RosaicLabs is the first company to get an x86 core from Intel in over a decade. In a move that breaks from past practices, the chipmaker is licensing its Atom technology to the startup, allowing it to build custom processors. This opens a door for Rosaic to create tailored silicon, something Intel hasn’t done for licensing in recent memory.
Intel has provided Rosaic with a register-transfer level (RTL) design of an Atom-class core, the building block for a custom system-on-chip (SoC). The startup, led by Amarjit Gill — a venture investor with ties to Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan — will be able to use the RTL to build its chips either at Intel Foundry or at another manufacturer. The company is still raising a $10 million seed round and has no public website.
RosaicLabs isn’t the first company to try to build on Intel’s x86 architecture. In the 1980s, Intel gave about a dozen manufacturers the ability to make 80286 and 80386 processors. But only AMD was given full design rights. More recently, Intel tried to let others use Atom cores in phones through TSMC, but those efforts failed to gain traction. Now, with Rosaic, the company is trying again.
What Atom core is being shared — and why it matters
The Atom processor has evolved over the years. The latest versions, such as Skymont and Darkmont, are used in high-end Core and Xeon chips. These cores are designed for performance and power efficiency, with features like a 9-wide decode and 16-wide retire. Darkmont, in particular, is optimized for data centers. The more dated Crestmont core, by contrast, is a 6-wide design — less powerful, but still viable for low-power applications.
If Intel has shared a full RTL of an Atom-class core, RosaicLabs could tweak it — adjusting cache sizes, pipeline structure, clock speeds, and power management logic. But whether it can freely modify the design is still unclear. Intel is likely setting conditions to avoid creating a direct competitor. The startup may be limited in what it can do with the license.
Why Intel is making this move
Intel may be trying to expand the use of x86 into markets it has not traditionally focused on. The startup doesn’t yet have a public strategy, but its stealth mode suggests it is preparing to build something specific. This could be a niche application for telecom, embedded systems, or even a new kind of cloud processor. Whatever the case, Intel may be betting that RosaicLabs can bring x86 back into areas where it once failed — such as the smartphone era.
The move also reflects how x86 is now used beyond traditional PCs. Custom SoCs based on x86 cores are already being built for servers, cloud computing, and edge devices. Intel is likely looking to make its architecture more accessible for these growing markets.
What’s next — and what this means for competition
It’s too early to know whether RosaicLabs will succeed. The startup has no public product roadmap, and the licensing terms from Intel remain undisclosed. But the fact that it was chosen at all shows that Intel is willing to rethink how it shares its IP — perhaps to stay relevant in a competitive semiconductor landscape.