A breakthrough moment for India’s deep-tech hardware ecosystem
LightSpeed Photonics, a Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup specialising in optical interconnect technology for data-centres, has raised $6.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round. The round was led by pi Ventures, with participation from 500 Global, Indian Accelerator, 8X Ventures, Java Capital, and several Silicon Valley-based angel investors.
The latest raise brings the company’s total capital to approximately $8.5 million, including previous rounds and technology grants.
Table of Contents
What LightSpeed Photonics is building
Founded in 2021 by engineers Rohin Y and Ramana Pamidighantam, LightSpeed Photonics develops compact optical interconnect modules that enable high-speed and energy-efficient data transfer inside data centres.
The startup’s technology replaces traditional copper-based electrical links, which are increasingly unable to handle the bandwidth and power demands created by:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) workloads
- High-performance computing (HPC)
- Cloud computing
- Large-scale data storage and memory networking
By using light instead of electricity to transmit data, the modules enable:
- Faster data movement with ultra-low latency
- Significantly lower power consumption
- Smaller physical footprint suitable for dense computing environments
- Easy compatibility with existing hardware footprints, reducing adoption friction
This positions LightSpeed’s solution as a potential foundation for next-generation data-centre architecture.
Why investors are backing this technology now
The global explosion of AI — from large language models to GPU-driven training clusters — has created a material bottleneck inside data centres: the movement of data across processors, memory and storage is now slower than the compute power available.
This has created an urgent global need for optical interconnects that can scale with the demands of AI and HPC without escalating energy usage.
LightSpeed Photonics is one of the few Indian companies addressing this challenge at a hardware and semiconductor level, a segment historically dominated by U.S., Japanese and European players.
What the new funding will be used for
With fresh capital, LightSpeed plans to:
- Set up a dedicated R&D and pilot-manufacturing facility
- Ramp up prototype-to-production pipeline for data-centre-grade modules
- Expand engineering and design talent focused on photonics and semiconductor packaging
- Begin pilot deployments with global OEM and data-centre partners
- Broaden applications into telecommunications, edge computing, aerospace and industrial automation
The company aims to become an international supplier of optical interconnect components built from India, serving large-scale AI and HPC markets.
Challenges ahead
Though the technology promises major advantages, scaling requires navigating:
- Real-world validation under demanding data-centre loads
- Establishing reliable precision-manufacturing supply chains
- Competing with established global optical-hardware vendors
- Convincing data-centre operators to shift from legacy electrical systems to photonic infrastructure
If LightSpeed overcomes these hurdles, it could position itself as a strategic player in global AI and data-centre hardware.
Key Takeaways
- LightSpeed Photonics has raised $6.5 million in pre-Series A funding, led by pi Ventures.
- The startup builds optical interconnect modules that transmit data using light, enabling higher speed and lower energy consumption compared to electrical links.
- Rising AI and HPC workloads have created a global bottleneck in data movement inside data-centres — LightSpeed’s technology aims to solve this.
- The company will use the capital to expand R&D, scale production, and begin global pilot projects.
- If successful, LightSpeed could become one of India’s first deep-tech hardware startups supplying critical technology for global AI infrastructure.
Read More:
- Yulu: Can It Ride the Gig Economy’s Need for Speed All the Way to Profitability?
- CityMall: How several pivots are steering the company toward the ₹1,000 crore club
- Snabbit: Can It Replicate the Zepto Playbook for Daily Home Help?
FAQs
Q: What is the core problem LightSpeed Photonics solves?
It solves the high-speed data bottleneck inside data-centres by replacing slow, energy-heavy electrical interconnects with optical photonic links.
Q: Is this technology only for AI companies?
No. While ideal for AI and HPC workloads, the technology is applicable across telecom, cloud service providers, edge computing and aerospace.
Q: Is LightSpeed only focused on the Indian market?
No. The company aims to supply globally and is already in discussions for international pilot deployments.
Q: Why is this funding round important?
Because it enables India — traditionally known for software — to enter the deep-tech hardware and semiconductor space that powers global AI infrastructure.
