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Astrape Networks, a Dutch deep-tech startup optimizing short-distance data network performance, announced the successful completion of a €7.9M seed round, which includes a €2.5M grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC). The round was co-led by PhotonVentures, Join Capital, and Brabant Development Agency (BOM), with participation from Shift Invest. The funding reinforces Astrape’s mission to enhance datacenter efficiency, essential for expanding AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and Europe's digital sovereignty.
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from Eindhoven University of Technology and incubated by HighTechXL, Astrape addresses critical performance bottlenecks by introducing dynamic optical bypass possibilities seamlessly into any datacenter network. Astrape’s technology enables networks to handle 50% more traffic while requiring fewer servers for the same computational load. It delivers 2x higher utilization rates, expands hop capacity from 0 to 2, and scales to support over 16 million GPUs/xPUs per network - all while slashing energy consumption by 60%. Astrape's solution is strategically positioned to meet the rapidly growing datacenter market, projected to reach $624 billion by 2029, driven by cloud computing, AI, and real-time data processing demands.
"The explosive growth of AI and HPC applications has pushed datacenters to their limits," said Francesco Pessolano, CEO and co-founder of Astrape Networks. "Our network solutions optimize server-to-server communication and load balancing, dramatically improving datacenter efficiency and sustainability."
The company's leadership team includes CEO Francesco Pessolano, a seasoned entrepreneur with deep expertise in business development and strategic partnerships; CTO Marco Camilli, a computer and networking expert with significant entrepreneurial and corporate experience, who is responsible for Astrape’s core networking technology; and Prof. Nicola Calabretta, an optical communication expert from TU Eindhoven who is responsible for Astrape’s optical technology.
“Astrape is solving one of the most urgent bottlenecks in the AI revolution: the data traffic jams crippling modern data centers.Their solution not only boosts performance but also slashes energy consumption - significantly reducing the carbon footprint of AI infrastructure at scale,” said Ewit Roos, General Partner at PhotonVentures. Astrape’s patented innovations underscore its commitment to market-leading technology, targeting both multi-tenant datacenters and hyperscalers such as AWS and Azure.
"Astrape's unique technology addresses a critical challenge in strategic infrastructure, specifically in data centers and data communications. We're proud to support this group of entrepreneurs who have successfully demonstrated the solution's feasibility in the lab," said Sebastian von Ribbentrop, co-founder of Join Capital.
"Astrape’s technology is a game changer for data centers. Their solution makes data centers more efficient in terms of energy usage but also the utilization of the current infrastructure. We see Astrape as a valuable addition to the strong photonic ecosystem of suppliers and application developers in the Netherlands,” said Ivana Sersic Vollenbroek, Senior Investment Manager at Brabant Development Agency (BOM).
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