Prisma Photonics

Established in 2017, Prisma Photonics is a Tel Aviv-based company specializing in monitoring solutions for large-scale critical infrastructure. The company was founded by Dr. Eran Inbar, who currently serves as CEO. His background includes a Ph.D. in Physical Electronics from Tel-Aviv University and the founding of V-Gen, a fiber laser company acquired by Spectra Physics. This deep expertise in lasers and photonics directly informs the company's core technology.

Prisma Photonics has developed a system that transforms pre-existing optical fiber cables into distributed sensors, eliminating the need to install new hardware on the infrastructure itself. This technology, called Hyper-Scan Fiber-Sensing, connects an optical interrogator unit to a single fiber, which then transmits light pulses and measures the reflections. By analyzing these reflections, the system can detect changes in strain, temperature, and vibration, effectively turning the entire length of the fiber into a continuous sensor. The collected data is then processed by machine learning algorithms to identify and classify events in real-time with meter-level accuracy, significantly reducing false alarms.

The company serves a diverse client base of Tier-1 utility operators across several sectors, including power grids, oil and gas pipelines, railways, and subsea infrastructure. Its client roster includes notable entities like the New York Power Authority, Israel Electric Corporation, and Israel Natural Gas Lines. The business model operates on a 'pay-as-you-grow' basis, offering a cost-effective solution for monitoring vast networks spanning thousands of kilometers. Products are tailored to specific industries, such as PrismaPower for electrical grids, PrismaFlow for pipelines, and PrismaShield for perimeter security. These solutions enable predictive maintenance, enhance safety, and improve grid reliability and efficiency. For power companies, the technology helps manage grid congestion and integrate more renewable energy sources, aligning with regulations like FERC Order 881 in the U.S.

Since its inception, Prisma Photonics has secured over $50 million in funding through multiple rounds, including a Series C round of approximately $20 million in September 2023 led by Insight Partners. Other significant investors include SE Ventures (Schneider Electric's venture arm), Future Energy Ventures (E.ON's venture platform), and Elements, a climate tech fund. The company has received numerous accolades for its technology, including the 2020 Prism Award and recognition as a Red Herring Top 100 Europe Winner in 2021.

Keywords: infrastructure monitoring, fiber optic sensing, distributed acoustic sensing, machine learning, predictive maintenance, grid management, pipeline security, power transmission, real-time alerts, asset monitoring, utility operators, Eran Inbar, Hyper-Scan Fiber-Sensing, grid resilience, leak detection, perimeter security, smart grid, energy tech, industrial technology, climate-tech, electro-optics, photonics