Blaize, a dynamic AI chip innovator, has announced it will be the first in its league to step into the public domain, with a listing on Nasdaq planned for 2025. This California-based company, an outcome of the genius minds from Intel, has drawn keen investor attention towards the AI chip sector.
Initiated in 2011, Blaize is backed by heavy-hitters such as Samsung and Mercedes-Benz, gathering a substantial investment of $335 million. Setting their sights on AI chips designed for edge applications, Blaize is infusing their technology into smart products like drones, security cameras, and industrial robots, instead of solely focusing on data centers as done by their counterpart Nvidia.
According to CEO Dinakar Munagala, a former Intel veteran, the future of AI computing lies in edge computing, making it a preferable choice due to advantages like low power consumption, affordability, faster latency, and data privacy. Considering the significant initial investment required for chip manufacturers, Blaize, despite incurring a financial hit, aims to redefine the trajectory with a rapid scale-up plan lined up for the future.
While Blaize has some big deals totaling $400 million in their deal funnel, they are tight-lipped about a $104 million defense deal that is in the offing. Blaize is tipped to be valued at $1.2 billion post-SPAC merger, which is moderately less compared to other private AI chip producers.
Blaize’s public entry is a significant shift, bridging the gap between central data centers and integrating AI into tangible products. Overlooking the noisy data-center-focused AI market, Blaize is riding on the practicality of AI in real-world applications, making their journey an exciting one to follow.
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