What Cerabyte does

Cerabyte is a Munich-headquartered storage technology company founded in 2022 that develops a ceramic-on-glass data storage system for long-term archival use. Its patented core technology deposits ceramic nanolayers onto ultra-thin glass substrates; data is encoded via focused ion beam writing and laser matrix encoding, then read with high-speed microscope systems. The product stack comprises four integrated components: a Ceramic-on-Glass storage medium (claimed 5,000+ year durability, 2 TB per A4-sized sheet), an ultra-fast laser matrix writing system (up to 2,000,000 bits per pulse), a 19-inch rack robotic library (10 PB/rack at 1 GB/s write/read), and a high-speed microscope reading system. The system is positioned as offering zero-energy retention and the lowest storage TCO versus magnetic tape or HDD-based archives.

The company targets three customer segments: hyperscale and cloud service providers, regulated and high-liability industries (banking, insurance, healthcare), and science and heritage archives. Revenue mechanics described include hardware sales of complete storage systems, licensing of the ceramic-on-glass technology, and pilot testing services. Distribution is exclusively direct enterprise sales — pilots are restricted to qualified enterprises, research institutions, and institutional investors — and no pricing is publicly disclosed. Strategic validation comes from Pure Storage, Western Digital, and Everpure as investors; Corning, Trumpf, and Schott as supply partners; and TU Wien and Fraunhofer as research partners.

Cerabyte operates R&D in Vienna, Austria (Ceramic Data Solutions GmbH at the Science Campus / Photonic Technologies Laboratory) and a US representative office in Santa Clara, California. The company has received EIC Accelerator funding (2024), was named a CRN 2025 hottest data storage startup, and collaborated with TU Wien on a Guinness World Record (verified December 3, 2025) for the world's smallest QR code at 1.98 square micrometres with 49 nm pixels. Headcount is approximately 20, including specialized laser, optics, mechatronics, and software engineers, plus executive leadership under founder-CEO Christian Pflaum and CTO Steven Campbell.

Name

Cerabyte

Legal name

Cerabyte GmbH

Website

https://cerabyte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cerabyte is a Munich-based storage technology company, founded in 2022, that develops ceramic-on-glass archival storage systems for hyperscalers, regulated industries, and science/heritage archives, claiming 5,000+ year media durability with zero energy consumption during retention.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archival Data Storage Hardware

NAICS

Computer Storage Device Manufacturing (334112), Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media (33461)

SIC

Computer Storage Devices (3572), Magnetic & Optical Recording Media (3695)

akta.pro primary industry

Storage Media & Components (HDD/SSD/Flash, Controllers) (HDABAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Storage Components & Media (Platters, NAND, Heads, Tape Media) (HDACACAK)

Keywords

• Ceramic data storage
• Archival storage systems
• Long-term data preservation
• Optical storage technology
• Data center infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ceramic Data Storage Hardware Systems: Sale of ceramic-based data storage systems including robotic libraries and ceramic-on-glass media for long-term archival storage. Targets hyperscalers and data centers with high-capacity storage solutions.
2. Storage Media Licensing: Licensing of proprietary ceramic-on-glass storage technology and media to enterprise customers for archival data storage applications.
3. Pilot Testing Services: Pilot testing services for enterprise customers, research institutions, and institutional investors to validate the technology before full deployment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cerabyte develops and sells ceramic-on-glass data storage hardware systems for long-term archival data preservation. The integrated system comprises ceramic nanolayer storage media on ultra-thin glass, ultra-fast laser matrix writing systems, robotic 19-inch rack libraries with 10 PB/rack capacity, and high-speed microscope reading systems. Target customers include hyperscalers, regulated industries, and research institutions seeking immutable, energy-independent archival storage with 5,000+ year durability.

Product overview

Cerabyte offers a complete ceramic-based long-term data storage solution consisting of five integrated components: the Ceramic-on-Glass storage medium (ceramic nanolayers on ultra-thin glass), an Ultra-Fast Laser Matrix Writing System (capable of writing 2,000,000 bits per pulse), a Robotic Storage Library (10 PB/rack capacity on 19-inch DC rack footprint), and a High-Speed Microscope Reading System with fast decoding. The system achieves data retention of 5,000+ years without energy consumption, targeting hyperscalers, regulated industries, and research institutions requiring sustainable, immutable archival storage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ceramic-on-Glass Storage Medium Patented storage medium using ceramic nanolayers on ultra-thin glass substrates, enabling data retention of 5,000+ years without energy consumption. Data is encoded via focused ion beams into ceramic thin films, providing immunity to heat, fire, UV, EMP, radiation, moisture, and corrosion. Used by hyperscalers, regulated industries, and research institutions for long-term archival storage.
• Ultra-Fast Laser Matrix Writing System Laser-based writing system that writes up to 2,000,000 bits with one laser pulse, enabling ultra-fast data storage on ceramic media. Uses a highly energy-absorbing dark coating for fast writing. Integrated component of the Cerabyte storage solution for enterprise customers.
• Robotic Storage Library Automated library system on 19-inch DC rack footprint that handles ceramic storage media, providing scalable storage capacity of 10 PB per rack with robotic media management for enterprise archival storage deployments.
• High-Speed Microscope Reading System Reading system using high-speed and high-resolution microscopes with fast sensors and high-speed decoding to retrieve data stored on ceramic media. Integrated component of the Cerabyte archival storage solution.
• Cerabyte Data Storage System Complete archival storage system integrating ceramic-on-glass media, laser writing, robotic library, and microscope reading into one offering 1 GB/s write/read capacity and 10 PB per rack storage density. Designed for hyperscale, regulated industries, and science/heritage archives requiring immutable, audit-proof data retention for up to 100 years.
• Pilot Testing Services Pilot testing services exclusively available to qualified enterprise customers, research institutions, and institutional investors to validate the ceramic storage technology before full deployment. Conducted via direct engagement through [email protected].

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% energy reduction compared to traditional storage solutions
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and supporting.

• Open Compute Project (OCP)strategicTechnology or Integration · 13 April 2026Cerabyte participated in OCP EMEA 2026 Summit presenting a Future Technology Symposium Keynote, positioning the company as addressing critical gaps in data infrastructure caused by AI's rapid growth.
• CERN openlabstrategicTechnology or Integration · 5 March 2026Cerabyte participated in CERN openlab Technical Workshop to present ceramic-based data storage technology, focusing on building an ecosystem for a new archival storage tier supporting long-term scientific research and global data storage.
• TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with TU Wien to develop ceramic-based data storage technology. Joint achievement of Guinness World Record for world's smallest QR code (1.98 sq micrometres) using focused ion beam technology on ceramic thin films.
• CorningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Corning for glass substrate supply. Using display glass and thin film technology enables low cost/TB storage solution.
• TrumpfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Trumpf for laser technology supply, enabling ultra-fast laser matrix writing capability.
• IntelsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partnership for data storage ecosystem development and support.
• AWSsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloud infrastructure support partnership for data storage solutions.
• Fraunhofer InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for ceramic storage technology development.
• SchottsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlass materials supply partnership for ceramic-on-glass storage media.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IBM: IBM is a co-architect of the LTO tape standard and the dominant supplier of enterprise tape drives (TS series) and TS7700/TS4500 tape libraries. Cerabyte is explicitly positioning as a 'tape replacement,' making IBM's tape business the single most direct peer in archival storage.
• Quantum Corporation: Quantum sells Scalar tape libraries, LTO drives, and active archive software to enterprises and is a direct competitor in long-term archival storage hardware. Its product set is the most directly substitutable for Cerabyte's robotic ceramic library and 10 PB/rack density claim.
• Spectra Logic: Spectra Logic builds enterprise tape libraries (BlackPearl, T-Series, ArcticBlue) and has been the most vocal tape-vendor advocate for archival workloads. Its customer base (hyperscalers, media, government) overlaps almost entirely with Cerabyte's target segments.

Broad incumbents

• Sony: Sony produces optical archival media (Optical Disc Archive) and has R&D programs in next-generation optical storage. The technology lineage is closely related to Cerabyte's laser-write ceramic media, making Sony both a potential competitor and a strategic licensing/supply partner.
• Fujifilm: Fujifilm manufactures LTO tape media (with IBM) and is a co-architect of the LTO consortium. It is a key incumbent whose roadmap and pricing directly determine the competitive window for ceramic/optical archive technologies to gain traction.
• Microsoft (Azure Archive Storage / Project HSD): Microsoft operates Azure Archive Storage as an in-cloud archival tier and has been associated with holographic/glass-based archival research (Project HSD with partners). It represents both a competing archival solution for enterprise buyers and a potential ecosystem partner.

Emerging players

• HoloMem: HoloMem is a holographic/laser-based optical storage startup identified by industry analysts alongside Cerabyte as a developer of next-generation tape-replacement media. It competes for the same emerging 'optical archive' customer mindshare and capital pool.
• Optera: Optera is a startup developing optical storage media targeting 100+ year lifespans, grouped by analysts with Cerabyte in the 'next-generation optical archive' cohort. It is a direct emerging competitor for early-adopter enterprise and heritage customers.
• Catalog Technologies: Catalog Technologies is the leading commercial DNA-based data storage company, also targeting long-horizon archival storage. It competes with Cerabyte for the same 'next-generation archival' capital, partnerships, and customer mindshare — including science archives and regulated industries.

Others

• Pure Storage: Pure Storage is a strategic investor in Cerabyte and supplies all-flash and hybrid storage for enterprise and hyperscale customers. While not a direct competitor in archival media, it is a key go-to-market channel, ecosystem validator, and reference point for tape-replacement customer discussions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cerabyte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cerabyte-cds-h

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cerabyte