Ephos raises funds for glass-based photonic chips

Ephos, a startup building glass-based photonic chips, has raised $8.5 million in a seed funding round and is opening a research and manufacturing plant in Italy. The company plans to use the proceeds of the funding round to scale up operations at its headquarters in Milan, Italy, and its US base in San Francisco.

Andrea Rocchetto, CEO and co-founder at Ephos, said the fundraising was a “crucial step” for the company. “Our glass-based photonic chips are set to transform not just quantum computing and AI, but the broader computational infrastructure of the future. By addressing energy inefficiencies and enhancing performance across industries, from data centers to secure communications, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of computing technology."

“We see tremendous potential in Ephos’s glass-based photonic chips to revolutionize the future of computing," said Kike Miralles, principal at Starlight Ventures. "As AI and quantum advancements challenge the limits of our current infrastructure, Ephos stands out with its ability to significantly reduce signal loss and improve energy efficiency. This innovation not only meets the growing demands for faster, more efficient platforms but also opens the door to new possibilities in quantum computing and communication technologies across multiple industries.”