Stealth startup Kepler Computing raises $468M for EUV-free HBM alternative using 3D ferroelectric stacking
Promptmethus · x · 2026-09-10
Kepler Computing has come out of stealth after 7 years building an HBM alternative that doesn't need EUV. Instead of shrinking transistors with expensive tools, it stacks chips in 3D and uses a ferroelectric material for denser, lower-power storage in older fabs — claiming SRAM-like data movement with more capacity than today's HBM.
Key facts:
- Team co-led one of the industry's first 3D chip-stacking technologies and scaled seven generations of DRAM.
- Raised $468M from Intel Capital, AMD Ventures, GlobalFoundries, Gates, with up to $245M in US government backing.
- Sampling this year, production next year.
As memory becomes the biggest constraint on AI compute, Kepler bets physics and materials can leapfrog the industry's EUV + mega-fab playbook — though significant uncertainty remains.
Related event: Stealth Startup Kepler Emerges with EUV-Free HBM Alternative(7 posts)→
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