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November 3, 2026

Photonics mapped: 74 European startups using light to power the AI era

From optical chips to laser weapons, these are the companies turning photons into Europe’s next deeptech export

The AI boom is hitting a physical limit, with the chips, cables, and components inside data centres struggling to manage the volume of data and speed of processing needed to run ever-more capable AI systems. 

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Ruggero Di Spigna

Ruggero Di Spigna is a Senior Insights & Product Associate at Sifted. Find him on LinkedIn

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