Staera Semiconductor, a start-up focused on enhancing optical connectivity within artificial intelligence systems, has secured $4.6 million in pre-seed funding. The company, formerly known as New Silicon Corporation, has introduced its Lightwire technology, which aims to reduce power consumption in data transfers by integrating optical data connections directly into silicon chips. This funding round was led by Openspace Capital, with participation from SGInnovate, Black Kite Capital, 28 Holdings, In Group, and Decimus Technologies.
Lightwire technology addresses a critical issue in AI computing infrastructure, where traditional electrical connections are increasingly insufficient due to the growing data transfer demands. Conventional copper wiring, which is currently used, tends to lose electrical performance over the required distances between chips, boards, and racks. Staera’s solution involves replacing these copper links with optical connections by generating light within the chip itself. This innovation is designed to be manufactured using existing semiconductor fabrication facilities, aiming for seamless integration into current systems.
Staera claims that its Lightwire technology is significantly more energy-efficient than existing optical connections, using less than one-tenth of the energy consumed by the best available alternatives. At a transfer rate of 24 terabytes per second, Lightwire is projected to consume less than 50 watts, compared to nearly one kilowatt for current co-packaged optics. This development is timely, as data center electricity demand is expected to nearly double by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
The company is gearing up for the commercial deployment of Lightwire by 2030, with current efforts focused on transitioning from research and development to customer engagement. Staera plans to expand its team in the United States and strengthen relationships with customers and supply chain partners. The company has already gained industry recognition, including a win at the 3rd ECTC Start-up Competition in 2026 and a runner-up position at the Lam Capital Venture Competition.
Openspace Capital Co-Founder Hian Goh has described Staera’s approach to integrating optical components within silicon wafers as a promising path towards more scalable and energy-efficient AI systems. With this significant investment and industry support, Staera is poised to make a substantial impact in the realm of AI data transfer technology.
About Staera Semiconductor
Staera Semiconductor designs the technology that lets modern hardware scale, by carrying data on light instead of electricity. Its LED-based optical interconnect is fabricated inside a single chip, giving AI compute systems the density to move data from millimeters to meters without trading off size, energy or performance. Staera began as a spin-off from the Low Energy Electronic Systems (LEES) interdisciplinary research group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s first research centre outside the United States and its largest international research endeavour.
For more information, visit https://www.staera.ai.
Amisha Shettigar
Blue Totem Communications
[email protected]
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