SpaceX Alumni Raise $50 Million for Data Center Optical Tech

Mesh Optical Technologies, a data center optical hardware startup founded by SpaceX alumni, secured $50 million in funding to accelerate U.S. manufacturing of its high-speed data transfer technology. The Series B round was led by Thrive Capital, the venture firm founded by Joshua Kushner, signaling strong investor confidence in optical interconnect solutions for modern data infrastructure. The funding will scale production of Mesh Optical’s hardware, which enables faster, more efficient data movement within data centers—a critical bottleneck as AI and cloud computing demands surge. The startup’s technology leverages advanced photonics to replace traditional electrical interconnects, reducing latency and energy consumption in hyperscale computing environments. This investment underscores growing industry focus on optical solutions to meet exponential data growth, with Mesh Optical positioning itself as a key player in next-generation data center infrastructure.