Amsterdam’s Optics11 Raises €25M EIB Loan To Boost Europe’s Subsea And Energy Security

The Dutch company will use the funding to advance research and development for civilian and defence applications.

Optics11 aims to accelerate productisation and drive Europe-wide adoption of its monitoring technology to safeguard critical infrastructure, with a focus on underwater environments and high-voltage power grids.

“Disruptions to subsea infrastructure, maritime trade or failures in high-voltage grids have immediate and far-reaching consequences on our society. With this EIB financing, Optics11 accelerates the deployment of unique fibre-optic sensing technologies that protect the infrastructure so essential to Europe’s security and energy resilience,” said Optics11 CEO Paul Heiden.

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Founded in 2011 as a spin-off from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam by Professor Davide Iannuzzi and entrepreneur Hans Brouwer Optics11 develops advanced fibre-optic sensing systems for extreme environments. Its technology serves the energy and underwater security sectors, supporting missions such as submarine monitoring, border surveillance and structural health monitoring of naval assets and power infrastructure.

According to Optics11, its fibre-optic sensors overcome electromagnetic interference, providing reliable performance in harsh environments where traditional sensors often fail. Its software processes sensor data at “the speed of light,” quickly identifying potential threats to prevent costly disruptions.

By combining fibre-optic hardware with advanced threat-detection software Optics11 enables faster detection and localisation of threats compared to other solutions, giving operators more time to respond effectively.

Optics11’s solutions include OptiFender, a predictive monitoring system that detects and locates partial discharge events the earliest signs of potential failures within high- and medium-voltage electrical systems. Its OptiBarrier and OptiArray solutions offer subsea early-warning protection, using precision fibre-optic sensors to continuously safeguard underwater infrastructure from sabotage and unauthorised interference.

In May last year, Optics11 raised €17 million in a funding round led by FORWARD.one and SET Ventures.

EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot said, “Our continent is working hard to make sure it can hold its own in many different fields, but we need to support the companies that can make that happen. From the energy sector to security and defence capabilities, we need to be able to have the best technology for known and unknown threats. In short, the solutions developed by Optics11 are providing Europe with critical solutions and competitive advantages for the world that is coming.”

The European Investment Bank’s support for Optics11 is provided under the European Commission’s InvestEU programme.

About Optics11

Founded in 2011 and based in Amsterdam, Optics11 develops advanced fibre-optic sensing systems for the world’s harshest environments. Its solutions support underwater security and energy infrastructure, offering ultra-sensitive, reliable and low-power monitoring that enables early threat detection, asset protection and faster response in challenging conditions.