Astrape Networks, a Dutch deep-tech startup, has raised €7.9 million in seed funding to revolutionize data centre networks using advanced photonics technology. With energy consumption and bandwidth bottlenecks challenging global data centres, Astrape is eliminating inefficiencies by transforming how data flows within these facilities.
At the heart of Astrape’s innovation is the elimination of frequent electrical-optical conversions. Traditional data centres continuously switch between electronic and optical signals, consuming massive energy and limiting scalability. Astrape’s solution uses Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) to convert data to optical signals only at the network edge, reducing energy waste and enhancing performance.
Tackling a $624 Billion Market with Smart Optical Networking
Astrape’s vision aligns with the rapidly expanding data centre market, projected to hit $624 billion by 2029. Demand for cloud computing, AI, and real-time data processing continues to rise. The startup’s photonics-based solution uses multi-wavelength channels and rapid circuit switching, boosting communication speed and reducing energy use by up to 20% today—a figure that could soar to 60% as data speeds climb.
The €7.9 million seed round includes a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) and was co-led by PhotonVentures, Join Capital, and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), with participation from Shift Invest. This investment will support product development, early pilot deployments, and team expansion.
EFFINITI: Future-Proof Switches for AI-Optimised Data Centres
Speaking with TFN, CEO and co-founder Francesco Pessolano revealed that the funding will help Astrape bring its EFFINITI switches to market. These switches, which integrate seamlessly into current Ethernet-based infrastructures, are engineered to serve the growing needs of AI-driven and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
“Our single focus for the coming years is to release a full line of EFFINITI switches, first to our key partners and later to the broader market,” said Pessolano. “This will empower customers to build the AI-enabled data centres they need—without limitations.”
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the Eindhoven University of Technology and incubated by HighTechXL, Astrape benefits from its location within the Brainport Eindhoven High Tech Campus, Europe’s largest photonics ecosystem. The founding team—Marco Camilli, Willem Jan Withagen, and Pessolano—brings decades of expertise in optical communications, semiconductor systems, and networking infrastructure.
Astrape aims to replace outdated brute-force methods of increasing network speed and parallelism, which are both costly and unsustainable. Their dynamic optical bypass architecture reduces data movement, improves GPU/xPU utilisation, and removes dependency on expensive transceivers.
“EFFINITI eliminates unnecessary data movement and reduces latency while increasing network utilisation,” Pessolano explained. “It’s a scalable, sustainable solution that dramatically improves data centre efficiency.”
Key benefits of EFFINITI switches include:
- 50% more network traffic capacity with fewer servers
- 2x utilisation rates compared to traditional networks
- Up to 60% energy reduction
- Support for networks with over 16 million GPU/xPU nodes
- Expansion from 0 to 2 hops for improved load balancing
Unlike other technologies, EFFINITI does not require faster optics or transceivers, making it more reliable and future-proof. It integrates effortlessly with existing setups, enabling data centre operators to scale without overhauling their infrastructure.
Backing from Investors and Ecosystem Leaders
Astrape’s cutting-edge approach has drawn support from major investors focused on deep-tech and sustainability.
“Astrape’s technology is a game-changer,” said Ivana Sersic Vollenbroek, Senior Investment Manager at BOM. “It improves energy efficiency and infrastructure utilisation, strengthening the Netherlands’ photonics ecosystem.”
Sebastian von Ribbentrop, co-founder of Join Capital, echoed this view: “We’re proud to support Astrape’s mission to build more efficient data centres using proven lab technology.”
Astrape plans to launch pilot programs with early partners before scaling for global deployment by 2027. These pilots will be crucial for product validation and performance optimization before manufacturing ramps up.
Astrape Networks positions itself directly against established networking companies like Cisco and Arista, targeting both multi-tenant data centres and hyperscalers such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.
“The explosive growth of AI and HPC has pushed data centres to their limits,” said Pessolano. “We’re redefining network architecture for the AI era while ensuring backward compatibility and long-term reliability.”
