FOCI is an unlikely name at the center of one of the most important transitions in AI infrastructure. Once a low-profile optical components maker, the company has rapidly repositioned itself as a key supplier in the emerging co-packaged optics (CPO) ecosystem. Led by former TSMC manager D.D. Hu, FOCI is now developing fiber array units (FAUs) that sit at the heart of next-generation optical interconnects—technology that could dramatically reduce power consumption in AI data centers.
What makes FOCI particularly notable is not just its technology, but its positioning. Through close alignment with TSMC’s COUPE platform and collaboration with Himax, the company has managed to secure a foothold in Nvidia’s future architecture roadmap. Despite its relatively small scale, FOCI is targeting a significant share of the FAU market as silicon photonics moves toward mass production.
The market has responded accordingly. Over the past five years, FOCI’s share price has surged 26-fold, reflecting both the promise—and the uncertainty—of its role in the AI supply chain. Whether it can successfully scale manufacturing and meet the demands of a complex ecosystem remains an open question. But for now, FOCI has become a company worth watching.
cwnewsroom.substack.com
What makes FOCI particularly notable is not just its technology, but its positioning. Through close alignment with TSMC’s COUPE platform and collaboration with Himax, the company has managed to secure a foothold in Nvidia’s future architecture roadmap. Despite its relatively small scale, FOCI is targeting a significant share of the FAU market as silicon photonics moves toward mass production.
The market has responded accordingly. Over the past five years, FOCI’s share price has surged 26-fold, reflecting both the promise—and the uncertainty—of its role in the AI supply chain. Whether it can successfully scale manufacturing and meet the demands of a complex ecosystem remains an open question. But for now, FOCI has become a company worth watching.
The CPO Puzzle: How a Former TSMC Manager Turned a Small Firm into a Key Nvidia Supplier After a 26x Surge
Liang-rong Chen
cwnewsroom.substack.com