RISC-V chip startup AheadComputing raises $21.5M to fix CPU bottlenecks - SiliconANGLE
Feb 20, 2025 - siliconangle.com
AheadComputing Inc., a RISC-V chip startup, has raised $21.5 million in seed funding to address CPU bottlenecks in AI workloads. The funding round was led by Eclipse, with participation from Maverick Capital, Fundomo, EPIQ Capital Group, and Jim Keller, CEO of Tenstorrent Inc. Founded in 2024 by former Intel CPU architects, the company aims to develop 64-bit RISC-V processors that enhance per-core performance to meet the demands of AI and machine learning workloads. The startup's founders highlight the limitations of current CPU architectures in handling advanced AI tasks and emphasize the open nature of the RISC-V ecosystem as a key advantage.
AheadComputing plans to use the funds to demonstrate improved CPU core performance and expand its engineering teams. The company is focused on enhancing power efficiency, thermal density constraints, and multiprocessor scalability. CEO Debbie Marr stated that the RISC-V architecture avoids the pitfalls of x86 and Arm-based designs, allowing for greater innovation. Greg Reichow from Eclipse praised the leadership team's expertise and commitment to delivering high-performance, energy-efficient cores that could impact industries like mobile, industrial, and networking.
Key takeaways:
AheadComputing Inc. has raised $21.5 million in seed funding to develop RISC-V based AI chipsets.
The startup was founded by former Intel CPU architects aiming to address CPU bottlenecks in AI workloads.
AheadComputing's RISC-V processors aim to deliver enhanced per-core performance and power-efficiency.
The funds will be used to improve CPU core performance and expand engineering teams.
