How Much Did Calient Raise? Headquarters, Funding & Key Investors

Calient has raised $458 million across multiple rounds, including a $6M Series F round in August 2016, a $13.2M Series F round in March 2017, and a $32M Series G round in August 2019. Founded in 1999, the company specializes in photonic optical circuit switching solutions designed for high-capacity, low-latency network environments. Calient’s funding rounds supported the refinement of its Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) technology, expansion into telecom and hyperscale data centers, and development of automation tools that optimize high-bandwidth, software-defined networks before its acquisition.

How Much Did Calient Raise? Funding & Key Investors

Calient is a technology innovator known for delivering high-bandwidth, ultra-low-latency photonic switching solutions for advanced network environments. Its optical circuit switching technology enables data centers, telecom operators, cloud providers, and high-performance computing environments to scale traffic with flexibility and cost efficiency. Calient’s platform supports protocol-agnostic connectivity, fast reconfiguration, and reliable automation, making it ideal for dynamic workloads, multi-cloud deployments, and mission-critical network operations. With extensive application across DevOps automation, FTTP networks, disaster recovery, and subsea cable systems, Calient has become a key enabler of next-generation fiber-based network architectures.

What Is Calient and What Does It Do?

Calient, founded in 1999 in Goleta, United States, operates as a provider of photonic optical circuit switching technology for high-bandwidth and flexible network environments. Its solutions enable carriers, data centers, and enterprises to automate, route, and reconfigure optical connections at scale, independent of data speed or protocol.

Calient employs 13+ people, supporting highly specialized engineering and network innovation capabilities.
The company’s flagship Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) technology provides ultra-low latency, scalability, and simple installation, enabling operators to optimize evolving network topologies and reduce operational complexity across industries such as telecom, cloud, HPC, and cybersecurity.

How Much Funding Has Calient Raised?

1. Series F

Amount Raised: $6M
Date: August 15, 2016
Motivation: To support engineering enhancements and expand deployments in telecom and data center markets.

2. Series F

Amount Raised: $13.2M
Date: March 10, 2017
Motivation: To accelerate commercialization of photonic switching products and expand customer integrations.

3. Series G

Amount Raised: $32M
Date: August 14, 2019
Motivation: To scale partnerships, enhance automation software, and strengthen global sales operations.

Total Funding Raised: $458M

Latest Funding Date: August 2019

Key Investors

1. Greylock Partners

Details: Premier venture capital fund backing high-growth enterprise and infrastructure companies.
Investment Focus Areas: Cloud infrastructure, SaaS, enterprise networking, AI systems.
Notable Investments: Workday, Palo Alto Networks, Roblox, Meta, Calient.

2. Juniper Networks

Details: Global leader in networking equipment and software-backed infrastructure innovation.
Investment Focus Areas: Networking hardware, optical systems, cybersecurity, cloud automation.
Notable Investments: Calient, StackPath, Mist Systems, Apstra, Aryaka.

3. Sofinnova Investments

Details: Long-standing venture investor supporting innovative technology and deep-tech companies.
Investment Focus Areas: Telecommunications, semiconductors, cleantech, advanced optics.
Notable Investments: Calient, Sonus Networks, SiTime, Audience, Silicon Spice.

Where Is Calient’s Headquarters?

Calient is headquartered in Goleta, California, a strategic location for advanced photonics research and proximity to leading engineering talent. The region supports high-tech innovation, optical manufacturing, and collaboration with research institutions crucial to the company’s core optical switching technologies.

What’s Next for Calient?

Calient is expected to strengthen its photonic switching solutions within large-scale data centers, telecom infrastructure, and cloud automation frameworks. The company will continue enhancing its OCS platform, improving automation software, and supporting high-density fiber architectures. As networks increasingly shift toward flexible, software-defined and high-capacity optical layers, Calient is positioned to remain an essential player in next-generation network modernization.

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