Cognichip has secured $60 million in funding to accelerate its novel approach to chip design.
The round was led by Seligman Ventures, with participation from Mayfield, Lux Capital, FPV, Candou Ventures, and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who will join the board.
The startup argues the semiconductor industry is hitting structural limits, slowing AI progress. Its solution is the Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI) platform, a physics-informed foundational model.
ACI integrates physical constraints and manufacturing realities into the design process, enabling parallel exploration of multiple design decisions.
The company claims this can reduce chip design effort by up to 50%. It is working with over 30 design firms, with early adopters reporting shorter cycles and lower costs.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the technology could unlock massive global opportunity, positioning Cognichip to become a generational company.