Nio Optoelectronics raises hundreds of millions of yuan in Series B for lithium niobate chips
What's the deal? Jiangsu Nio Optoelectronics Technology has raised several hundred million yuan in a Series B round, the company announced in August 2026. It designs and produces thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulator chips and optical interconnect devices.
Who's backing it? The round drew a notably deep investor bench, including GL VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Yunfeng FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Chengtong Kechuang, Guokai Kechuang, Wofu CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Shenghe Capital, Guanxin Light Source, Lenovo Capital, Nanxin Kechuang, and Yuecai Venture CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
Existing shareholders Nanjing Innovation Investment, Jinpu Capital, Addor CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Guangzhou Industrial Investment added to their positions.
What's the endgame? Nio has built a design, manufacturing and packaging platform for photonic chips based on thin-film lithium niobate material, with mass-production and delivery capability. Its high-speed optical communication chips and electro-optic modulators target data centres, communication networks, instrumentation and autonomous driving.
Where the money goes: The company will direct funding toward large-scale production of TFLN optical chips and development of next-generation AI optical interconnect technology.
The signal: The concentration of state-backed and marquee venture funds in a single round points to strong appetite for domestic photonics as demand for high-speed optical interconnects in AI infrastructure and data centres grows.
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
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