# The €211M Question: Can Graphene Beat Silicon at Its Own Game in AI Data Centers?

- slug: the-211m-question-can-graphene-beat-silicon-at-its-own-game-in-ai-data-centers
- date: 2026-04-16
- category: Space & Aerospace

The EU just bet €211M that a seven-year-old Cambridge spinout can solve the AI data center power problem with graphene — before silicon photonics makers like Ayar Labs and Lightmatter make the question irrelevant.

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