KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 4): Penang-based technology group Pentamaster Corp Bhd (KL:PENTA) announced on Thursday that it has invested US$3 million (RM12.69 million) for a 14.29% stake in Ahead Optoelectronics (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to expand into opto-electronics and silicon photonics — technologies that combine light and electronics to create faster, more powerful devices.
Ahead, incorporated in Malaysia in June 2024, will be a joint venture between Pentamaster, Taiwan’s Ahead Optoelectronics Inc (AOI), and Cayman-based JC Capital Ltd (JCC). Pentamaster is undertaking the investment via its wholly-owned Pentamaster Innoteq Sdn Bhd.
On completion of the deal, AOI will hold 71.42% in the venture, while Pentamaster and JCC will each own 14.29%. JCC’s entry will be facilitated through convertible notes of up to US$3 million.
AOI is recognised for its optical integration products, including wafer-level lenses and 3D sensing modules, while JCC is a Cayman-incorporated investment vehicle.
Ahead, with a capital of up to US$21 million (RM88.80 million), will focus on the import and export of components for electronic applications.
“The proposed new venture is part of Pentamaster Group’s business expansion into the new advanced technology market, especially in the opto-electronics and silicon photonics segments,” the company said in a bourse filing.
Opto-electronics focuses on devices that interact with light, such as LEDs and sensors. Silicon photonics is technology that integrates light-based components directly onto a silicon computer chip. This allows data to be moved using light, a method that is far faster and more energy-efficient than traditional electrical signals, making it a critical technology for building the next generation of AI servers and data centres.
Pentamaster said the silicon-photonics interconnect market is forecast to grow by over 20% annually, potentially reaching US$9.65 billion by 2030, driven by the increasing demand for high-speed connectivity in next-generation AI servers.
“The board believes that the proposed investment would contribute positively to Pentamaster’s financial performance in the medium to long term,” the company added.
The transaction does not require shareholder or regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025.
On Thursday, Pentamaster shares closed four sen or 1.13% lower at RM3.51, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM2.50 billion.
Source From : Pentamaster expands into technology for next-gen AI servers via JV