Despite the competition, Nvidia appears to be leading in terms of investment, having funneled nearly a billion dollars to non-affiliated firms in the first three quarters of 2023. While success in the AI chipmaking space doesn't necessarily require a robust startup ecosystem, Nvidia is leveraging its financial influence to maintain its dominance, controlling about 95% of the market for AI chips.
Key takeaways:
- Nvidia's startup investments increased by 280% year-over-year from 2022 to 2023, with the company participating in approximately 46 deals in 2023.
- Intel, through Intel Capital, deployed over $350 million across its investments in 2023, participating in 32 startup deals, down from 47 in 2022.
- Arm invested in 10 startups in 2023, a significant increase from 2022 when it invested in just four companies.
- AMD, through AMD Ventures, made a single investment in 2023 and plans to accelerate its investment activity in 2024, targeting the AI ecosystem.