Axelera AI is a startup targeting Edge AI applications. Leveraging its Metis AI Processing Unit (AIPU) chip, embedded hardware AI inference acceleration cards, and Voyager SDK software solutions, the company specializes in imaging application solutions for applications in edge nodes. Unlike AI systems developed in high-density cloud data centers, Edge AI computing offers energy efficiency, information security, low latency, and fast speed of response, rapidly powering real-time vision and smart detection applications for embedded AI systems.
Axelera AI's technology offerings span 4K/8K image resolution real-time image recognition, security surveillance, campus safety, and drone imaging, pioneering a new model for the development of high-performance AI inference in diverse fields. The company's Metis chip boasts a computing performance of up to 214 TOPS (TeraOPS) of inference performance at INT8 precision. For example, using ResNet-50 Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model doing object segmentation and analysis, a single Metis chip can achieve a high processing speed of 3200 frames per second (FPS), providing stable, real-time analysis capabilities while consuming only approximately 10W. This balance of performance and environmental benefits has attracted significant market attention.
Meanwhile, the AI inference acceleration cards integrated with Metis chips are also a major product line. There are two types of accelerator cards that support M.2 and PCIe interfaces, which can quickly meet the needs of system integrators, OEM customers and industrial PC (IPC) makers. With these flexible connection interface, Axelera could engage the business with various embedded AI system makers.
In addition to the hardware lineups, Axelera's software support is also a key factor in its success. The Voyager SDK software suite facilitates hardware and software integration for system integrators. There are open source software framework currently available on GitHub for computer vision and enabling customers to solve their AI business requirements. This Voyager SDK comes with a Model Zoo, a catalog of turnkey AI models, allowing customers either to import their own AI models or choose from Model Zoo models. These offerings significantly reduce developing time and excels in functional completeness and efficiency.
Axelera AI's business model is based on collaboration with system integrators and OEM clients, encompassing joint development of AI projects and customized data architectures, providing clients with one-stop, high-performance Edge AI solutions. Axelera AI is working closely with major Taiwanese industrial PC vendors and OEM/ODM clients to develop key applications for financial and research institutions, medical solution providers and other public facilities that prioritize data security, privacy, and safety. This initiative aims to create emerging applications for Edge AI and unlock its significant value.