The rise of generative AI is fueling the need for AI chips specifically designed to train and operate generative AI models, leading to a surge in demand. Key players ranging from venture capitalists to startups are eager to capitalize on this growing trend.
SoftBankâs Masayoshi Son is reportedly aiming to secure $100 billion for a chip venture that would challenge industry giant Nvidia. Similarly, OpenAI is in discussions with investment firms to establish its own AI chip-making venture.
AI chip startup Axelera has quietly gained momentum by concentrating on a unique segment of the AI chip market: chips customized for running AI on edge devices.
According to Fabrizio Del Maffeo, Axelera’s CEO and co-founder, the AI industry has the potential to revolutionize various sectors by providing high-performance and cost-effective solutions.
Axelera, headquartered in the Netherlands with offices across Europe, specializes in designing AI chips and systems for industries such as security, retail, automotive, and robotics. The company collaborates with partners producing B2B edge computing and IoT products.
Axelera’s AI hardware stack is characterized by the RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) and in-memory computing, enabling efficient AI operations.
Axelera differentiates itself by offering both chip hardware and software to manage and deploy AI models efficiently, attracting significant investments and securing a $68 million Series B funding round.
The company plans to expand to new markets and launch its flagship Metis AI platform in the second half of 2024, with a focus on developing chips for high-performance computing use cases in data centers.
Despite competition in the AI chip space, Axelera believes in its potential to democratize AI access and address industry challenges across various sectors.
