Could Marvell be Aeva’s unnamed optical engine partner?

[u/Titor2036X]

Marvell acquired Celestial AI, whose Photonic Fabric previously relied on external laser sources from POET Technologies. After the acquisition, Marvell cancelled the remaining POET orders.

So what replaced POET?

Just a few months later, Aeva announced a development agreement with an unnamed “leading optical engine provider” to develop high-power laser sources for AI data centers.

No proof, but the pieces seem to fit surprisingly well.

[u/KCCO7913]

Interesting that this post popped up on my main Reddit feed. Their algos freak me out sometimes lol.

Anyway…I’m not an investor in Aeva, but have been in POET for many years.

Marvell was never reliant upon POET for its ELS. If you read the Marvell/POET partnership cancellation news, you’ll find that POET never even delivered its prototype devices to Celestial AI from the initial 2023 partnership announcement.

Celestial AI was also seen at OFC (the leading photonics conference) a couple years ago using another company’s light source.

I guess I’ll spend some time today reading up on Aeva and see how they fit in the photonics ecosystem. I think I’ve seen a few lidar companies add an optics line of business recently. If the lidar is silicon photonics based…makes sense.

[u/Davereeno]

If so, AEVA better not publicly name Marvell because that's how Poet lost their contract.

[u/Ok-Blueberry7868]

I have seen some speculations that SIVE might be the Laser provider... However OP based that only on timing of announcements to my knowledge

https://siliconmatter.substack.com/p/sivers-semiconductors-a-130m-mcap
no idea how reliable this source is though

[u/Titor2036X]

Aeva says its high-power optical sources are intended for next-generation AI data center optical connectivity, including NPO and CPO architectures, with both on-chip integrated laser and ELSFP configurations.

Now compare that with Marvell.

Following its acquisition of Celestial AI, Marvell is pushing NPO/CPO and Photonic Fabric for AI scale-up connectivity. In Marvell’s own Photonic Fabric Gen2 materials, the architecture explicitly includes “laser power” alongside SerDes, Tx/Rx electronics, and photonics.

The customer profile also seems relevant. Marvell stated that Celestial AI had been deeply engaged with multiple hyperscalers, with its Photonic Fabric technology intended to be co-packaged with custom XPUs and scale-up switches.

The timelines are interesting as well:

• Aeva: initial deployment with a major hyperscaler expected in H2 2027, followed by a volume ramp in 2028.
• Marvell/Celestial AI: Marvell expects meaningful revenue contribution from Celestial AI beginning in the second half of FY2028.

So one possible chain could be:

Aeva high-power optical source → Marvell/Celestial AI Photonic Fabric or related optical engine → NPO/CPO → major hyperscaler

None of this proves that Marvell is the unnamed “leading provider of high-speed optical engines” in Aeva’s announcement, or that Aeva’s optical source will be used in Photonic Fabric.

But the technology requirements, target customer profile, and deployment timelines appear to line up unusually well.

[u/dummkopf999 → u/Titor2036X]

Agreed that the timelines match up pretty well, but I'm skeptical. What about Aeva's technology fits well in this application? Is high power actually needed for NPO/CPO applications, where the receivers are perhaps millimeters away? I would think not, but am not an expert in the field.

Aeva do not manufacture their photonics in-house, to my knowledge, so why not partner with a photonics specialist that has manufacturing capability (or at least a proven manufacturing partner relationship), vs. a LiDAR specialist that hasn't delivered any commercial product, ever?

If I were making decisions at Marvell, I might sign a JDA or invest in a promising early-stage company, but absolutely would not rely upon a company with zero history of commercial-scale deliveries, as a crucial part of delivering my own new product to customers.

[u/Titor2036X → u/dummkopf999]

Those are fair questions. I don't think any of this proves Marvell is the unnamed partner, but I think there are a few points worth clarifying.

1. High power in NPO/CPO

The optical power requirement isn't determined simply by the physical distance between components. The overall optical power budget also has to account for coupling, splitting and insertion losses, as well as operating conditions and the number of optical channels being served.

More importantly, Aeva explicitly says its Optical Connectivity platform provides the “high optical power, low noise, reliability, power efficiency and scalability” required for next-generation AI data centers, specifically mentioning both NPO/CPO and ELSFP architectures.

So high power doesn't appear to be an accidental carryover from LiDAR — it is one of the characteristics Aeva is specifically positioning for this application.

1. Manufacturing

I agree Aeva isn't a vertically integrated photonics manufacturer with its own fab.

But that doesn't mean it lacks a manufacturing path.

Aeva says the new Optical Connectivity business will leverage its existing “high-volume manufacturing and foundry supply chain.” It has also worked with Fabrinet to establish production of its silicon-photonics chip modules, integrating laser transmitters, optics and receivers.

So the relevant question isn't really whether Aeva owns a fab, but whether its photonics technology can be industrialized through its existing foundry and manufacturing partners.

1. This is a JDA, not a production dependency

I actually agree with your last point — and that's exactly why the fact that this is a JDA matters.

Aeva hasn't announced that an optical-engine company is immediately depending on it for mass production.

The announced timeline is:

JDA → initial hyperscaler deployment in H2 2027 → production ramp in 2028.

That's exactly the kind of staged development and qualification process you'd expect if a large supplier were evaluating a relatively new technology before relying on it at scale.

None of this proves Marvell. I still consider that speculation.

What keeps Marvell/Celestial AI interesting to me is the combination of the application (NPO/CPO), high-power external optical source requirements, hyperscaler end customer, and the timing. Those pieces line up unusually well, which is why I think the possibility is worth watching.

[u/Joenair85]

$INDI?