27 Nov 2025
Pre-seed investment round to finance the expansion of the Neuchâtel laboratory.
SPhotonix, a US-based startup striving to commercialize “5D” or “Superman” ultra-stable optical data storage technology—originally innovated at the University of Southampton—has successfully secured $4.5 million in a pre-seed funding round.
Headed by the deep-tech investment firm Creator Fund and XTX Ventures, this funding round also garnered interest from angel investors, whom the Delaware-based company characterizes as “prominent leaders in both private and public sectors.”
This influx of capital is earmarked for the expansion of SPhotonix’s research laboratory, which has recently been established at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Neuchâtel.
“The triumph of this pre-seed round signifies critical advancements in our FemtoEtch laser nanostructuring technology, effectively addressing the challenges associated with data center storage and cutting-edge optics products,” stated the company.
Lasting memory
Emerging from stealth mode in late 2024, SPhotonix showcased its optical material and component innovations at SPIE Photonics West in early 2025, revealing vast potential in data storage and beyond.
Noteworthy innovations included fused silica waveplates, high-performance birefringent prisms tailored for microscopy, and a polarization beam smoother applicable in directed energy weaponry and laser fusion endeavors.
This technology has been meticulously developed by SPhotonix’s chief scientific officer, Peter Kazansky, a distinguished optoelectronics professor at the University of Southampton, over the last two decades. The “Superman” memory crystal material is purportedly capable of preserving data for a theoretically infinite duration.
Applications have included the storage of the entire human genome; furthermore, in 2018, material containing what was termed “critical planetary backup” data was propelled into orbit around the Sun, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Ilya Kazansky, CEO of SPhotonix and son of Peter, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the newly secured funding: “We experienced substantial interest in our pre-seed round and are thrilled to collaborate with Creator Fund, XTX Ventures, and other investors as we advance towards merging innovation with market viability.
“We are rapidly scaling to capitalize on burgeoning opportunities. Our Swiss-based R&D lab is now fully operational and staffed by a team of leading experts.
“All our investors have been strategically selected to align with our vision, supporting our mission to make data storage more scalable, durable, and economically viable for the evolving demands of data storage.”
The company also informed optics.org of its plans to double its lab personnel in Neuchâtel over the next 12 months, focusing on recruiting top talent in programming, optics and materials, laser matter, software engineering, and optical imaging.
“We will initiate two further setups in early 2026 and later in 2027, with our expansion encompassing a new facility to facilitate R&D and production,” they stated.
Emerging storage paradigms
The CEO further elaborated that the proprietary “FemtoEtch” technology has already demonstrated utility in the realm of fused silica optics, serving applications across microscopy, high-power lasers, aerospace, and semiconductor production.
He identified a significant market opportunity arising in data storage, citing that global data storage capacity is becoming “limited and unsustainably strained” due to a recent surge in cloud computing data generation.
“This funding enables us to recruit world-class specialists, innovating through the final stages of TRL needed to deploy 5D optical systems in terrestrial and space-borne data centers, building on our recent breakthroughs with writable and rewritable forms,” Ilya Kazansky added.
“Additionally, we are poised to harness the interest we’ve garnered from hyperscalers and corporate partners within these ecosystems, paving the way for forthcoming partnerships. This is indeed an exhilarating chapter in our story.”
Alexandra Ntemourtsidou, a general partner at Creator Fund, remarked: “We are excited to partner with SPhotonix as they commercialize two decades of research in optics for sustainable long-term data storage.
“The current data storage landscape is overwhelmingly legacy technologies. The industry must pivot towards novel storage paradigms.”
Gabriele Papievyte of XTX Ventures added: “We were thoroughly impressed by SPhotonix’s commitment to advancing their unique capabilities in data storage and optics, and we are eager to support them on their journey.”
Source link: Optics.org.
