AI chip startup Etched raises $800 million, backed by Jane Street and TSMC-affiliated VC

Odaily reported that AI chip startup Etched has raised approximately $800 million in funding, with investors including quantitative trading giant Jane Street and a venture capital firm affiliated with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The company is currently testing its AI inference chip product and plans to begin shipping to select clients this summer. It has also signed sales contracts worth approximately $1 billion, though specific customers were not disclosed.

Founded in 2022, the company positions itself as a potential competitor to NVIDIA in the AI computing chip space, focusing on designing customized chip architectures for large model inference scenarios. It is collaborating with TSMC to develop "low-voltage inference" technology aimed at reducing energy consumption and heat dissipation pressure.

This funding round, which had previously disclosed financing information at a valuation of approximately $500 million, includes participation from Stripes, funds associated with Peter Thiel, and several quantitative institutions. Jane Street is reported to have invested over $100 million cumulatively and has added further contributions afterward. (Bloomberg)