Noida-based photonics startup CloudPhotonix is riding India's AI data-centre boom — and it has the numbers to prove it. The company, which makes high-speed optical connectivity tech for AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centres and telecom networks, is targeting revenue of ₹100 crore by FY28, its co-founder and CEO Tarun Sibal told The Hindu BusinessLine on October 20, 2026.
Started just two-and-a-half years ago, CloudPhotonix has invested around ₹40 crore till date and expects to close the current financial year with revenue of about ₹25 crore. Remarkably, the company says it has already achieved operating break-even — a rare feat for a deep-tech startup still scaling its factory.
Its portfolio spans 1G–800G optical transceivers, and its customers include Tejas Networks, Reliance Jio and CtrlS alongside internet service providers. Sibal claims CloudPhotonix is the first company in India to set up a physical photonics manufacturing unit, at a time when most rivals make these components in China, Malaysia, Taiwan or Vietnam.
The timing helps: the Indian photonics market is expected to grow fourfold to around $10 billion by 2031 from $2.5 billion today, according to the India Photonics Association, driven by data centres, cloud and electronics.
Why it matters for founders
CloudPhotonix shows the deep-tech path working in startup funding in India: pick an import-dominated component, localise manufacturing early, and land enterprise customers before scale. Operating break-even at 2.5 years gives it leverage few hardware startups enjoy — pricing power without constant fundraising.