BritChips podcast: RayD Technologies - Learning with Limited Data

In this latest episode of The BritChips Podcast, Rayd Technologies cofounder and CEO Kilian Stenning explains how he, co-CTOs Riccardo Sapienza (Professor of Physics at Imperial) and Kirsten Moselund (Head of Laboratory at PSI Paul Scherrer Institut) and CSO Jack Gartside (Associate Professor of Physics at Imperial) are leading pioneering work on photonic semiconductor technology and novel algorithms with the potential to shape the future of AI.

In this episode:

* Killian’s unexpected journey from nuclear accident analysis to semiconductor startup founder

* The origins and evolution of RayD Technologies and its unique name

* How brain-inspired dynamics enable learning from limited data

* The role of photonics and nonlinear systems in ultra-fast AI processing

* The current hardware prototype and plans for miniaturization

* Application focus: medical imaging, robotics, and beyond

* Funding progress, including support from the Royal Academy of Engineering

* The startup’s strategic collaborations and upcoming milestones

* Insights on balancing technological deep dives with business growth

* The importance of team, network, and perseverance in startup success

Timestamps (approx)

00:00 - Introduction to Kilian and the fusion of photonics and brain-inspired computing

02:05 - Kilian’s early career in nuclear accident analysis in Japan

03:04 - How photonics hardware inspired the company’s research direction

04:11 - Developing scalable semiconductor photonic platforms at Imperial College

05:24 - The collaboration between hardware and algorithm teams to create RAYD’s technology

06:45 - From academic research to commercial startup: the journey of recognition

07:01 - Key breakthroughs in processing medical images with limited data

08:23 - The story behind the company’s name, RAYD

09:47 - Differentiating RAYD’s neuromorphic approach from traditional AI and neuromorphic systems

10:34 - Brain-inspired features like parallelism and nonlinear activation functions

11:41 - How the system learns efficiently, mimicking human learning with minimal data

12:46 - Achieved reductions of up to 30x in training data requirements

13:26 - Hardware versus algorithms: the photonics platform’s critical role

14:22 - Unique nonlinear photonic processing in RAYD’s device, using laser systems

15:31 - Application scenarios in medical imaging and robotics, sourcing data from public datasets

17:22 - Development stage: tiny device, large supporting hardware, and plans for miniaturization

18:27 - Roadmap to portable systems and real-world testing

19:14 - Interest from robotics companies for on-device learning and adaptability

21:01 - Funding updates: success with the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Green Future Fellowship

22:13 - Hardware refinement, engineering teams, and future milestones

23:15 - Focus on robotics applications and exploring broader use cases

24:54 - Funding plans, runway, and potential for co-funding from industry partners

28:13 - Insights from the ChipStart program and strategic mentorship

30:39 - Meet Robert Swann, chairman with a rich industry background

31:37 - Future ambitions: balancing technical depths with business growth

34:11 - Advice for researchers aspiring to start their own ventures

35:36 - The significance of team and market understanding in startup success

36:14 - Competitive landscape and uniqueness of RAYD’s approach

37:25 - Final gratitude and future outlook

Resources & Links:

* Royal Academy of Engineering Green Future Fellowship

* Imperial College London

* PSI (Photonic Systems in Switzerland)

* Robert Swan - LinkedIn, Alpha Mosaic

The BritChips Podcast is proudly sponsored by Silicon Catalyst UK, Official Partner of the government-funded ChipStartUK semiconductor incubator.