Intel grants rare Atom tech licence to CEO Tan's co-investor startup
Intel has granted rare access to its core Atom processor technology to a stealth startup led by CEO Lip-Bu Tan's long-time co-investor, marking an unusual shift in the chipmaker's historically guarded approach to x86 licensing.
Intel is providing RosaicLabs Inc., a newly formed chip startup, with access to its Atom processor technology. The agreement will see the U.S. chipmaker ship register-transfer level (RTL) code for the low-power x86 architecture to the stealth company. This grants Rosaic comprehensive exposure to Intel's intellectual property, enabling the startup to build custom chip designs.
The move represents a significant departure for Intel, which has historically refused to broadly license its x86 architecture or provide its Atom building blocks. Atom technology is designed for low energy consumption and minimal heat generation, making it ideal for mobile and edge computing products. However, sharing the underlying RTL code gives an external party an unusually deep level of access to Intel's proprietary designs.
The deal is drawing attention due to the close ties between Intel's leadership and Rosaic's founders. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Rosaic CEO Amarjit Gill are longtime co-investors with a shared history in the chip sector. The two previously backed Nuvia, which was acquired by Qualcomm, and Gill helped Tan build the founding team at Rivos. Tan chaired Rivos until Meta outbid Intel to acquire it last year, and Rosaic's incorporation documents were signed by former Rivos finance chief Amit Parikh.
RosaicLabs remains in deep stealth, operating without a public website or corporate LinkedIn profile since its May incorporation in Delaware. A July amendment to its filing outlines a structure that allows the startup to pursue a $10 million seed funding round. The documents also indicate executives can incur capital expenditures of up to $5 million without requiring board or investor approval.
Intel declined to comment on the arrangement. For investors and market watchers, the licensing deal raises important questions about Intel's evolving intellectual property strategy under Tan. While opening up the x86 ecosystem could help spawn new chip designs to compete against Arm-based alternatives, doing so through a firm tied so closely to the CEO's past ventures presents distinct corporate governance considerations.
