Out of Intel startup AheadComputing raises $21.5 million

AheadComputing Inc., a startup based in Portland, Oregon, was founded in July 2024 by four senior engineers who had previously worked at Intel. Recently, the company announced that it has secured US$21.5 million in seed funding to further develop its 64-bit RISC-V microprocessor architecture. This architecture is designed to be versatile and can be utilized in a variety of applications, including AI workloads in server, client, mobile, and edge computing environments.

During its launch, AheadComputing revealed its intention to pursue an IP licensing business strategy. The recent funding round was led by Eclipse, with contributions from Maverick Capital, Fundomo, EPIQ Capital Group LLC, and Jim Keller, the CEO of Tenstorrent. Keller, known for his work on processors for major tech companies such as Apple, AMD, Tesla, and Intel, brings a wealth of experience to the table.

CEO Debbie Marr, an Intel Fellow and former chief architect of the Advanced Architecture Development Group, co-founded AheadComputing with senior engineers Jonathan Pearce, Srikanth Srinivasan, and Mark Dechene. The company aims to target a range of "everyday" AI applications with moderate parallelism, including using AI generators to aid in programming tasks for increased productivity.

Marr expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate the rapidly evolving compute landscape, stating that AheadComputing is well-positioned to lead the transformation by delivering exceptional performance in general-purpose processors. The newly acquired funds will be utilized to grow the team and enhance core IP development. Since its inception, AheadComputing has expanded from its founding members to a workforce of 40 employees.

Looking ahead, AheadComputing is actively seeking strategic partnerships to collaborate across various sectors, including cloud computing, AI, and mobile devices. By fostering these partnerships, the company aims to leverage expertise from different domains to drive innovation and address emerging challenges in the tech industry.