FTC approves Musk acquisition of Mesh Optical Technologies

The Federal Trade Commission has cleared Elon Musk to acquire Mesh Optical Technologies, a startup founded by former SpaceX engineers specializing in optical hardware for data centers. The agency granted early termination of its antitrust review on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, fast-tracking a process that typically takes 30 days and indicating the deal raised no significant competition concerns.

Mesh Optical Technologies, founded last year, develops high-efficiency optical transceivers, devices that convert electrical signals into light to move data between servers. Its flagship product, the Alpha C1, transmits data at more than one terabit per second. The technology addresses a growing bottleneck as artificial intelligence training clusters scale, requiring faster and more energy-efficient connections than traditional copper-based systems.

The startup's three co-founders are CEO Travis Brashears, President Cameron Ramos, and VP of Product Serena Grown-Haeberli. Prior to founding Mesh, they were instrumental in developing the optical communication links that connect SpaceX's constellation of Starlink satellites. The company emerged from stealth in February 2026 after raising a $50...