Optics11, a startup building advanced fiber optic sensing solutions, has secured a €17 million ($19 million) funding round. The funding allows the company to rapidly scale its suite of fiber optic solutions and offer a proactive defense to energy and maritime operators, according to company CEO Paul Heiden. Optics11’s technology platform addresses risks to energy grids and maritime assets with fiber optic sensing designed to improve fault detection and infrastructure security. The company developed a predictive monitoring solution, called OptiFender, that rapidly identifies and locates partial discharge events — the earliest indicator of upcoming asset failures — within high and medium voltage electrical systems. The company’s OptiBarrier and OptiArray solutions provide a subsea early-warning system via precision fiber optic sensors that continuously safeguard underwater infrastructure against sabotage and unauthorized interference. OptiArray has already been adopted for integration into the Royal Netherlands Navy’s upcoming Orka-class submarines. The optical thin-line towed array system uses Optics11’s technology to enhance submarines’ navigational and defensive capabilities. According to Optics11, the product's compact design and low power consumption enable extended missions without compromising performance.