Akhetonics has raised €6 million in a funding round led by Matterwave Ventures. The investment will enable Akhetonics to deliver their first-generation hardware, an all-optical XPU, cross-domain processor, to pilot customers as demand for high performance and energy-efficient computing increases.
Akhetonics’ technology marks a paradigm shift in computing. By processing and storing information purely with photons instead of electrons, it offers unprecedented processing speed and significantly reduced energy consumption compared to traditional electronic processors. Additionally, the low latency, deterministic execution, and immunity to electromagnetic interference are critical features for customers operating in sectors such as aviation, defense, and networking.
A key advantage of their strategy is the fully European supply chain, from fabrication to packaging. By manufacturing their devices on mature nodes widely available in Europe, this reduces dependency on advanced chip fabrication in Asia. This strategic advantage positions Akhetonics as a crucial player in strengthening European technological sovereignty.
Currently based in Berlin and Munich, the company is developing a full-stack product that goes beyond the traditional von Neumann architecture that has dominated chip design for over 50 years. Their solution brings together photonic hardware components, software tools, and an in-house design automation tool. After demonstrating the viability of the technology, Akhetonics aims to deliver the first full-scale optical processor to early customers in the coming years.
“Many companies that claim to use ‘optical computing’ actually take a hybrid approach, incorporating electronics in their processing,” said Michael Kissner, CEO of Akhetonics. “In contrast, we are shipping a completely new, all-optical, general-purpose processor. This not only enables higher performance at lower power, but also offers real-time processing that is simply not possible with electronics or opto-electronic hybrids.”
Unlike some companies that use a combination of electronic digital processing and limited optical analog circuits for mathematical operations, Akhetonics fully processes both digital and analog signals using optical technology. This integrated approach allows users to leverage the all-optical processor for general-purpose control flow while also employing the optical analog circuits as accelerators for specific tasks, such as AI applications.
“Our all-optical computing technology offers key advantages,” added Kissner. “It provides superior performance, and the ability to manufacture our processors in mature process nodes worldwide gives us a strategic advantage in the current political climate.”
“Akhetonics’ technology represents a fundamental shift in how we process information with photons, ushering in a new era in computing,” commented Silviu Apostu, Principal at Matterwave Ventures. “Their all-optical processor promises to surpass the limitations of traditional electronic systems and increase Europe’s competitiveness and sovereignty in AI and dual-use applications.”
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