Lightsonic raises €3.3M Seed to scale fiber optic sensing for infrastructure

Lightsonic, a UK–Norwegian deeptech, has secured €3.3 M in seed funding to scale its AI-powered software platform for distributed fiber optic sensing. The round was led by Maki.vc, with participation from RAISE Ventures and Sondo.

The company’s software repurposes existing telecom fiber networks into real-time, city-scale monitoring grids capable of detecting threats and anomalies in critical infrastructure without requiring any hardware upgrades.

Lightsonic’s platform overlays existing fiber optic cables and applies machine learning to detect and classify events such as underwater intrusions, gas leaks, and physical tampering. This allows telecom lines, traditionally used only for data transmission, to double as environmental and security sensors across urban and industrial systems.

The company plans to grow its team, accelerate product development, and prepare for commercial rollouts across Europe and beyond. Its base in Kristiansund, Norway and a UK subsidiary position it well to serve both energy-rich Northern markets and urban centers looking to digitise infrastructure.

Unlike hardware-heavy alternatives in the infrastructure monitoring space, Lightsonic’s platform is purely software-based, allowing for rapid deployment at scale and lower upfront costs. This positions the startup to compete in both public infrastructure markets and private industrial sectors where asset monitoring, environmental compliance, and resilience are increasingly important.

“This investment marks a significant milestone in our mission to enhance the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of critical infrastructure worldwide. We are grateful for the trust and support of our investors as we bring our cutting-edge fiber optic sensing solutions to market,” said Tommy Langnes, co-founder and CEO.

The company is already targeting high-impact use cases. Beyond physical security and threat detection, Lightsonic’s software is designed to detect pipeline leaks, improve network efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs across water and energy systems.

The dual-use nature of its solution aims to appeal to both defense-aligned infrastructure programs and sustainability-driven utilities.

“Lightsonic's approach to fiber optic sensing is a game-changer for critical infrastructure monitoring,” said Paavo Räisänen, Partner at Maki.vc. “At Maki.vc, we back deep-tech companies that redefine industries, and we are excited to support their journey in bringing this technology to the global market.”

Nicolas Chow, Principal at RAISE Ventures, added: “The pressure on infrastructure is higher than ever, and the need for Lightsonic’s scalable technology has never been clearer. Their proactive monitoring of large networks—like water, gas, and cable—can significantly reduce environmental impact and operational risks.”