Challenge
As cloud services, streaming, and AI workloads continue to proliferate at an alarming speed, electronic switches are becoming problematic as they consume enormous amounts of energy and can introduce delays and bottlenecks.
Opportunity
Every message, video call, or AI query relies on switches, the traffic controllers that direct data through networks, highlighting the huge potential for this application area.
Solution
The aim of this mission is to develop an energy-efficient photonic switch that directs massive data flows across data centres and telecom networks, with far lower power use and latency than electronic switches.
Data traffic continues to grow exponentially, and electronic switching is reaching its limits. Photonic switching offers a radically more energy-efficient and faster alternative. This solution enables scalable, low-latency networks for cloud, telecom, and AI workloads. It’s a critical building block for the digital economy.
Benefits
By introducing high-speed, energy-efficient photonic switching into data centre interconnects, this application addresses one of the most critical pressure points in digital infrastructure. It enables lower latency, reduced power consumption, and more scalable network architectures.
