Beijing Zhilian Technology Co., Ltd., a nascent player in the optical switching market, has successfully secured 40 million yuan in an angel funding round. The financing, which was led by Zhongying Venture Capital with support from Beichuang Venture Capital, will be utilized to expedite the mass production of its innovative optical switching chips and to bolster its research and development efforts for next-generation technologies.
Founded in 2025 and headquartered in Beijing, Zhilian Technology is focused on developing fast optical switching systems, leveraging its core technology in Arrayed Waveguide Grating Routers (AWGR). This technology enables high-speed, nanosecond-level optical switching, addressing the growing demands for enhanced bandwidth and reduced latency in intelligent computing networks. The company’s flagship product—the world’s first batch of optical switching chips compatible with the Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) standard—has already completed demo verification and is undergoing small-scale application tests within leading intelligent computing centers.
As artificial intelligence (AI) applications proliferate, the limitations of traditional electrical switching networks become increasingly apparent. These networks face challenges related to bandwidth, latency, and energy efficiency, which are critical for large-scale AI workloads. Optical switching chips from Zhilian Technology, capable of executing large-capacity data path switching within the optical domain, present a transformative solution. By utilizing a flat network topology, they can significantly mitigate communication latency, thereby supporting the evolution of next-generation computing supernodes and large-scale computing clusters.
The optical switching technology landscape is still emerging, with current offerings classified into slow and fast optical switching categories. Slow optical switching, which operates at millisecond-level speeds, generally falls short of meeting the real-time and high-frequency communication requirements of AI training. In contrast, fast optical switching solutions, such as those based on AWGR technology, boast nanosecond-level switching capabilities and are poised for broader application in real-time interconnections between computing clusters and GPUs.
The founding team of Zhilian Technology is led by Professor Xue Xuwei, a tenured professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and an expert in optoelectronic hybrid switching technologies. Joining him are co-founders Li Chenhui, who holds a doctorate from Eindhoven University of Technology and specializes in silicon-based optoelectronic integration, and Zhang Maosen, a seasoned leader with experience in data commercialization and enterprise management. Their collective expertise is instrumental in driving Zhilian’s innovations and operational strategies.
Professor Xue elucidated the imperative for optical switching in an environment where Moore’s Law is faltering. He noted that the demand for intelligent computing networks is escalating exponentially, presenting a significant structural contradiction with the slowed growth in electrical switching capacity. He highlighted that optical switching offers distinct advantages in terms of power consumption, cost, and system stability, which are increasingly vital as the computing landscape evolves.
On the technical front, Zhilian Technology’s commitment to the AWGR route stems from its superior capabilities compared to slower optical communication switching methods, which Xue characterized as inadequate for real-time applications. He emphasized that AWGR technology is not just about manufacturing devices, but about delivering comprehensive solutions that incorporate multi-wavelength transceivers and a robust scheduling system, thereby ensuring the seamless integration of optical switching in intelligent computing centers.
Despite its technological advantages, Zhilian Technology faces challenges primarily related to the industry’s ecosystem. Transitioning from electrical to optical switching necessitates collaborative efforts across the entire intelligent computing center supply chain, which can be complex. While other domestic companies are exploring optical switching solutions, Zhilian has established a competitive edge in terms of technology, patent positioning, and a holistic system approach.
Looking ahead, Zhilian Technology’s ambitious plans position it at the forefront of a critical transition in the computing industry. The completion of its angel round financing marks a significant step towards realizing its vision of revolutionizing data communication within AI-driven environments. As the demand for more efficient and high-capacity systems continues to soar, Zhilian’s innovations in optical switching technology could prove pivotal in shaping the future of intelligent computing networks.
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