Ayar Labs raises $150M extension for optical chip interconnect

Ayar Labs, a Silicon Valley startup developing a way to link AI chips directly together with optical connections, said Thursday it raised an additional $150 million, according to a Reuters report summarized by Techmeme. The new money extends the company's earlier Series E round announced in March 2026. The company is working on optical interconnect technology intended to move data between AI accelerators using light rather than electrical links. The disclosure gives the startup additional capital as demand for high-bandwidth connections between AI chips grows. The source does not state the investors, the valuation, or how the funds will be allocated.