iPronics, a deep-tech startup specializing in software-defined photonic engines, has raised €20 million in Series A funding to advance its Optical Networking Engine (ONE) for next-generation AI data centers. The round was led by Triatomic Capital, with participation from Fine Structure Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Amadeus Capital Partners, and Criteria Venture Tech. The investment will drive the deployment of iPronics’ optical circuit switch technology, which enhances AI compute capacity by enabling faster, scalable, and energy-efficient communication between GPUs.
AI data centers currently rely on electronic switches, which create bandwidth bottlenecks and limit GPU utilization due to rigid infrastructure. iPronics’ optical networking technology provides an adaptive, software-defined fabric that allows on-the-fly topology changes, delivering 1000x faster reconfiguration, lossless operation, and lower cost-per-port than traditional optical approaches. The solid-state chip design increases reliability and efficiency, making it a key enabler of future AI clusters. The funding will accelerate the market deployment of Optical Circuit Switches (OCS), strengthening iPronics’ position in next-gen AI infrastructure.
iPronics’ technology centers on a waveguide mesh architecture composed of Programmable Unit Cells (PUCs), which route and process light signals. Each PUC is a two-input, two-output interferometric unit that can be finely tuned using phase actuators, allowing it to function as a tunable coupler, combiner, variable optical attenuator, waveguide, or phase shifter. This design enables the construction of complex optical circuits with high precision. The system includes features such as software calibration of tunable elements, fiber optic ports, cutting-edge tunable photonic components, on-chip monitoring photodetectors at each optical port, and a driving unit for precise control. Collectively, these elements facilitate rapid reconfiguration and adaptability in optical networking applications.
• iPronics raises €20 million in Series A to scale its Optical Networking Engine for AI data centers.
• Triatomic Capital leads the round, with backing from Fine Structure Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Amadeus Capital Partners, and Criteria Venture Tech.
• Optical networking eliminates bottlenecks in AI data centers by replacing electronic switches with adaptive, high-bandwidth interconnects.
• iPronics’ Optical Networking Engine (ONE) offers 1000x faster reconfiguration, lossless switching, and a cost-effective, solid-state chip design.
• Funding accelerates Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) adoption to optimize AI infrastructure performance.
“iPronics technology will enable larger GPU domains with fast optical interconnects, increasing training compute capacity and providing low-latency inference,” said Christian Dupont, CEO of iPronics. “This investment will accelerate our Optical Circuit Switch market deployment, allowing customers to build next-gen AI infrastructure.”
- iPronics, headquartered in Valencia, Spain, was founded in 2019 by Prof. José Capmany, Dr. Daniel Pérez, Dr. Ivana Mestre, Dr. Prometheus DasMahapatra, and tech entrepreneur Iñaki Berenguer. The company maintains a strong relationship with the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), where co-founders Prof. Capmany and Dr. Pérez have conducted pioneering research in programmable photonic circuits. This collaboration has been instrumental in developing iPronics’ core technology. In 2025, Christian Dupont was appointed as CEO, bringing extensive experience in photonics and data center technologies to lead the company’s growth in optical networking solutions for AI data centers.