NTT has announced its investment in iPronics, a Spain-based startup developing programmable optical network technology for AI data centers. This investment is the first project under the "IOWN AI Fund," which NTT announced the formation of in June 2026.

iPronics utilizes silicon photonics to develop programmable optical circuit switches that can dynamically reconfigure optical connections within and between racks via software. By switching optical paths directly without converting optical signals into electrical signals, the company aims to improve GPU utilization efficiency, reduce power consumption, and simplify configurations.

The Series B funding round conducted by iPronics included investors such as NVIDIA, totaling $125 million. iPronics plans to use the raised funds for the commercial rollout of its products, the expansion of its business operations system, and expansion into global markets.

NTT stated that its own "photo-electronic convergence switch" under development and iPronics' "optical circuit switch" have complementary characteristics. NTT explained that while the photo-electronic convergence switch is characterized by flexibility in packet processing and high-speed switching, the optical circuit switch excels in power saving through direct optical path switching, and combining them in the appropriate locations will contribute to the efficiency of data centers.

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