Jean-Baptiste Kempf, lead developer of the popular VLC Media Player, has launched Kyber, an infrastructure layer for real-time control of remote devices, including robots and drones. The Paris-based startup raised $5 million in a round led by Lightspeed to develop its low-latency software.
Kyber's platform addresses the growing need for efficient and low-latency control of remote devices, particularly as AI and robotics become more integrated into various industries. The company's focus on scalability and its open-source foundation could accelerate the adoption of advanced robotics and remote operations.
Jean-Baptiste Kempf, the lead developer behind the widely used VLC Media Player, has launched a new venture called Kyber, aiming to provide real-time control infrastructure for robots and drones. Kempf, a serial entrepreneur and open-source advocate, believes that robots will become as ubiquitous as his video software in the coming years.
Kyber's core technology is an SDK designed to synchronize video, audio, sensor data, and control inputs with minimal latency, a critical factor for controlling physical devices remotely. The company's potential applications span beyond AI, covering any scenario where an operator is physically separated from the device and the action.
The startup has secured $5 million in funding, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, a firm that has also invested in AI companies like Anthropic and Mistral AI. Lightspeed highlighted the importance of underlying systems for the advancement of physical AI.
Kempf's inspiration for Kyber stems from his experience at the cloud gaming startup Shadow, where he developed early streaming technology. The name 'Kyber' is a nod to Star Wars lightsaber crystals, emphasizing the need for split-second precision in controlling real-world objects.
Kyber's platform is designed to manage large-scale fleets, potentially millions of devices, a significant leap from the thousands managed by current remote driving solutions. This scalability also emphasizes the need for robust observability to ensure systems are functioning correctly, especially as AI agents take over fleet management.
True to Kempf's open-source roots, Kyber offers its core project as open source while selling a productized enterprise version. The company also provides hands-on deployment services through forward-deployed engineers, similar to companies like Palantir. With 25 employees, Kyber is headquartered in Paris and has offices in San Francisco and Singapore, targeting a global client base across defense, telco, robotics, and AI sectors.