Strategic investors have backed US-based telecoms equipment company ClariPhy Communications’ $24m of third round funding.

Nasdaq-listed equipment making peer Oclaro led the series C round for ClariPhy, and said it invested $7.5m.

The remainder of the C round came from undisclosed strategic investors and its existing venture capital backers Norwest Venture Partners, Allegis Capital, Onset Ventures and Pacific General Partners.

ClariPhy closed its series A round in February 2006 at $13m and held an undisclosed series B round in 2008.

Alain Couder, chief executive of Oclaro, said: "By investing in and partnering with ClariPhy, we believe we can offer our customers best-in-class electronics and optical technology."

Last year, Oclaro used ClariPhy’s product to boost the performance of its equipment for 10G phone networks.

James Mawson

James Mawson is founder and chief executive of Global Venturing.