Ephos funding news – Milan-based Ephos Secures $8.5Million in Seed Funding

The funding included non-dilutive components from the European Innovation Council (EIC) and NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA); being chosen as one of just 10 companies out of a pool exceeding 1,300 applicants.

The seed round was led by Starlight Ventures, a US venture capital firm specializing in deep tech investments, with participation from Collaborative Fund, Exor Ventures, 2100 Ventures, Unruly Capital, Green Sands Equity, Silicon Roundabout Ventures, and Club degli Investitori, as well as angel investors Joe Zadeh (former Vice President at Airbnb), Diego Piacentini (former Senior Vice President at Amazon), and Simone Severini (General Manager, Quantum Technologies, Amazon Web Services).

The funding has accelerated the launch of its new research and manufacturing facility located in the Milano Innovation District (MIND), one of Europe’s most ambitious technology hubs, which will serve as a central hub for manufacturing and product innovation.

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The new site marks a significant milestone in Ephos’s growth and provides the capacity and resources necessary to scale its proprietary chip manufacturing technology as it expands its partnerships across the quantum technologies industry. Alongside its Milan headquarters and new manufacturing facility, the funding will also go towards growing its San Francisco team.

Photonic technologies have a wide range of classical applications beyond quantum computing, including within data centers where photonic chips are increasingly being used to reduce soaring energy footprints. Energy demands are becoming a major concern as the AI revolution continues to place a strain on data centers, with Goldman Sachs estimating that data center power usage will grow 160% by 2030.

Ephos helps safeguard strategic independence in quantum technologies, a vital area for future defense and communications. As such, in addition to the seed round, on September 10 2024, DIANA announced that Ephos was selected for Phase II of the acceleration programme, receiving a total of €450,000 non-dilutive funding over the two phases.

Andrea Rocchetto, CEO and co-founder at Ephos said, “Securing this funding and opening our Milan facility is a critical milestone for Ephos. Our glass-based photonic chips are set to transform not just quantum computing and AI, but the broader computational infrastructure of the future, By addressing energy inefficiencies and enhancing performance across industries, from data centers to secure communications, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of computing technology.”

Kike Miralles, Principal at Starlight Ventures said, “We see tremendous potential in Ephos’s glass-based photonic chips to revolutionize the future of computing, As AI and quantum advancements challenge the limits of our current infrastructure, Ephos stands out with its ability to significantly reduce signal loss and improve energy efficiency. This innovation not only meets the growing demands for faster, more efficient platforms but also opens the door to new possibilities in quantum computing and communication technologies across multiple industries”.

About Ephos

Ephos is building the essential infrastructure for the future of computing. The company designs and manufactures glass-based integrated photonic circuits that power the most advanced classical and quantum devices. Ephos’ chips are engineered to minimize signal loss and unlock unique device designs, enabling its customers to create optimized scalable photonic systems.