Hyperlume Closes Seed Round

Hyperlume has closed a $12.5 million seed funding round to advance its high-bandwidth, low-latency interconnect technology for AI data centers and high-performance computing systems.

The oversubscribed round was led by BDC’s Deep Tech Venture Fund and ArcTern Ventures, with participation from MUUS Climate Partners, SOSV, Intel Capital, and LG Technology Ventures.

As AI models grow beyond one trillion parameters and high-performance computing (HPC) clusters surpass 100,000 GPUs, the ability to efficiently transfer data between these components has become a major bottleneck. Existing interconnect technologies, which link GPUs, processors, and memory, are struggling to keep pace with the increasing computational demands, limiting overall system performance. This slowdown affects AI training, large-scale simulations, and other advanced computing applications, making it crucial to develop faster, more efficient interconnect solutions to sustain future advancements in AI and HPC.

To address these issues, Hyperlume’s optical interconnect technology leverages microLEDs and low-power circuitry to replace traditional copper connections. The company’s products include pluggable, mid-board, and co-packaged optics, serving hyperscale cloud providers, AI infrastructure developers, and semiconductor manufacturers.

Founded in 2022 by Mohsen Asad and Hossein Fariborzi, Hyperlume is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario.

“This funding represents a significant step in Hyperlume’s journey as we continue to push the boundaries of optical communication and deliver transformative solutions for the AI and semiconductor industries,” said Mr. Asad. “We are grateful for the trust and support of our investors who share our vision of a more efficient and sustainable future for computing.”

Capital from the new round will be used to accelerate Hyperlume’s development of its optical interconnect technologies, expand its product, engineering, and R&D teams, and strengthen its partnerships with hyperscalers, chip manufacturers, and AI infrastructure providers. Additionally, Hyperlume plans to prepare for the production of its optical technology to meet industry demand for 800G and 1.6T interconnects.

“BDC’s Deep Tech Venture Fund is committed to supporting visionary companies that are reshaping industries through cutting-edge technology,” said Charles Lespérance, a partner at BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund. “Hyperlume’s optical interconnect technology represents a transformative leap forward in energy-efficient AI and semiconductor infrastructure. We are proud to be part of their journey as they redefine the future of computing.”

Montreal-headquartered BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund, a $200 million fund, supports early-stage Canadian companies in sectors such as quantum computing, photonics, foundational AI, and advanced electronics. The fund invests in 15 to 20 seed to Series A-stage companies, providing $4 million to $5 million per transaction.

ArcTern Ventures invests in technology startups at the Series A and B stages that address the climate crisis and drive sustainability. The firm’s third fund closed in January 2024 with $337 million in commitments. Founded in 2012, ArcTern is headquartered in Toronto.