Kleiner Perkins and Mayfield Stake Secretive Israeli Semiconductor Startup with $40 Million

According to a recent SEC filing, Israeli co-founded startup, Retym, has raised $40.4 million in funding led by Kleiner Perkins and Mayfield.

The startup's primary focus is on addressing the demands of next-generation data centers. They aim to achieve this through advancements in optical networking and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology. With DSP & Analog Design Innovation at its core, Retym is also invested in Deep Learning and AI. Retym appears to be involved in the entire lifecycle of the chip, from design to physical realization and testing on actual silicon.

According to the startup's website, the headquarters are based in Cupertino while R&D operations are in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Retym's founders include serial entrepreneur Sachin Gandhi, CEO (founder of dryv.io and Xpliant) and Dr. Roni El-Bahar, CTO (previously CTO of Huawei Israel Research Center).

Alif Semiconductor is a company that specializes in the design and development of microcontrollers and fusion processors. The company's fusion processors typically integrate multiple functionalities, such as AI and Machine Learning capabilities.

Retym, founded in 2021, boasts a 15-person team of ASIC designers and optical communications experts. Their collective expertise is channeled towards creating disruptive technologies that promise to revolutionize the datacenter and telecommunications industries.

Following Retym's funding round, another Israeli startup in the AI semiconductor pocket, Neologic, recently secured $8 million in seed funding, aiming to transform computing in the AI era.

Retym's funding round marks the first investment by both Kleiner Perkins and Mayfield in 2023. Both firms' last investment in an Israeli startup was in 2022, when they participated in the mega rounds of Apiiro, Viz.ai and BigPanda.

Following the funding round, Mamoon Hamid (Partner at Kleiner Perkins), Navin Chaddha (Managing Partner of Mayfield), and Syed Ali (CEO Alif Semiconductor) have joined the startup's board of directors.