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DEEPX

Category: AI Infrastructure

A fabless AI semiconductor company specializing in high-performance, low-power AI chips and computing solutions for edge devices. DEEPX was founded in 2018. The company is led by Lokwon Kim. Based in Seoul, South Korea. Team size: 100+. Total funding raised: $103M. Latest round: Series C. Key investors include ["Skylake Equity Partners","BNW Investments","AJU IB Investment","Timefolio Asset Management"].

Founded
2018
Headquarters
Seoul, South Korea
Team size
100+
Total funding
$103M

Value proposition

Providing ultra-low power, high-efficiency on-device AI processing capabilities, enabling complex AI operations on battery-powered and edge devices at a competitive cost.

Products and solutions

["DX-V1: An AI NPU for vision applications, capable of processing video from over 16 channels in real-time.","DX-M1: A versatile and scalable AI accelerator module for a wide range of edge AI applications.","DX-H1: A high-performance AI booster chip designed for AI servers and computing boxes.","DX-M2: Next-generation chip in development, designed to bring generative AI capabilities to portable, battery-powered devices.","DX-GEN2: A comprehensive software development kit (SDK) for easy and fast development on the DEEPX hardware platform."]

Unique value

DEEPX's core innovation is its proprietary Neural Processing Unit (NPU) technology, which is engineered for ultra-low power consumption without compromising high AI performance. The company offers a comprehensive 'All-in-4' solution, providing four distinct classes of AI chips (DX-V1, DX-M1, DX-H1, DX-M2) that cater to the entire spectrum of edge AI applications, from simple sensor-based devices to complex AI servers.

Target customer

Developers and manufacturers of edge AI devices such as smart cameras, robotics, AI-powered servers, and smart factory equipment.

Industries served

["Smart Cities","Surveillance and Security","Smart Factories and Industrial IoT","Robotics","Drones","AI Servers and Edge Computing"]

Technology advantage

The key technological advantage lies in their advanced quantization techniques and hardware design, which dramatically reduce power consumption and manufacturing costs. This allows for the deployment of sophisticated AI models on resource-constrained edge devices. Their business advantage is providing a scalable, efficient, and cost-effective hardware and software platform that accelerates time-to-market for their customers.

How they differentiate

DeepX specializes in ultra-low-power, high-performance Neural Processing Units (NPUs) for on-device AI, particularly for edge computing, robotics, and computer vision applications. Their key differentiator lies in their proprietary quantization technology, which optimizes AI models to run efficiently on resource-constrained devices without significant loss of accuracy. This allows them to deliver superior power efficiency and performance for complex AI workloads at the edge.

Main competitors

["Hailo","Kneron","SiMa.ai"]

Key partnerships

["Samsung Foundry (for chip manufacturing)","Baidu PaddlePaddle (for AI ecosystem development in drones, robotics, and OCR)","DeGirum (for software and AI application integration)","BIOSTAR (for developing Edge AI platforms and industrial PCs)","Network Optics (for video management systems integration)","Dell","HP","AWS"]

Notable customers

["Hyundai Kia Motors Robotics Lab","POSCO DX","Jahwa Electronics","LGU+","Inventec"]

Major milestones

["Successfully secured $80.5 million in a Series C funding round in May 2024.","Hired Morgan Stanley to manage a pre-IPO funding round, with plans for a potential IPO in 2027.","Named a 'Challenger' in the AI chip market by CB Insights.","Developed a comprehensive AI chip lineup (DX-L1, DX-L2, DX-M1, DX-H1) to serve various edge AI applications.","Showcased its technology and won Innovation Awards at CES."]

Growth metrics

DeepX has received technology validation requests for its DX-M1 prototype from over 300 corporations worldwide. The company's valuation surged more than eightfold from its Series B to its Series C funding round, reaching $529 million.

Market positioning

DeepX is positioned as a leading challenger in the edge AI semiconductor market. The company focuses on providing comprehensive solutions, including four specialized AI chips (DX-L1, DX-L2, DX-M1, DX-H1) and a software development kit (DX-Studio), targeting a wide range of applications from smart cameras and home appliances to industrial IoT and robotics. They are recognized for their technological prowess, surpassing many global competitors in power and computational efficiency.

Geographic focus

Headquartered in South Korea, DeepX has a strong global focus. While building a solid foundation in its domestic market, the company is actively expanding its presence in the Greater China market and has received validation requests from over 300 companies worldwide, indicating a broad international interest. Their collaboration with global partners and participation in international trade shows like CES and MWC underscore their global ambitions.

Patents and IP

DEEPX holds a significant intellectual property portfolio with over 300 patents filed and more than 70 registered globally, primarily in the US, China, and Korea. These patents cover their core NPU architecture, AI processing methods, and quantization technologies.

About Lokwon Kim

Prior to founding DEEPX, Lokwon Kim was a senior research scientist at Apple, where he led application processor design for devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch. He also held senior design roles at Cisco Systems, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Broadcom, and SK hynix.

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