7-digit pre-seed round for new data storage technology

Munich-based deep tech ewigbyte has closed a pre-seed financing round of 1.6 million euros. The round was supported by BayStartUP. The aim is to bring a novel glass-based storage technology to market maturity and thus strengthen long-term data security and digital resilience in Europe.

The financing is led by Vanagon Ventures and Bayern Kapital. It is supplemented by several business angels from the BayStartUP investor network. The company has also received a validation mandate from the German Federal Agency for Leap Innovations (SPRIND), which classifies the project as a potential leap innovation.

Data is written directly into the glass

In contrast to conventional storage methods, the company does not rely on magnetic or electrical states. Instead, information is physically written into glass using a femtosecond laser. This creates microscopically small structures that are reminiscent of QR codes and can store more than one million data points per laser pulse.

The data stored in this way is permanently fixed, insensitive to environmental factors such as heat or moisture and no longer requires any energy after the writing process. Changes can only be made by physically destroying the material, which guarantees a particularly high level of data security.

Response to growing data volumes and energy requirements

The background to this development is the rapid growth in global data volumes - not least due to AI applications. At the same time, traditional storage technologies, some of which date back to the 1950s, are increasingly reaching their technical and economic limits.

Data centers already consume enormous amounts of energy, storage media must be regularly replaced or migrated, and long-term archive data (cold data) presents many organizations with unresolved challenges. In addition, there are risks from cyber attacks, power outages and other external influences.

Capital for industrial prototype and pilot applications

The startup plans to use the fresh capital to develop an industrial write, read and storage system as a prototype. This system is intended to bridge the gap between research and practical application and enable initial pilot projects with partners.

The company plans to implement central components faster than originally planned and thus realize the first application scenarios in the short term.

Network support as a decisive factor

BayStartUP supported the financing from preparing the pitches to strategic sparring and approaching suitable investors. As a result, experienced business angels with industry expertise were involved alongside institutional investors.

Market for long-term data storage

The demand for secure, long-term storage solutions is increasing across all sectors. The European market for next-generation data storage is expected to grow to around 28 billion euros by 2030. The area of long-term data storage is developing particularly dynamically, and its global volume could rise to more than 500 zettabytes by the end of the decade.

Potential users include archives, research institutions, financial service providers, energy suppliers and medical institutions - in other words, organizations for which data integrity is critical for decades to come.

Interdisciplinary founding team

The team combines scientific expertise in photonic data storage with experience in building technological business models and know-how in system architecture, electronics and organizational development. The company was awarded the title of "Best IT Start-up" at the German IT Security Congress in 2025.