Intel Licenses Secret Chip Tech to Mystery Startup

Intel has granted a new startup, RosaicLabs Inc., access to some of its processor technology, a move described as rare for the U.S. chipmaker. The startup, which filed its initial incorporation documents in May, is led by CEO Amarjit Gill, a seasoned venture capital investor and executive with connections to Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. They share a history as co-investors in other chip ventures.

Rosaic's founding team includes veterans from Rivos, a company Meta acquired last year. The startup is gaining access to Intel's Atom technology, designed for energy efficiency and low heat, which forms the building blocks of central processors on the x86 architecture. Intel is reportedly providing register-transfer level (RTL) code, offering comprehensive exposure to its intellectual property for custom chip design.

According to an amended filing from July 24, Rosaic is structured to seek up to $10 million in seed funding. The company's leadership is permitted to incur capital expenditures under $5 million without requiring investor or board approval. Details regarding a web presence or LinkedIn profile for RosaicLabs were not publicly available, consistent with early-stage, secretive chip startups.