Quadric Secures $30M to Drive AI Inference Chip Innovations
Quadric, a trailblazer in the on-device AI chip market, has made headlines by raising an impressive $30 million in their recent Series C funding round. This funding round, which surpassed expectations, has increased the total capital raised by the company to an exciting $72 million, signaling robust investor confidence in its innovative vision.
The funding is spearheaded by the ACCELERATE Fund, managed by BEENEXT Capital Management, with noteworthy participation from Uncork Capital, which brought additional insider support, and was joined by new investors such as Volta, Gentree, Wanxiang America, Pivotal, and Silicon Catalyst Ventures.
Significant Revenue Growth and Market Positioning
As Quadric enters the new year, they are optimistic about their growth trajectory. The recent funding comes at a time when the company has reported exceptional progress, with product revenues tripling compared to previous years. Their strategic plans for 2026 are buoyed by increasing design wins, thanks to the rapid adoption of their General Purpose NPU (GPNPU) processor IP across various industries including edge LLM, automotive, and enterprise vision applications.
Hero Choudhary, Managing Partner at BEENEXT, expressed notable confidence in Quadric, pointing to its notable architecture and innovative approach to AI inference at the edge. He indicates the potential for Quadric to revolutionize the hardware sector of edge AI, demonstrating a promising future ahead.
Innovative Architecture Tailored for Future Success
Quadric's offerings enable the development of highly capable AI inference chips that can adhere to the dynamic nature of AI model development. The legacy technologies currently in use often fall short of expectations, unable to adapt when it comes to new AI models. This poses a risk to developers who invest in architectures that are unable to evolve over time.
The Chimera™ processor IP from Quadric is purposefully crafted to eliminate such vulnerabilities. Unlike fixed-function NPUs, Chimera is a fully programmable platform capable of executing any AI model, irrespective of its specifications. This feature ensures that developers can safeguard their investments against the rapid evolution of AI in technology.
This highly effective processor allows developers to deploy computer vision and LLM applications while accommodating models with up to 30 billion parameters. As a result, customers benefit from exceptional performance per watt, allowing for quicker transitions from initial engagement to readiness for production in under six months.
Scalable Performance Across Applications
The scalability of Chimera GPNPU cores, ranging from 1 tera operations per second (TOPS) to an impressive 864 TOPS, provides flexibility for both commercial and automotive safety-enhanced configurations. This versatility makes Quadric a leading choice in sectors where performance and reliability are paramount.
Evident Market Traction and Growth Potential
Jeff Clavier, Founding Partner at Uncork Capital, lauded Quadric’s unique achievement in product revenue, attributing this progress to authentic customer adoption rather than mere speculation. He highlighted the growing software ecosystem that is forming around the Chimera platform, asserting that it has the potential to become a defining feature in the industry.
Recently, Quadric has expanded its roster of licensees, extending its influence across automotive applications, office automation, edge LLM, and autonomous driving developments. Alongside this funding news, they announced two exciting license agreements, one with a potential edge-server LLM silicon provider and the other with Tier IV from Japan, recognized for its innovations in self-driving technologies.
Commitment to Customer-Focused Growth
Veerbhan Kheterpal, CEO and co-founder of Quadric, emphasized the company’s mission: to deliver the best AI inference chips that combine outstanding performance with robust software solutions. The recent infusion of growth capital is strategically allocated to strengthen teams and technologies that support customer success, ensuring that clients can navigate the challenges posed by ongoing shifts in AI models confidently.
About Quadric
Headquartered in Burlingame, California, Quadric serves as the driving force behind on-device AI chips. Their widely trusted General Purpose NPU (GPNPU) processor IP and comprehensive toolchain enables clients to transition from concept to production-grade AI silicon within a remarkably short timeframe. With additional capabilities tailored for automotive industries and a knack for scaling to 864 TOPS, Quadric stands at the forefront of AI technology evolution.
Learn more about Quadric and their innovative solutions at https://quadric.ai.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Quadric's recent funding achievement?
Quadric recently announced a successful oversubscribed Series C funding round, raising $30 million, increasing total capital to $72 million.
What sectors does Quadric's technology serve?
Quadric’s technology extends to edge LLM, automotive, office automation, and autonomous driving applications, showcasing its versatility.
What distinguishes the Chimera processor IP?
Chimera is fully programmable, allowing it to run any AI model, thus future-proofing investments against rapid architectural shifts in AI.
Who are some of Quadric's investors?
Notable investors in this recent funding include BEENEXT Capital Management, Uncork Capital, Volta, Gentree, Wanxiang America, Pivotal, and Silicon Catalyst Ventures.
What is Quadric's commitment moving forward?
Quadric is focused on delivering top-tier AI inference chips with advanced software solutions, leveraging growth capital to enhance customer success.