PhotonPath raises €5.1 million for optical networking and sensing
The Milan-based start-up is developing integrated photonics chipsets and plug-and-play modules, and plans to use the funding to scale production capacity, grow its commercial team, and accelerate its product roadmap
Integrated photonics start-up PhotonPath has announced it has closed a €5.1 million Series A funding round to accelerate the scale-up of manufacturing for its proprietary silicon photonics chipsets and plug-and-play modules. The company also plans to use the funding to support the expansion of its commercial team to deepen market penetration across Europe and key strategic international markets.
Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Politecnico di Milano, PhotonPath designs and manufactures proprietary integrated photonics chipsets and plug-and-play modules that aim to break through traditional electronics limitations. The company says its patented technology enables ultra-compact, energy-efficient solutions for real-time optical data acquisition, transmission, and sensing, tailored for high-demand environments such as hyperscale datacentres, telecom networks, aerospace systems and critical infrastructure monitoring.
PhotonPath says it is perfectly positioned to ride the wave of growth in the booming global markets for optical communications and sensing. The optical networking space alone is set to grow to over $26.5 billion in 2025, with steady momentum continuing beyond that. At the same time, the optical sensors market is expanding fast, expected to jump to nearly $24 billion in just one year. This surge is driven by the rapid expansion of datacentres, the unstoppable rise of AI, and an urgent need across industries for real-time, ultra-precise monitoring. PhotonPath says its technology sits right at the crossroads of these trends, unlocking new possibilities with greater speed, efficiency, and scalability.
“This funding milestone marks a strategic inflection point for PhotonPath,” said Douglas Aguiar, CEO and co-founder. “We now have the resources and partners to bring our high-performance photonic solutions to scale, grow internationally, and serve critical industries with the precision and flexibility they demand.”
According to PhotonPath, its nanoOCM is the world’s smallest high-resolution optical spectrum analyser. It leverages patented silicon photonics circuits and advanced control algorithms to provide FlexGrid support, ultra-fast scan times, and power consumption of less than 1 watt, making it ideal for next-generation optical modules and software-defined networks, the company says.
Meanwhile, PhotonPath’s Spectre platform is an integrated photonics-based fibre optic sensing system designed to offer precise temperature and strain monitoring in harsh conditions, from high-voltage substations to automotive safety applications. Its modular, plug-and-play design aims to enable rapid deployment across diverse industrial sectors such as energy, transportation, aerospace, and industrial automation.
This Series A round is led by Join Capital alongside Deep Ocean Capital, through its funds Deep Blue Ventures (DBV) and Deep Blue Ventures Space (DBVS), and Levante Capital who bring their extensive experience in Italian deep tech into the fold. The new investors join existing shareholders RoboIT, the Tech Transfer hub from the Tech Transfer fund from CDP Venture Capital who also participate in the round, 360 Capital and Brembo Ventures, reinforcing a well-balanced investor base combining financial, industrial, and strategic expertise.
“PhotonPath is tackling one of the most critical challenges in the digital age, breaking through the limits of traditional electronics to unlock faster, more energy-efficient data acquisition and sensing,” said Jan Borgstädt, partner at Join Capital. “Their mission to transform how optical communications and infrastructure monitoring are done addresses urgent market needs and has the potential to reshape multiple industries.”
Emilia Garito, chairman at Deep Ocean Capital, added: “At Deep Ocean Capital SGR SPA, we are proud to be part of this evolution and to support one of Italy’s most promising startups in the field of deep tech and integrated photonics through the investment of our first two funds, DBV and DBVS. PhotonPath is a tangible example of how research, industrial vision, and entrepreneurial skill can generate high-impact frontier technologies in Europe.”
