliver superior performance, offering higher bandwidth, lower latency, and 80% reduced energy consumption compared to traditional silicon photonics.
- CamGraPhIC integrates ultra-high-quality graphene into the photonic structure, simplifying the device architecture. This approach makes the transceivers more cost-effective to manufacture and allows for efficient operation across a wide temperature range, removing the need for complex cooling systems.
- The startup's advanced transceivers are specifically designed for high-performance computing and AI applications, enabling fast and energy-efficient data transfer between GPUs and high-bandwidth memory to support the next generation of connectivity.
Details of the deal
- The funding round was co-led by CDP Venture Capital, through its Large Ventures, Digital Transition and Toscana Next Funds, NATO Innovation Fund, Sony Innovation Fund, and Join Capital.
“We are very proud to bring back to Italy the excellence of 2D Photonics, a company with a revolutionary technology capable of enabling the next digital transition on the key infrastructures of the future. With this operation, the company will be able to accelerate the development and large-scale production of its transceiver devices,” explains Agostino Scornajenchi, CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital.
- The investment also saw support from Bosch Ventures, Frontier IP Group plc, and Indaco Venture Partners.
- CamGraPhIC will use the €25 million to expand its R&D in Pisa, establish a pilot manufacturing line in Milan, and scale up production for large-scale manufacturing. The funding will also support hiring senior talent and advancing graphene photonics technology for AI, high-performance computing, and other sectors.
“This investment underscores the confidence our investors have in our groundbreaking graphene-based optical transceiver technology and its potential to redefine the energy efficiency and performance of data transfer in artificial intelligence and other data systems," claims Ben Jensen, CEO at 2D Photonics.
