Italy backs AI infrastructure with €211 million grant to 2D Photonics for graphene photonics technology.

Italy backs AI infrastructure with €211 million grant to 2D Photonics for graphene photonics technology. The company's Camgraphic subsidiary will develop silicon photonics solutions designed to accelerate data processing at AI data centers while reducing energy consumption. A pilot manufacturing plant near Milan will transition the technology from research to production. This move reflects Europe's strategic push to support deep-tech innovation as US tech giants invest hundreds of billions in AI infrastructure. Silicon photonics transmits data using light instead of copper, offering faster speeds and greater power efficiency. Graphene integration promises further improvements in bandwidth and energy efficiency, addressing a critical bottleneck in AI training. The grant, cleared by the European Commission, ranks among Italy's largest public investments in deep-tech startups.