Oriole Networks

Photonics accelerating AI and ML in a low-carbon world.

Man looking at internet modems

Oriole Networks aims to leverage the power of photonics to answer the question of how to accelerate AI and machine learning in a low-carbon world. 

By moving data with light alone, PRISM (Photonic Routing Infrastructure for Scalable Models) boosts LLM training and inference to new levels while making AI data centres far more energy efficient.

The basis for its groundbreaking technology is research that co-founder Professor George Zervas has worked on for the past 20 years. 

The Oriole journey so far:

  • 2023: founded at UCL 
  • 2024:
    • £10 million seed funding
    • $22 million investment 
       

Team

Professor George Zervas

Founder

Professor of Optical Networked Systems. He has made significant contributions to optical switching, networking, and architectures of data centres and telecomms networks.<br /> <br />

Dr Alessandro Ottino, Co-founder

Dr Joshua Benjamin, Co-founder 

Dr Will Mortimore

Dr. Will Mortimore

Senior Business Manager

Dr Will Mortimore is responsible for fostering UCL’s Physical Sciences IP portfolio into commercial opportunities across a broad range of technologies and sectors, with a key focus on Climate Tech.

Will joined UCL Ventures from the University of Surrey where he managed technology transfer for the faculty of engineering and physical sciences, leading the creation of several spinouts and commercial opportunities.  This has been built upon solid international commercial experience as a business development manager for technical products covering a wide range of industries from aviation to medical devices. 

Prior to this, Will held a number of materials development roles from a PhD in fuel cells through to product development and scientific consultancy for the power sector.