Seattle, WA – Emerald, a global venture capital leader in industrial innovation, has invested in NLM Photonics to help bring energy-efficient, high performance electro-optic modulation technology to AI, data centers, quantum computing, and more. Other investors include Oregon Venture Fund, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd., Pack Ventures, StoryHouse Ventures, and other existing NLM investors to support NLM’s vision.
With global electricity consumption from data centers projected to exceed 800 TWh by 2026, the need for power-efficient technologies has never been greater. NLM, a semiconductor technology company, has developed breakthrough hybrid electro-optic photonic modulators that can enable up to a 30 percent reduction in data center network power consumption. Their cutting-edge solutions enable high-bandwidth, low-voltage, low-power data transfer between electronics and photonics.
“With the expansion of cloud computing and AI, communication within the data center is quickly becoming the bottleneck to continued growth in the sector,” says Frank Balas, Emerald Investment Director. “NLM tackles the issue by offering photonic technology that is not only faster and more energy efficient but can be manufactured in standard CMOS fabs. We are thrilled to be working with the team as they bring their modulators to the market.”
“NLM’s proven innovation and strong early market interest make them uniquely positioned to shape the future of data center communications and deliver transformative growth opportunities. We are excited to support the world-class team at NLM,” says Deepthi Madhava, Partner at Oregon Venture Fund.
“NLM is excited to have new and returning investors that believe in our team and the technology we’re bringing to the communications industry,” stated Brad Booth, NLM’s CEO. “Their support will help NLM transition its technology into broad market availability.”
This investment is part of NLM’s next phase of development to scale and commercialize their technology. Given the market’s current high demand for data center enhancement, NLM remains in discussions with further investors to expand the current investment round.
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