A Stealth Startup Thinks It Just Hacked the Memory Shortage

Kepler Computing, a San Jose-based chip startup, has emerged from stealth mode with a new approach to memory chips that could help address the global memory shortage. The company, founded in 2018 by physicists and computer scientists, claims its 3D stacking architecture and proprietary materials allow for increased memory density without the need for expensive extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV).

Kepler has raised $468 million in funding from notable investors such as GlobalFoundries, Intel Capital, AMD Ventures, and Bill Gates through his Gates Frontier fund. The US Department of Commerce has also committed up to $245 million to help Kepler develop its technology in the US. Kepler's approach involves building memory chips within existing semiconductor fabrication plants, bypassing the need for new memory fabs.

This strategy aims to reduce costs and meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in the accelerated computing market, particularly in AI-driven data centers. The startup's memory chips feature a novel 3D-manufacturing technique that fits more memory chips within a fixed footprint, reducing data transfer energy requirements.

Additionally, Kepler has developed a low-voltage ferroelectric composite material to enhance SRAM density.