Akhetonics raises €6 million for all-optical processor
The company says its technology offers unprecedented processing speed and reduced energy consumption compared with traditional processors, and that its fully European supply chain gives it a strategic advantage
Akhetonics, a company focused on developing the world's first true all-optical digital processor, has raised €6 million in a funding round led by Matterwave Ventures, with participation from 468 Capital, Bayern Kapital, and existing investors Runa Capital, Rheingau Founders, and more. The company says this investment will enable it to deliver its first-generation hardware to pilot customers as the demand for higher performance and energy-efficient computing intensifies.
According to Akhetonics, the technology marks a paradigm shift in computing. By processing and storing information purely with photons instead of electrons, it aims to offer unprecedented processing speed and significantly reduced energy consumption compared to traditional electronic processors. Additionally, the low latency, deterministic execution, and immunity to electromagnetic interference are critical features for customers in sectors such as aviation, defence, and networking, the company says.
Akhetonics has a fully European supply chain, from fabrication to packaging, which it describes as a key advantage of its strategy, reducing dependency on advanced chip fabrication in Asia by manufacturing devices on mature nodes widely available in Europe. The company says this strategic advantage positions it as a crucial player in strengthening European technological sovereignty.
Currently based in Berlin and Munich, Akhetonics is developing a full-stack product that goes beyond the traditional von Neumann architecture that has dominated chip design for over 50 years. The company’s solution brings together photonic hardware components, software tools, and an in-house design automation tool. After demonstrating the viability of the technology, Akhetonics aims to deliver the first full-scale optical processor to early customers in the coming years.
“Many companies that claim to use 'optical computing' actually take a hybrid approach, incorporating electronics in their processing,” said Michael Kissner, CEO of Akhetonics. “In contrast, we are shipping a completely new, all-optical, general-purpose processor. This not only enables higher performance at lower power, but also offers real-time processing that is simply not possible with electronics or opto-electronic hybrids.”
Unlike some companies that use a combination of electronic digital processing and limited optical analogue circuits for mathematical operations, Akhetonics says it fully processes both digital and analogue signals using optical technology. This integrated approach seeks to allow users to leverage the all-optical processor for general-purpose control flow while also employing the optical analogue circuits as accelerators for specific tasks, such as AI applications.
“Our all-optical computing technology offers key advantages,” Kissner added. “It provides superior performance, and the ability to manufacture our processors in mature process nodes worldwide gives us a strategic advantage in the current political climate.”
Silviu Apostu, principal at Matterwave Ventures, noted: “Akhetonics' technology represents a fundamental shift in how we process information with photons, ushering in a new era in computing. Their all-optical processor promises to surpass the limitations of traditional electronic systems and increase Europe's competitiveness and sovereignty in AI and dual-use applications.”
