HomeRelativity Networks Secures $22M to Deploy High-Speed Fiber for Data Centers
Industry forecasts project data center developers will invest up to $4 trillion by decade’s end, yet site selection remains heavily restricted by political factors and power-grid limitations. While fiber speed is typically taken for granted, one firm is wagering that faster fiber could fundamentally alter the geographic strategy behind data center expansion.
On Tuesday, Relativity Networks announced $22 million in SAFE note funding led by Rhapsody Venture Partners, Bell Ventures Inc., and Faster Than Glass LLC, among other investors. A SAFE note converts into equity during the company’s first priced round, a standard mechanism for pre-seed and seed-stage financing. Additionally, the company secured a $40 million follow-on order from a major hyperscaler, which requested anonymity.
Relativity Networks specializes in hollow-core fiber, a niche technology that transmits data 30% faster than traditional fiber. Unlike conventional fiber, which guides light through glass, hollow-core fiber channels light through a vacuum core, bringing transmission speeds closer to the theoretical limit of light.
This improvement translates to microseconds. CEO Jason Eisenholz notes that signals take approximately five microseconds to travel one kilometer via conventional fiber. Switching to hollow-core technology reduces this latency to just 3.5 microseconds.
When AI workloads were confined to single GPU racks, fiber latency was negligible. However, as scale increases, so does the physical distance between GPUs. Modern data center campuses often span hundreds of acres and multiple buildings. Eisenholz identifies a key opportunity in multi-campus deployments, where existing facilities are interconnected to function as a single unit.
“The largest systems distribute compute across multiple campuses to access available power,” he explains to TechCrunch. “They are moving into existing structures, but they must still operate as one synchronized machine.”
This approach offers a partial solution to the spatial constraints limiting many current data center projects. By reducing latency by 30%, developers can span distances 30% larger before performance degrades. As compute projects grow, Eisenholz believes this represents a significant industry shift.
“The first AI era optimized for raw compute,” he states. “It focused on GPUs. The second era optimized internal data center networking to leverage that compute. The emerging third era is optimizing geography.”
Related article
TerraPower’s nuclear reactor emerges as key solution for powering AI data centers
Nuclear power startups are positioning themselves as the solution to AI data centers’ most pressing challenge: reliable, always-on energy. TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is the latest entrant, with Bloomberg reporting that the company plans to un
US data centers may outpace Germany and Japan in natural gas use by 2035
The AI arms race has intensified to such a degree that U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035.Over the next decade, data centers are expected to become the second-largest driver of natural
Senate Demands Data Centers Reveal Power Bills
Two U.S. senators have escalated their campaign against data centers and their energy consumption, sending a letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday. Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren requested that the agency g
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Design & Art
Top AI Illustration Tools: Create Editorial Scenes and Cover Art Faster
2026 Latest Top-rated AI Illustration Tools: Our curated list features the best powerfully designed tools for creating stunning editorial scenes and eye-catching cover art quickly. Each option has gone through rigorous real-world tests, offering a free vs paid comparison to help you find the perfect match for your workflow. Try these must-try solutions today to unlock your AI edge and boost your creative productivity. Explore now at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
Education and Learning
Top AI Tutors for Exam Prep: Practice Math, Science, and English
2026 Latest Top-Rated Best AI Tutors for Exam Prep are here on XIX.AI! Our curated list features powerful game-changing tools that offer free vs paid comparison, real-world tests, and weekly updated rankings. They help boost your writing efficiency, simplify complex topic learning, and unlock your academic potential. Explore now to Discover your perfect exam prep tool and Start creating today to Unlock your AI edge!
10 tools
xix.ai
Finance
AI Budget Planning Tools for Personal Money Management
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Budget Planning Tools for Personal Money Management are here on XIX.AI! This curated collection features powerful, game-changing solutions that help you conduct real-world tests, understand spending habits, and create personalized plans to boost productivity. Enjoy a free vs paid comparison along with detailed rankings. Must-try tools designed to simplify money management and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
Health & Wellness
AI Sleep Tracking Assistants: Improve Recovery with Better Bedtime Habits
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Sleep Tracking Assistants curated for ultimate recovery. This fully updated weekly guide features powerful tools that deliver real-world tests, free vs paid comparison, and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try solution that boosts sleep quality and supports better bedtime habits. Explore now at XIX.AI to Unlock your AI edge.
10 tools
xix.ai
Data Analysis
AI SQL Copilots for Product and Revenue Analytics
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI SQL Copilots for Product and Revenue Analytics! XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection of must-try tools that undergo real-world tests through weekly updated rankings. These tools help users boost productivity significantly by accelerating data analysis, streamlining complex queries, and generating accurate insights to drive smarter business decisions. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for unlocking your AI edge!
14 tools
xix.ai
Education and Learning
Best AI Homework Helpers That Teach: Learn Concepts, Not Just Answers
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Homework Helpers That Teach Core Concepts Not Just Answers Powerful Tools for Students Must-Try Curated List Weekly Updated Free vs Paid Comparison Real-World Tests Accurate Rankings to Help You Unlock Your Full Learning Potential Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for smarter studying.
10 tools
xix.ai
Comments (0)
0/500
Industry forecasts project data center developers will invest up to $4 trillion by decade’s end, yet site selection remains heavily restricted by political factors and power-grid limitations. While fiber speed is typically taken for granted, one firm is wagering that faster fiber could fundamentally alter the geographic strategy behind data center expansion.
On Tuesday, Relativity Networks announced $22 million in SAFE note funding led by Rhapsody Venture Partners, Bell Ventures Inc., and Faster Than Glass LLC, among other investors. A SAFE note converts into equity during the company’s first priced round, a standard mechanism for pre-seed and seed-stage financing. Additionally, the company secured a $40 million follow-on order from a major hyperscaler, which requested anonymity.
Relativity Networks specializes in hollow-core fiber, a niche technology that transmits data 30% faster than traditional fiber. Unlike conventional fiber, which guides light through glass, hollow-core fiber channels light through a vacuum core, bringing transmission speeds closer to the theoretical limit of light.
This improvement translates to microseconds. CEO Jason Eisenholz notes that signals take approximately five microseconds to travel one kilometer via conventional fiber. Switching to hollow-core technology reduces this latency to just 3.5 microseconds.
When AI workloads were confined to single GPU racks, fiber latency was negligible. However, as scale increases, so does the physical distance between GPUs. Modern data center campuses often span hundreds of acres and multiple buildings. Eisenholz identifies a key opportunity in multi-campus deployments, where existing facilities are interconnected to function as a single unit.
“The largest systems distribute compute across multiple campuses to access available power,” he explains to TechCrunch. “They are moving into existing structures, but they must still operate as one synchronized machine.”
This approach offers a partial solution to the spatial constraints limiting many current data center projects. By reducing latency by 30%, developers can span distances 30% larger before performance degrades. As compute projects grow, Eisenholz believes this represents a significant industry shift.
“The first AI era optimized for raw compute,” he states. “It focused on GPUs. The second era optimized internal data center networking to leverage that compute. The emerging third era is optimizing geography.”
TerraPower’s nuclear reactor emerges as key solution for powering AI data centers
Nuclear power startups are positioning themselves as the solution to AI data centers’ most pressing challenge: reliable, always-on energy. TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is the latest entrant, with Bloomberg reporting that the company plans to un
US data centers may outpace Germany and Japan in natural gas use by 2035
The AI arms race has intensified to such a degree that U.S. data centers are projected to consume more natural gas than Germany and Japan combined by 2035.Over the next decade, data centers are expected to become the second-largest driver of natural
Senate Demands Data Centers Reveal Power Bills
Two U.S. senators have escalated their campaign against data centers and their energy consumption, sending a letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday. Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren requested that the agency g
2026 Latest Top-rated AI Illustration Tools: Our curated list features the best powerfully designed tools for creating stunning editorial scenes and eye-catching cover art quickly. Each option has gone through rigorous real-world tests, offering a free vs paid comparison to help you find the perfect match for your workflow. Try these must-try solutions today to unlock your AI edge and boost your creative productivity. Explore now at XIX.AI.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Top-Rated Best AI Tutors for Exam Prep are here on XIX.AI! Our curated list features powerful game-changing tools that offer free vs paid comparison, real-world tests, and weekly updated rankings. They help boost your writing efficiency, simplify complex topic learning, and unlock your academic potential. Explore now to Discover your perfect exam prep tool and Start creating today to Unlock your AI edge!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Budget Planning Tools for Personal Money Management are here on XIX.AI! This curated collection features powerful, game-changing solutions that help you conduct real-world tests, understand spending habits, and create personalized plans to boost productivity. Enjoy a free vs paid comparison along with detailed rankings. Must-try tools designed to simplify money management and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Sleep Tracking Assistants curated for ultimate recovery. This fully updated weekly guide features powerful tools that deliver real-world tests, free vs paid comparison, and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try solution that boosts sleep quality and supports better bedtime habits. Explore now at XIX.AI to Unlock your AI edge.
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI SQL Copilots for Product and Revenue Analytics! XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection of must-try tools that undergo real-world tests through weekly updated rankings. These tools help users boost productivity significantly by accelerating data analysis, streamlining complex queries, and generating accurate insights to drive smarter business decisions. Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for unlocking your AI edge!
14 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Homework Helpers That Teach Core Concepts Not Just Answers Powerful Tools for Students Must-Try Curated List Weekly Updated Free vs Paid Comparison Real-World Tests Accurate Rankings to Help You Unlock Your Full Learning Potential Explore now to Discover your perfect tool for smarter studying.
10 tools
xix.ai
