Optics11, a Dutch deeptech scale-up that builds advanced fiber optic sensing solutions, announced a €17 million funding round as Europe’s infrastructure faces mounting pressure and exposure. The round was led by investors FORWARD.one, which now becomes the largest investor in Optics11, and SET Ventures, who bring deep energy expertise. Join Capital contributes significant defence sector experience, and long-term investor Value Creation Capital (VCC) reinforces the solid foundation supporting Optics11’s growth. This powerful syndicate positions the company to scale its cutting-edge solutions and protect Europe’s vital infrastructure from increasing threats.
“The vulnerabilities facing Europe’s infrastructure today demand immediate and sophisticated responses," explained Paul Heiden, CEO of Optics11. “This funding empowers us to rapidly scale our suite of fiber optic solutions and offer a proactive defence to energy and maritime operators. With strategic investors onboard, we're ready to significantly enhance Europe's security.”
Europe’s growing reliance on its power infrastructure for vital needs requires unprecedented resilience against increasingly sophisticated threats. Like a higher risk of underwater sabotage, to a rapidly ageing base of high-voltage (HV) transformers. 40% of Europe’s 90,000 HV transformers have exceeded their lifespan, and with orders for new transformers full until 2030, production will not match demand. Additionally, subsea cables and offshore wind farms face more security breaches, underscoring an urgent need for robust and proactive monitoring solutions.
To tackle these urgent challenges, Optics11 has developed several gamechanging solutions. A predictive monitoring solution called OptiFender that rapidly identifies and locates partial discharge events - the earliest indicator of upcoming asset failures - within high and medium voltage electrical systems. While its OptiBarrier and OptiArray solutions provide a subsea early-warning system via precision fiber optic sensors that continuously safeguard underwater infrastructure against sabotage and unauthorised interference.
“A secure, uninterrupted energy supply is the bedrock of a modern functioning society,” said Wouter Jonk, Managing Partner at energytech fund, SET Ventures. “Ageing transformers and full order books mean rising outage risks and a need to extend the life of existing assets to reduce failure rates. Optics11 does that, while reinforcing the integration of renewables into the grid. Simply put, they’re solving an urgent problem.”
The company’s core strength lies in its unique mix of pioneering sensors combined with advanced threat detection software. This enables faster detection and localisation of threats when compared to other solutions on the market, giving operators more time to respond.
Optics11’s fiber optic sensors eliminate issues with electromagnetic interference, offering unmatched reliability in tough environments where traditional sensors often fail. Advanced software analyses sensor data at the speed of light, clearly identifying potential threats to prevent costly disruptions.
“Optics11 has the kind of technical edge that creates long-term value,” said Robin van Boxsel, Partner at deeptech VC, FORWARD.one. “It addresses a critical gap in grid and subsea infrastructure resilience. OptiFender reduces fault resolution time from months to hours, which enables operators to move from reactive maintenance to predictive operations. OptiBarrier extends that same intelligence offshore, where early detection is essential for protecting Europe’s growing subsea assets.”
“We are proud to see that our initial Seed and Scaleup investment accelerated the core DNA of Optics11 in turning optics technology into sustaining edge products in underwater security and grid solutions”, said Willem van den Berg, Managing Partner at Value Creation Capital.
OptiArray has already been adopted for integration into the Royal Netherlands Navy’s upcoming Orka-class submarines. This advanced optical thin-line towed array system leverages Optics11’s technology, significantly enhancing submarines' navigational and defensive capabilities. Its compact design and low power consumption allow for extended missions without compromising performance, positioning the Netherlands at the forefront of modern underwater surveillance.
"Protecting Europe's critical infrastructure requires technology breakthroughs to ensure security and resilience. Optics11 is delivering a revolutionary subsea detection capability that Europe & NATO urgently need” said Daniel Carew, a Partner at Join Capital. “Their advanced fiber optic solutions for submarines, undersea networks and unmanned vehicles do not merely identify threats; they precisely classify them, distinguishing hostile actors from allies, and ensuring our economic wellbeing."
Europe’s reliance on uninterrupted power and secure maritime infrastructure has never been more precarious. With Optics11, operators can anticipate threats and significantly reduce risk and downtime, protecting essential services from potential crises.
“The deep expertise and expansive networks provided by the investors in this round are invaluable as we tackle these pressing challenges,” concluded Heiden. “Together, we’re strengthening the defence of Europe's infrastructure while supporting a sustainable energy transition.”
Optics11 is the world leader in fiber optic sensing technology for ultra-sensitive early warning systems. Operating from the Netherlands, a country renowned for high-tech industry and maritime innovation, Optics11 works passionately to help protect our sea-lanes, critical offshore infrastructure, and energy supply against disruption.
For further information, please contact:
Christopher le Roux
Marketing Director | Optics11
Tel: +31 20 259 5256
Email: christopher.leroux@optics11.com
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