DEEPX is a South Korean on-device AI chip (NPU, or neural processing unit) startup that makes {hardware} and device for diverse AI packages in digital gadgets. The corporate introduced this generation that it has raised $80 million (KRW 108.5 billion) in a Layout C spherical at a valuation of $529 million (KRW 723 billion), which has surged greater than 8 instances from its Layout B investment, about $15 million, in 2021.
The Layout C investment, which brings its general elevate to round $95 million, will journey towards collection manufacturing of the startup’s inaugural merchandise — DX-V1, DX-V3, DX-M1 and DX-H1 — in overdue 2024 for world distribution. The startup may even virtue the unused capital to expedite creating and launching its later era of massive language style (LLM) on-device answers.
DEEPX was once based in 2018 through CEO Lokwon Kim, who prior to now labored at Apple, Cisco Techniques, the IBM Thomas J. Watson Analysis Heart and Broadcom.
The marketplace measurement of world edge AI, often known as on-device AI, is projected to succeed in $107.47 billion through 2029, up from $11.98 billion in 2021, in accordance to a up to date file. “The on-device AI market, excluding edge servers, requires AI capabilities to be implemented, bypassing servers or the cloud,” Kim advised TechCrunch. “The [on-device AI market] is expanding due to computer vision capabilities like facial and voice recognition, smart mobility, robotics, the internet of things and physical security systems.”
Kim stated that if its collection manufacturing starts this moment, doable consumers akin to end-product producers will be capable to commercialize their merchandise with DEEPX’s AI chips in 2025.
DEEPX, which has round 65 workers, isn’t the one corporate that has evolved AI chip answers. The Korean outfit competes with Hailo, which landed a $120 million investment spherical closing future; SiMa.ai, which closed on $70 million, additionally in April; and Axelera, a Belgium-based AI chip startup that fix $27 million in 2022.
Kim stated that his corporate’s differentiators come with price potency, power intake potency and All-in-4 AI Overall Answer, a complete answer for diverse AI packages. Its All-in-4 AI answers come with: DX-V1 and DX-V3, designed for eye techniques in house home equipment, surveillance digital camera techniques, robotic eye and drones; in addition to DX-M1 and DX-H1, which can be designed for AI computing farmlands, AI servers, canny factories and AI booster chips. DEEPX now has greater than 259 patents pending within the U.S., China and South Korea, Kim stated.
“Nvidia’s GPGPU-based solutions are the most cost-effective for large language model services like ChatGPT; the total power consumed by GPUs operating has reached levels exceed the electrical energy of an entire country,” Kim stated. “This collaborative operation technology between server-scale AI and on-device large AI models are expected to reduce energy consumption and costs a lot compared to relying solely on data centers.”
The startup does no longer have consumers but however is taking part with greater than 100 doable shoppers and strategic companions, akin to Hyundai Kia Motors Robotics Lab and Korean IT corporate POSCO DX, to check DEEPX’s AI chip functions.
SkyLake Fairness Companions, a South Korea-based technology-focused personal fairness company, led the actual funding, with participation from BNW Investments, a Korean personal fairness company based through the previous president of Samsung LED and Samsung Electronics’ reminiscence chip unit. AJU IB and former backer Timefolio Asset Control additionally participated on this spherical.
