Former Intel CEO Aims to Revive Moore's Law Using Light
Pat Gelsinger, ex-CEO of Intel, has joined venture capital firm Playground Capital. His objective is to revive the semiconductor industry's Moore's Law through advanced lithography.
Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has joined venture capital firm Playground Capital with the goal of reviving Moore's Law in the semiconductor industry. Gelsinger, who departed Intel in late 2024, spent a 100-day period meeting with stakeholders to define his next career move.
Through his role at Playground Capital, Gelsinger aims to support deep tech startups, focusing on nascent technologies built on new science. His primary objective is to revitalize Moore's Law, the principle that fueled the exponential growth of transistors on semiconductor chips for decades.
Gelsinger believes that advances in lithography, specifically the use of light to etch chips, are key to overcoming the physical limitations slowing progress. While current technology from ASML uses 13.5-nanometer wavelength light, Gelsinger sees potential in adopting shorter wavelengths to create more powerful processors.
Playground Capital's portfolio includes xLight, a company developing novel lithography techniques that has recently received government funding. Gelsinger notes that while AI has increased interest in deep tech investments, he believes his firm is well-equipped to identify winning technologies in the sector.