Advanced Oxford welcomes the news that Salience Labs has joined Milton Park, bringing its pioneering work in photonic switching technology to one of the UK’s most established science and technology communities. This development strengthens Oxfordshire’s position as a leading hub for advanced computing and supports the continued growth of our innovation ecosystem.
Milton Park, the UK’s largest single-ownership innovation community, has welcomed Salience Labs, a start-up which is pioneering photonic switches for AI data centres. The company, which has raised over 54 million dollars, including backing from Oxford Science Enterprises, builds on decades of research from the universities of Oxford and Münster. Salience will use its bespoke R&D facility to pioneer photonic switches that route and manage data traffic more quickly and more cost efficiently.
Traditional switches in data centres rely on millions of conversions between electrical and optical signals. These conversions use significant amounts of energy and slow down data speeds. Salience’s switches use light to transmit and process data instead of traditional electronic methods, enabling faster and more energy efficient communication, particularly across complex computing infrastructures such as AI data centres.
Salience’s move to Milton Park has more than tripled its workspace. The fit-out has expanded optical lab spaces to create a dedicated, collaborative environment for its 50 plus employees, while the building’s sustainability credentials support Salience’s long-term goals.
The team are developing optical switching technology in the new space, tackling two of computing’s biggest bottlenecks: latency, meaning delays in response, and energy consumption. By keeping data in light rather than converting it back and forth into electrical signals, the approach reduces delays and lowers the power requirements of large-scale operations.
Salience Labs commented:
“At Salience Labs, we are developing optical switches that unlock higher performance and energy efficiency for next generation AI infrastructure. As models grow in scale and complexity, breakthroughs in compute and networking are not just a nice to have… They are essential.
Home to over 280 innovative companies, Salience joins a thriving community at Milton Park. They are also the latest company from the Oxford Science Enterprises portfolio to move into the Park, alongside Living Optics and Wild Bioscience.
Other factors behind Salience’s move included Milton Park’s excellent transport links, its strong sustainability credentials and its wide range of on-site amenities. At the heart of this offer is Signal Yard, Milton Park’s new amenity hub, which is set to open in early 2026. It has been carefully designed to bring people together and will host a line-up of Oxfordshire-based independents, alongside essential community services such as an NHS dentist, post office, pharmacy, barbers and wellness facilities. Tap Social Movement will launch its “Day Release” venue, offering its full range of beer, alongside fresh coffee, sourdough and pastries from Proof Social Bakehouse.
For more information on Milton Park, please visit: www.miltonpark.com
