Enlightra, a deeptech company building chip-scale multiwavelength laser technology for high-performance data transmission, has raised $15 million in fresh funding to accelerate development of next-generation optical connectivity for AI infrastructure.
The round attracted backing from Y Combinator, Runa Capital, Pegasus Tech Ventures, Protocol Labs, Halo Labs, Asymmetry Ventures, TRAC VC, and additional investors.
The Bottleneck Inside AI Infrastructure
As AI models grow larger, training and inference increasingly depend on ultra-fast communication between GPUs. Many data centres still rely on copper interconnects, which struggle to scale due to bandwidth limits, rising energy consumption, and physical constraints.
With AI clusters expanding rapidly, these limitations are becoming a critical challenge for operators seeking higher performance without disproportionate increases in power and cooling costs.
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Multiwavelength Lasers As A Scalable Alternative
Enlightra is addressing this challenge with multiwavelength laser technology that combines multiple discrete lasers into a single integrated source. Each wavelength acts as an independent data channel, enabling multiple high-bandwidth optical links from one compact device.
This approach reduces power usage, system complexity, and physical footprint, while supporting the shift from copper wiring to optical interconnects designed for dense, high-performance environments.
According to the company, this technology allows AI systems to increase communication capacity without linear growth in energy demand or cost.
Built For Silicon Photonics And Mass Manufacturing
Enlightra’s lasers are produced using industry-standard silicon photonics fabrication processes, making them compatible with large-scale manufacturing and global deployment across data centres.
The company has already developed 8-channel and 16-channel laser configurations tailored for AI chip interconnects, achieving error-free data transmission at targeted speeds and power levels. Pilot production is planned for 2027.
Beyond AI Clusters
While initial use cases focus on AI data centres, Enlightra’s comb-laser platform is designed to scale across broader applications. Potential future deployments include optical links spanning entire data centres, subsea cable systems, and chip-to-memory interconnects.
The underlying technology could also support emerging fields such as quantum communications and space-based data transmission.
Scaling The Next Generation Of Optical Connectivity
The new funding will be used to further improve data transfer speeds and energy efficiency, strengthening Enlightra’s position as data centres transition toward optical-first architectures to meet AI-driven demand.
About Enlightra
Founded in 2022, Enlightra develops extreme-bandwidth data transmission technologies based on multiwavelength laser systems. Its solutions are designed to deliver faster, more energy-efficient optical connectivity for AI infrastructure, large-scale data centres, and future applications in quantum and space communications.
