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☆ College dropouts raise $120 million to take on Nvidia's AI chips
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A 2-year-old startup founded by Harvard dropouts has just raised $120 million in venture funding to try and build a competitive chip and take on Nvidia in artificial intelligence. Co-founder and CEO Gavin Uberti said that as AI develops, most of the technology's power-hungry computing requirements will be filled by customized, hard-wired chips called ASICs. "We're making the biggest bet in AI," Uberti said in an interview. Other chip startups taking on Nvidia include Cerebras Systems, which is building a physically larger AI chip, and Tenstorrent, which is using a trendy technology called RISC-V to build AI chips. Venture capitalists invested $6 billion in AI semiconductor companies in 2023, up slightly from $5.7 billion in 2022, according to data from PitchBook.

Persons: Gavin Uberti, Uberti, we'll, Peter Thiel, Stanley Druckenmiller, Kyle Vogt, we've, Robert Wachen Organizations: Nvidia, Harvard, Apple, Venture Partners, Cerebras Systems, Semiconductors, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Venture Locations: Cupertino , California, PitchBook

☆ 2023 has been an AI feeding frenzy, here are the startups that attracted the most investment this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Despite an overall slump in startup funding, 2023 saw a scramble among investors to pour money into AI and machine learning startups. And the company's star still appears to be rising, despite a messy leadership struggle that recently spilled into public view. Meanwhile OpenAI's perennial rival Anthropic attracted multi-billion dollar investments from both Google and Amazon to fund a competing AI model known as Claude. At the same time legacy companies from John Deere to accounting firm PwC played up their AI bona fides to capitalize on the hype. The list doesn't include startups who have not publicly released the amount of their funding rounds.

Persons: OpenAI, Anthropic, Claude, Databricks, John Deere, PwC, Fresh Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Alpha, Technology, Monogram, Sigma, Lambda, Helsing, Metals, Eagle Eye, Amelia, Asimov, Farmers Business, Harbinger, Prins, Silo, Mistral, Alto, AMP, Management Software, Universal, Coro, Kodiak Robotics, Aerospace, Defense, Sana, Corti, Kyte, Mitra, Tech, Boss Digital Technology, Halcyon, & $ Locations: PitchBook

☆ Samsung to manufacture chips from AI chip startup Tenstorrent
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Max A. Cherney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 2 (Reuters) - Samsung's contract chip manufacturing arm picked up a new artificial intelligence chip customer, a Canadian startup called Tenstorrent, the company said on Monday. Tenstorrent is among a number of startups looking to challenge Nvidia (NVDA.O), which dominates the market for AI chips. As part of the deal, Tenstorrent plans to use one of Samsung's advanced manufacturing processes, known as 4nm, to produce the chips. The chip Samsung will manufacture is named Quasar, and is not based on RISC-V technology. The chip deal follows a Samsung investment in Tenstorrent in August as part of a $100 million capital raise that included Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) and others.

Persons: Yves Herman, Tenstorrent, Jim Keller, Max A, Leslie Adler Organizations: Samsung, REUTERS, Nvidia, Intel, Micron Devices, Hyundai Motor Locations: Brussels, Diegem, Belgium, Canadian, Tenstorrent, San Francisco

☆ Nvidia's dominance in AI chips deters funding for startups
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Max A. Cherney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. chip startups have raised $881.4 million through the end of August, according to PitchBook data. Nvidia has "indirectly" contributed to overall AI chip fundraising woes, because investors want "Home run only type investments with a huge investment, huge return," Mythic CEO Dave Rick said. About two years ago, new investments in chip startups were often $200 million or $300 million. At least two AI chip startups have overcome investor reluctance by trumpeting potential customers or their relationships with well-known executives. While these chip makers in Nvidia's shadow struggle, startups in AI software and related technologies do not face the same constraints.

Persons: Ann Wang, Nvidia’s, Greg Reichow, Dave Rick, Rick, Rivos, Brendan Burke, Tenstorrent, Jim Keller, Max A, Kenneth Li, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Nvidia, Eclipse Ventures, Apple, Devices, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Santa Clara , California, U.S, San Francisco

☆ AI chip firm Tenstorrent raises $100 mln from Hyundai, Samsung
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Courtesy of Tenstorrent /Handout via REUTERSAug 2 (Reuters) - Tenstorrent, a Canadian startup headed by chip industry veteran Jim Keller that is developing artificial intelligence chips, said on Wednesday it has raised $100 million from Hyundai Motor Group (005380.KS) and a Samsung (005930.KS) investment fund, among others. Keller, who has previously developed chips for Apple (AAPL.O), Tesla (TSLA.O) and Intel (INTC.O), took over as the startup's CEO earlier this year. Tenstorrent makes its own AI chips, but also sells its intellectual property and other technology to customers looking to make their own AI chips. Hyundai established a semiconductor development group last year and said that it plans to use Tenstorrent technology in "future Hyundai, Kia and Genesis" vehicles. “With this investment, the Group expects to develop optimized but differentiated semiconductor technology that will aid future mobilities and strengthen internal capabilities in AI technology development," Heung-soo Kim, executive vice president and head of the global strategy office at Hyundai Motor Group, said in a statement.

Persons: Jim Keller, Heung Soo Kim, Keller, Tenstorrent, Kim, Stephen Nellis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Global, Hyundai, REUTERS, Hyundai Motor Group, Samsung, Nvidia, Apple, Intel, Kia, Catalyst Fund, Fidelity Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, Epiq, Maverick Capital, Tesla, LG, Thomson Locations: Santa Clara , California, U.S, Handout, Canadian

☆ Marvell founders launch $2 bln chips foundry in Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Fanny Potkin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Silicon Box's chiplets are displayed during the opening of their advanced semiconductor manufacturing foundry in Singapore July 20, 2023. REUTERS/Edgar SuSINGAPORE, July 20 (Reuters) - Singapore-based Silicon Box opened a $2 billion advanced semiconductor manufacturing foundry in the city-state on Thursday, as it seeks to broaden adoption of "chiplet" technology. Silicon Box was created by the founders of U.S chipmaker Marvell (MRVL.O), Sehat Sutardja and wife Weili Dai, along with current CEO BJ Han. CEO Han told Reuters that "customers had been lining up" even before the factory's launch, with artificial intelligence firms driving demand. He said Silicon Box was in talks to supply Canadian AI startup company Tenstorrent.

Persons: Edgar Su SINGAPORE, Sehat Sutardja, Weili Dai, BJ Han, Han, Fanny Potkin, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Singapore's Economic, U.S chipmaker Marvell, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Singapore

☆ Ex-Intel chief architect explores data center deals for AI startup in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Chavi Mehta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, April 5 (Reuters) - Intel Corp's (INTC.O) former chief architect Raja Koduri is in talks with Hiranandani-backed data center operator Yotta for a deal for his generative artificial intelligence startup, which he said will have a big presence in India. Koduri, who has worked on nearly two dozen generations of computer graphics chip, plans to build local data centers to ease the access to massive computing power needed for generative AI tools. Generative AI refers to technology such as ChatGPT that can use prompts to whip up haikus, essays and images. The southern state of Karnataka and Telangana have been "very supportive", he said, adding that subsidies on electricity will be crucial as data centers are power guzzlers. He is also joining the board of AI chip startup Tenstorrent, led by veteran chip architect Jim Keller, who led the design of Tesla's (TSLA.O) self-driving chip in 2016.

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