Image: Ephos
Starlight Ventures led a multimillion-dollar funding round for Italian start-up Ephos, saying it could ‘revolutionise the future of computing’.
Milan-based start-up Ephos has raised $8.5m to create glass-based photonic chips at scale.
The seed round was led by US venture capital firm Starlight Ventures, with participation from Collaborative Fund, Exor Ventures, 2100 Ventures and Unruly Capital, among others.
The funding will be used to open a state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facility in Italy. The site will be dedicated to producing glass-based quantum photonic circuits.
Unlike traditional chip manufacturers, which use silicon-based technologies, Ephos’s chips are built on glass substrates. As glass is a better electrical insulator compared to silicon, it can minimise electrical interference, support higher frequencies and reduce signal loss (interference between signals in nearby circuits).
Additionally, photonic technologies, which involve the generation, control and detection of light, already have a wide range of applications, including in data centres where photonic chips are being used to reduce soaring energy footprints.
As well as the seed round, Ephos has also received funding from the European Innovation Council and NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator. This will accelerate the launch of its new research and manufacturing facility located in the Milano Innovation District.
The new site will provide the Italian start-up with the space and resources necessary to scale its proprietary chip manufacturing technology.
Future of computing
Andrea Rocchetto, CEO and co-founder of Ephos, said securing the funding is a critical milestone 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,” he said.
“By addressing energy inefficiencies and enhancing performance across industries, from data centres to secure communications, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of computing technology.”
Kike Miralles, principal at Starlight Ventures, said Ephos’s chips have the potential to “revolutionise the future of computing”.
“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,” he said.
“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”.
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