FTC gives Musk the OK to acquire SpaceX alumni startup Mesh

Elon Musk is set to acquire Mesh Optical Technologies, a startup established by three ex-SpaceX engineers focused on creating advanced hardware for rapid data center communications. The potential deal, disclosed in a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filing and initially reported by Bloomberg, indicates that the agency has fast-tracked its antitrust review of the acquisition. Mesh Optical made its public debut in February when it announced a successful $50 million Series A funding round led by Thrive Capital. The company was founded by Travis Brashears, Cameron Ramos, and Serena Grown-Haeberli, who previously worked at SpaceX developing the optical communication links that connect thousands of Starlink satellites. Recognizing a significant market opportunity, the Mesh co-founders aim to innovate optical transceivers for terrestrial data centers. Their technology promises faster and more energy-efficient solutions compared to traditional electrical systems. This acquisition could enhance SpaceX’s data center operations, especially as the company has recently forged partnerships with Anthropic, Google, and Reflection AI to provide computational resources, opening new revenue avenues for the publicly listed entity. With the addition of Mesh's expertise, SpaceX could also boost the performance of its data centers, whether on Earth or potentially in space in the future.