Apheros, a Swiss deep tech startup, has raised $1.85 million in a pre-seed funding round to accelerate the development of its innovative metal foam cooling technology. The company, founded in August 2023 as a spinout from ETH Zurich, aims to address the growing energy consumption challenges in data centers, driven by the surge in AI, machine learning, and supercomputing.
Addressing the Energy Crisis in Data Centers
Data centers are the backbone of the digital age, but their energy consumption is skyrocketing. By 2030, it’s estimated that six percent of global energy consumption will be dedicated to cooling these facilities. The transition from traditional cooling methods to more cost- and energy-efficient solutions is becoming crucial.
Apheros has developed a patented metal foam technology designed to meet this urgent need. The company’s manufacturing process creates unique foam structures with completely open porosity and an unparalleled surface area, surpassing traditional solutions by a factor of a thousand. This translates into exceptional heat transfer and flow properties, making Apheros’ metal foams ideal for high-performance cooling applications.
Expanding Market and Environmental Impact
Apheros is currently targeting the thermal management market, with a focus on liquid cooling—a segment expanding rapidly due to the growing demand for High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence, and data centers. As energy shortages become more pressing and climate protection goals more ambitious, the need for higher-performing cooling solutions is critical.
Julia Carpenter, co-founder and CEO of Apheros, highlighted the potential impact of their technology, stating, “Our technology has the potential to set new industry standards and significantly reduce the environmental impact of cooling solutions worldwide.” Carpenter emphasized that the funding will allow Apheros to expand production, enhance research and development, and bring state-of-the-art solutions to a broader market.
Gaëlle Andreatta, co-founder and CTO of Apheros, added, “Our unique metal foams have superior heat exchange and fluid transport properties, especially for liquid and two-phase cooling. With our customers, we are redefining thermal management.”
Backing from Venture Capital
The $1.85 million pre-seed funding round was led by Founderful, a venture capital firm committed to supporting groundbreaking technologies. Lukas Weder, founding partner at Founderful, expressed excitement about Apheros’ mission, noting that their approach has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption and establish new industry standards.
Future Outlook
With this funding, Apheros is poised to advance its mission of improving thermal performance and increasing energy efficiency in data centers. The company plans to expand production, ramp up R&D efforts, and introduce its revolutionary cooling solutions to a broader market. Apheros’ technology could play a crucial role in making data centers more sustainable and helping the industry meet its climate goals.
