Deep Tech Startup HoloMem Awarded Innovate UK Smart Grant For HoloDrive

As global data generation rapidly grows, storage technology hasn’t kept up. Magnetic tape—still the industry standard after 70 years—is becoming outdated, requiring strict environmental controls and offering limited capacity and lifespan.

The latest LTO version holds just 36TB per cartridge and is prone to data degradation.

Read Also - Poland-Based ReSpo.Vision Secures €4.2Million Funding

HoloDrive, however, presents a next-gen alternative: it can store up to 200TB per cartridge, uses no energy for storage, needs no climate control, and ensures infinite readability.

Built with energy-efficient laser diodes and recyclable HX200 photopolymer, it cuts power use by 90% and reduces annual storage costs by up to 99%.

Charlie Gale, co-founder and CEO of HoloMem, said: Current data storage technology is simply not sufficient to meet the needs of current and future global data creation; a category shift is needed. Our holographic cold data storage technology will cause huge reductions in energy usage, while allowing data to be stored at ultra-high density, with infinite readability. Our HoloDrive solution has been designed to integrate with legacy systems with minimal hardware or software disruption, and this grant from Innovate UK will help us finalise and fully validate this game-changing technology.

About HoloMem

Founded in 2020, HoloMem has developed a cold data storage technology designed for the future. Today’s storage solutions can’t keep up with the rapid growth of global data, but HoloMem uses holograms to store data at ultra-high density, with zero energy use and infinite readability.

Created by a serial entrepreneur and former Dyson design engineer, the company offers a plug-and-play solution that works with existing data libraries. It’s much cheaper to run and can store up to 200TB per cartridge.