Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has a new mission: jumpstart Moore's Law using light-based chip manufacturing. Since leaving Intel in late 2024, Gelsinger joined venture capital firm Playground Global as a general partner and took a board seat at xLight, a portfolio company developing novel lithography techniques that recently received investment from the US government, according to a WIRED interview published July 21, 2026.
Gelsinger's 100-Day Search
After departing Intel in late 2024, Gelsinger held 100 meetings in 100 days to decide his next move. "My wife said, 'You're not done yet,'" he told WIRED. He considered government roles, university roles, CEO roles, private equity, and venture capital. He ruled out public earnings calls and politics, narrowing it to private equity or venture. He chose venture because "private equity writes bigger checks, but it's not as focused on the tech." In March 2025, he announced his position at Playground Capital (Playground Global), a deep tech VC firm.
The Light Path to Moore's Law
Gelsinger believes the best way to break the impasse in Moore's Law — the observation that transistor counts double roughly every two years — is through advances in lithography, etching chips using nanometer-scale beams of light. The leading lithography technology, developed by Dutch company ASML, prints using 13.5-nanometer wavelength light. xLight is developing novel techniques beyond this. Gelsinger repeatedly offered the phrase: "God said, 'Let there be light!'" in discussing the potential.
AI Accelerates Semiconductor Demand
Artificial intelligence is disrupting the software industry and shifting venture capital toward deep tech. Gelsinger noted that the semiconductor industry in 2024 aimed to hit $1 trillion by 2030, but now expects to reach that milestone next year (implied 2027) due to AI-driven demand. He said, "The door has blown wide open."
| Forecast | Original Target | Revised Target | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1 trillion by 2030 | $1 trillion by 2027 | AI demand |
Vetting Deep Tech Founders
Playground's investment team is deeply technical, comprising engineers, PhDs, and professors. They go through rigorous tech diligence: lots of interviews and background checks. Gelsinger contends few VCs are better equipped to pick winners in deep tech. He prefers to back technologies built on new science: "At this phase of my career, do I want to write big checks and worry about financial returns, or do I want to do cool tech?"
Implications for Enterprise Technology
The acceleration of semiconductor innovation directly impacts enterprise computing power, including AI and automation systems used in supply chain and logistics. As optical lithography and other deep tech advance, CTOs and technology leaders can expect faster, more efficient processors that enable more sophisticated AI inference at lower cost. Gelsinger's move signals sustained confidence in hardware breakthroughs as the foundation for next-generation digital infrastructure.
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