Optics11 raises €50M to scale subsea defence and grid sensors
What's the deal? Optics11, an Amsterdam-based fibre optic sensing startup, has raised €50 million in a late VC round from its four existing backers: SET VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, FORWARD.oneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Value Creation CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and JOIN CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The company says total investment has exceeded €100 million over the past 15 months.
What's the endgame? Optics11 makes fibre optic sensors that use light rather than powered electronics, making them silent and immune to electromagnetic interference. Its systems detect underwater threats and find faults in high-voltage power grids. The new funds will go toward manufacturing and international expansion.
How it works: Its products include OptiBarrier, a seabed system that detects targets out to 100km from shore, and OptiArray, a towed array for anti-submarine warfare. Utilities use its OptiFinder to spot failing transformers before they go out.
Why now? The raise fits a broader European push to protect subsea infrastructure, with the EU committing €347 million to cable-security measures in 2026. In July, the Dutch Ministry of Defence ordered containerised OptiArray systems under its ASWINABO anti-submarine programme.
"This investment is a significant milestone for Optics11 and reflects the growing international demand for technology that can help protect the critical infrastructure our societies depend upon," said chief executive officer Paul Heiden.
By the numbers: The round ranks in the 94th percentile among late VC rounds in computer vision in the Netherlands, all-time. It follows a €17 million equity raise in May 2025 and a €25 million European Investment Bank venture-debt facility announced in January 2026.
What could go wrong? Defence buyers move slowly, and a navy contract or partnership does not always translate into revenue. Competitors include ThalesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which already offers thin-line towed arrays for uncrewed vessels, and Andrenam, which raised $10 million in June 2025.
The signal: The distributed fibre optic sensor market is set to grow from $1.41 billion in 2024 to $2.63 billion by 2030. European defence tech funding remains uneven, with Dealroom data showing mega rounds account for over 85% of the total this year — leaving smaller players like Optics11 to convert order books into deliveries.
Read more: Tech Funding News
Image credit: Optics11