Photon Bridge, a Netherlands-based photonics startup developing laser-source technology for AI data centres, raised €10 million in a funding round co-led by Amadeus APEX Technology Fund and 360 Capital.
Existing investors Innovation Industries, Faber and Brabant Development Agency (BOM) also increased their investments in the company.
Founded in 2020 in Eindhoven by Rui Santos and Xaveer Leijtens, Photon Bridge develops semiconductor photonics technology for high-speed optical communication systems. The company was previously known as Photon IP before rebranding as Photon Bridge in September 2025. Paul Marchal serves as CEO, while co-founder Rui Santos is CTO.
Photon Bridge is developing high-power, multi-wavelength laser sources designed to support optical interconnects in large AI computing clusters. These interconnects use light to transmit data between processors and other computing components, addressing increasing bandwidth requirements in AI infrastructure.
Its technology combines light from multiple lower-power semiconductor lasers rather than relying on a smaller number of high-power devices. The architecture is designed to improve manufacturing yields and support production across multiple indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor foundries.
According to the company, its platform is designed to provide up to 40 milliwatts of optical power per wavelength per fibre. The technology targets applications including co-packaged optics, where optical connectivity is integrated closer to computing and networking chips.
Photon Bridge plans to use the new funding to accelerate product development and customer qualification. The company aims to deliver its first samples in 2027 and prepare for volume manufacturing beginning in 2028. It also intends to expand its team in Eindhoven as it advances towards commercialisation.
The investment follows a €4.75 million seed round announced in January 2025, when the company operated as Photon IP. That financing was led by Innovation Industries, with participation from Faber and BOM and funding support from PhotonDelta.
