Staera Semiconductor, a startup focused on optical interconnects for chiplets, has secured $4.6 million in a pre-seed funding round. The investment was led by Openspace Capital, with participation from SGInnovate, Black Kite Capital, 28 Holdings, In Group, and Decimus Technologies.
The company is developing Lightwire, an optical link technology that replaces traditional copper wires with silicon nitride waveguides. By integrating light generation directly into the chip using gallium nitride LEDs, Staera aims to improve data transfer speeds and energy efficiency in high-end AI accelerators.
According to the company, Lightwire supports data transmission rates of up to 8 gigabits per second per link, with a density exceeding 600 links per square millimeter. This technology could enable HBM4 memory stacks to achieve throughputs of 24 terabits per second, significantly higher than current standards.
Staera plans to utilize the new capital to scale its U.S. operations, refine the Lightwire product, and establish a manufacturing supply chain. The company has set a target to begin commercial shipments of its technology by 2030.
