Lumotive raises 45m for AI international push

Lumotive, a company based in Canada, has successfully closed a $45 million funding round to further develop its groundbreaking programmable optical beam steering metasurface technology. The Series B round was oversubscribed and saw participation from a range of new investors including Swisscom Ventures, East Bridge, EDOM, Grazia, Hokuyo Inc., and TSVC. Existing investors such as Gates Frontier, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, USAA, and HiMax also showed their continued support for the company.

The Light Control Metasurface (LCM) technology developed by Lumotive is designed to manipulate light in various applications such as LiDar and data center interconnect. The funding secured will be utilized to enhance local support and customization services on a global scale, as well as to capitalize on the growing demand for AI data center solutions.

One of Lumotive's key innovations is the solid-state 2D LCM Beam Steering technology, which enables the creation of reliable optical circuit switches with thousands of ports and rapid switching speeds. This technology is particularly valuable for hyperscale and AI-driven networks, supporting critical functions such as AI model training, real-time analytics, and energy-efficient infrastructure management.

According to Pär Lange, Investment Partner at Swisscom Ventures, "Lumotive’s technology represents a fundamental advance in optical semiconductors. Their success in automotive and industrial markets, coupled with their ability to precisely control light at the chip level, opens up new possibilities for applications that were previously out of reach."

Dr. Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive, expressed his excitement about the funding round, stating, "This marks a significant milestone in the evolution of programmable optics. Our LCM technology has already driven innovation in autonomous vehicles, robotics, and industrial sectors. With this new investment, we aim to accelerate our expansion into emerging markets, particularly in AI data centers and satellite communications."