Rockley Photonics has transferred its silicon photonics intellectual property (IP), encompassing both granted and pending patents, to Celestial AI, a firm focused on photonic interconnect technology. This acquisition significantly bolsters Celestial AI’s portfolio, increasing its total number of patents to over 200 worldwide.

This enhancement positions Celestial AI’s portfolio among the most formidable in the silicon photonics sector, particularly in the realm of optical compute interconnect applications.

The patents acquired include critical technological areas such as optical switch technology, electro-absorption modulators (EAMs), and optoelectronic systems-in-package. These technologies are essential for AI-centric data center infrastructure and align closely with Celestial AI’s strategic vision for expanding its Photonic Fabric platform.

Hyperscale Data Centers

Rockley Photonics has been a pioneering force in silicon photonics since 2014, significantly influencing the industry’s evolution ahead of many of today’s competitors. This acquisition enhances Celestial AI‘s capability to commercialize and implement its sophisticated photonic technology, aimed at boosting performance, scalability, and energy efficiency within hyperscale data centers.

Celestial AI’s founder and CEO, Dave Lazovsky, highlighted the significance of this acquisition, asserting, “Integrating Rockley’s intellectual property into our platform strengthens our position and accelerates the growth of our Photonic Fabric patent portfolio.” Mr. Lazovsky pointed out that this initiative reaffirms Celestial AI’s dedication to providing innovative solutions for AI data center infrastructure, benefiting both their direct clients and ecosystem partners.

This strategic move positions Celestial AI as a key player in the evolution of AI computing and network connectivity, striving to address the increasing demands of hyperscale data centers with groundbreaking optical interconnect solutions.

Earlier this year, Celestial AI secured $175 million in its Series C funding round, led by Thomas Tull’s U.S. Innovative Technology Fund (USIT). Dave Lazovsky remarked that the overwhelming support in the financing round underscores Celestial AI’s potential to disrupt the market, revealing the considerable business opportunity that lies ahead. He noted that the advanced AI models of today demand dramatically increased I/O bandwidth and memory capacity but are currently hindered by low bandwidth and high latency.

As per Lazovsky, Celestial AI’s Photonic Fabric technology is swiftly becoming the standard for Accelerated Computing optical interconnectivity, driven by its superior performance and efficiency.