Kyber, a Paris-based startup founded by Jean-Baptiste Kempf, has raised $5 million in funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. The company is developing an infrastructure layer for controlling remote devices in real-time, which Kempf believes will be crucial for the rise of physical AI. Kyber's software synchronizes video, audio, sensor data, and control inputs with minimal latency, making it suitable for applications such as robotics and drones.
The startup's approach to eliminating lag is rooted in video-streaming technology, and its early focus on streaming makes a connection to VLC Media Player clear. However, IoT expertise also plays a key role in optimization, tuning performance to a device's available compute at scale. Kyber's user base will likely span companies across various industries, from defense and telco to robotics and AI.
The company is already in commercial deployment with customers and has prioritized three segments: robotics, drones, and remote IT access. In the last segment, Kyber aspires to be more than just a Citrix challenger, pointing to a sizable total addressable market. With 25 full-time staff members, Kyber offers both open-source software and productized versions for enterprise customers.
Kyber's growth is being fueled by demand from industries such as defense, telco, robotics, and AI. The company has offices in Paris, San Francisco, and Singapore to support its expected global client base. As Kempf noted, "Every millisecond matters" when controlling things in the real world, highlighting the importance of speed in Kyber's infrastructure layer.
