French deeptech company Cailabs secures funding to support its growth, expand its operations, and continue developing its laser communication technologies.
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Rennes-based Cailabs, a French deeptech company in advanced photonics, has raised €57M to support its industrial expansion and global growth.
The funding round, led by the European Investment Bank (EIB), includes €37M from the EIB. The EIB loan is backed by a guarantee from InvestEU, the European innovation programme.
While the additional €20M comes from Bpifrance (Definvest & Innovation), NewSpace Capital, the European Innovation Council (EIC), Starquest Capital, and CAIVE (Crédit Agricole Ille et Vilaine Expansion).
Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President at the European Investment Bank, says, “Space technologies are increasingly important for civilian use as well as for security and defence applications. As the bank of the European Union, the EIB supports Cailabs’ investments in manufacturing capabilities and in research & development of its laser communication technologies.”
“The project is fully aligned with the EIB strategic priorities of security and defence, and technological innovation under its TechEU programme.”
Developing innovative photonic solutions
Cailabs is a global deep-tech company that designs, develops, and manufactures photonic solutions for the space, industry, telecommunications, and defence sectors.
The company was founded in 2013 by Jean-François Morizur, with Guillaume Labroille as Chief Technology Officer and co-founder.
Its proprietary Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC) technology, developed in 2010 by Morizur and Nicolas Treps at Kastler Brossel Laboratory and Australian National University, is present in all its products and forms the basis of its solutions.
Cailabs applies its knowledge in photonics and engineering to create laser light products for various industries. These products provide faster, safer, reliable, and precise solutions. The company has expanded internationally, with offices in France and the United States.
As a specialist in laser communication, Cailabs has developed turnkey Optical Ground Stations (OGS) using atmospheric turbulence compensation technology, enabling low-latency data links across space and terrestrial networks.
Capital utilisation
Cailabs has secured structured financing, reflecting its economic maturity and the fact that more than 10 OGS are already under contract.
The funds will support the company’s strategic roadmap. Cailabs plans to scale up production and supply chain operations to produce up to 50 OGS annually by 2027. The company has established a new industrial platform capable of assembling and validating up to five stations in parallel.
The proceeds will also support the expansion of its international presence, including a larger US office and overseas contracts. In addition, the funds will advance its product offering, including turnkey 100+Gbps solutions, transportable OGS, and expanded orbit options.
Jean-François Morizur, co-founder and CEO of Cailabs, mentions, “This funding round reflects our solid fundamentals and the confidence investors have in our strategic vision. It enables us to scale up industrial capabilities and prepare for the next stage of growth.”
“Cailabs’ solutions are of strategic importance for France’s sovereignty in Defence and Space,” mentions Nicolas Berdou, Director of Investments for the funds Fonds Innovation Defence & Definvest.
What do the investors have to say?
“We are excited to support Cailabs’ expansion at this pivotal moment for optical communications. The shift is driving significant growth in the space sector, with an ever-increasing impact for mission-critical applications and our daily lives,” says Daniel Biedermann, Partner, NewSpace Capital.
Arnaud Delattre, Founding Partner & CEO, Starquest Capital, adds, “Caïlabs has developed a decisive technology disruption at the heart of the most dynamic Spacetech industry, and they have cracked the key US market, outperforming local industry leaders. It is a real game changer, and continuing supporting such a unique deeptech company was a no-brainer decision for an historical shareholder such as Starquest.”
Brief about the European Investment Bank
The EIB, owned by EU Member States, finances investments in eight core areas that support EU policy objectives. In 2024, the EIB Group, including the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89B for over 900 projects across Europe.
In France, the group signed more than 100 agreements totalling €12.6B. Around 60 per cent of EIB Group financing, and 69 per cent in France, supports projects addressing climate change and climate adaptation.
