The light-based internet project Taara is departing Alphabet’s “moonshot” incubator X and spinning off into an independent company. 

Taara’s technology uses lasers to transmit data and is seen as a potential rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink, particularly in connecting rural areas to the internet.

The Financial Times reports that Alphabet will retain a minority stake in Taara, which has also secured funding from Series X Capital. 

The company currently employs around two dozen people and operates in 12 countries, working on projects ranging from connecting the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo to alleviating congestion on the network at the 2024 Coachella festival.

“We’ve realised over time that for many of the things we create, there’s significant benefit to stepping just outside of the Alphabet fold,” said Eric “Astro” Teller, X’s so-called captain of moonshots. 

“They’ll be able to quickly access market capital, bring in strategic investors, and generally scale faster this way,” he added.

It should be noted that Starlink has been rapidly gaining market share in some regions, particularly in areas with limited terrestrial internet. 

It’s becoming a significant ISP in regions like Africa, with substantial growth in countries such as Nigeria and Kenya, challenging traditional providers.