Neurophos Secures $110 Million to Advance Optical Processing for AI
Austin-based Neurophos, a pioneering photonics startup rooted in research from Duke University, has successfully raised $110 million in Series A funding aimed at revolutionizing computing power for artificial intelligence. Led by Gates Frontier, the investment includes participation from notable entities such as Microsoft’s M12, Carbon Direct, and Aramco Ventures.
At the heart of Neurophos’s innovation is a groundbreaking “metasurface modulator” that functions as a tensor core processor, designed to conduct matrix vector multiplication—a fundamental operation in AI, especially during inference processes. Utilizing this technology, Neurophos plans to produce an “optical processing unit” (OPU) that significantly outperforms traditional silicon-based GPUs and TPUs, achieving higher speed and energy efficiency.
Key Advantages of Neurophos’s Optical Processing Technology
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Speed and Efficiency: Neurophos’s OPU is poised to operate at 56 GHz, achieving a peak of 235 Peta Operations per Second (POPS) while consuming only 675 watts. In comparison, Nvidia’s B200 offers just 9 POPS at a much higher power consumption of 1,000 watts.
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Compact Design: The metasurface developed by Neurophos is roughly 10,000 times smaller than conventional optical transistors, allowing the integration of thousands of units on a single chip, thereby enhancing computational ability.
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Mass Manufacturing Compatibility: Neurophos claims its chips can leverage standard silicon foundry processes, addressing historical challenges associated with the production of optical components.
Despite the technological promise, Neurophos faces considerable competition in a market largely dominated by established players like Nvidia. The company anticipates its first commercial chips to be available by mid-2028, with several potential clients already in discussions.
Dr. Marc Tremblay from Microsoft emphasized the need for significant advances in computing power to keep pace with AI model development, highlighting that Neurophos’s innovative approach could meet this demand. As they proceed with this funding, Neurophos will focus on developing integrated photonic compute systems and expand its engineering capabilities with a new site in San Francisco, in addition to enhancing their headquarters in Austin, Texas.
