logoAiPathly

Syntiant

S

Overview

Syntiant Corp., founded in 2017 and based in Irvine, California, is a technology company specializing in end-to-end deep learning solutions for edge AI applications. The company's focus is on developing ultra-low-power, high-performance deep neural network processors that enable machine learning directly on devices, reducing reliance on cloud computing. Key Products and Technologies:

  • Digital neural decision processors mimicking the human brain for efficient workload processing
  • Use-case specific machine learning models for edge processing in sensor, voice, and video applications
  • Low-power, high-performance solutions suitable for compute-constrained environments Partnerships and Funding:
  • Backed by prominent investors including Intel Capital, Microsoft's M12, Applied Ventures, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Amazon Alexa Fund, and Atlantic Bridge Capital
  • Total funding of $122.93 million, with the latest being Series C - III Applications and Use Cases:
  • Utilized in various sectors including consumer electronics, industrial automation, and automotive
  • Notable application in Ring Alarm Glass Break Sensor for efficient, private edge detection Growth and Recognition:
  • Over 100 employees across the United States, Asia, and Europe
  • Recognized as one of the "Best Places to Work in Orange County" for five consecutive years
  • More than 50 million devices deployed globally using Syntiant's technology Vision and Philosophy: Syntiant aims to create seamless human-technology interactions using natural interfaces like voice or gestures, processing data at the edge to enhance privacy and user experience while reducing data congestion between devices and cloud servers.

Leadership Team

Syntiant's leadership team comprises experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds in technology, business, and academia: CEO:

  • Kurt Busch: Known for crisis management, team building, and fostering innovation. Expertise in IoT, Networking, SAAS, and Semiconductor Industries. Chief Technology Officer (CTO):
  • Jeremy Holleman, Ph.D.: Expert in ultra-low power integrated circuits, directs the Integrated Silicon Systems Laboratory at UNC Charlotte. Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO):
  • Pieter Vorenkamp: Background includes roles at Cadence, Broadcom, NXP Semiconductors, and Philips. Other Key Executives:
  • Robert Saman
  • Greg Doll
  • Paul Henderson
  • Dr. Stephen Bailey Advisory Board:
  • Kunle Olukotun, Ph.D.: Chief technologist and co-founder of SambaNova Systems, Stanford University professor
  • Greg Fischer: Board member at Semtech Corporation
  • Magnus Egerstedt, Ph.D.: Dean of Engineering at UC Irvine
  • Sander Arts: Founder and CEO of Orange Tulip Consultancy The leadership team focuses on advancing machine learning and neuromorphic computing innovations, driving growth and maintaining Syntiant's position in intelligent edge devices through effective cross-departmental collaboration.

History

Syntiant, a leader in edge-AI deployments, has experienced rapid growth and innovation since its founding in 2017: Founding and Early Vision (2017):

  • Founded by four co-founders, including CEO Kurt Busch
  • Inspired by the potential of AI and machine learning in voice-activated systems Initial Development and Partnerships (2017-2018):
  • Began researching machine learning, crafting audio wake words, and designing first product
  • Leveraged resources from Evonexus startup incubator
  • Partnered with Arm for processor core and IP First Product and Achievements (2018-2020):
  • Completed design of NDP100 based on Syntiant Core 1 in March 2018
  • Shipped over 10 million units
  • Certified on Amazon Alexa
  • Raised over $65 million in venture capital Expansion of Product Line (2020-2022):
  • Introduced NDP120 based on Syntiant Core 2
  • Developed NDP102 for sensor processing and NDP200 for vision and image recognition Growth and Global Reach (2022):
  • Shipped over 20 million Neural Decision Processors worldwide
  • Worked with approximately 80 customers globally Acquisitions and Partnerships (2022-Present):
  • Acquired Pilot AI Labs in October 2022
  • Formed strategic partnerships with Avnet and TDK Corporation Current Focus and Impact:
  • Continues to innovate in moving AI from cloud to edge
  • Enables local AI tasks on devices, ensuring privacy and security
  • Involved in voice digital biomarkers for health monitoring and industrial IoT solutions Syntiant's history reflects its commitment to advancing edge AI technology and expanding its applications across various industries.

Products & Solutions

Syntiant specializes in edge-AI deployments, offering innovative products and solutions designed to bring deep learning capabilities to a wide range of devices. Their offerings include:

Neural Decision Processors (NDPs)

Syntiant's NDPs are custom silicon solutions that efficiently run deep learning models on edge devices:

  • Offer 100x efficiency and 10-30x higher throughput compared to existing low-power microcontrollers (MCUs)
  • Utilize at-memory compute to reduce power consumption and latency
  • Achieve high efficiency (often >80%) in processing neural network layers

Hardware-Agnostic Machine Learning Models

Syntiant's deep learning models are designed to run on various hardware platforms, from large GPUs to small MCUs:

  • Provide production-ready, off-the-shelf models for audio, speech, sensor, and computer vision applications
  • Ensure compatibility with both legacy and modern compute architectures

Edge AI Solutions

Tailored for always-on, battery-powered edge devices, enabling real-time data processing with near-zero latency:

  • Audio and Vibration Sensors: High-performance MEMS microphones and vibration sensors for premium audio and active noise cancellation
  • Applications across Smart Home, Automotive, Personal Devices, Government, and Industrial & Commercial sectors

Multimodal AI Solutions

Syntiant collaborates with companies like Renesas to offer solutions combining vision and voice processing:

  • NDP120 Neural Decision Processor, when paired with Renesas' RZ/V2M vision AI microprocessor unit, provides advanced voice and image processing capabilities at the edge

Deployment and Development Support

Syntiant offers streamlined solutions to help developers quickly deploy deep learning models:

  • Optimized training pipelines for edge applications
  • Support for rapid time-to-market Syntiant's products and solutions are designed to enhance the performance, efficiency, and user experience of edge devices through powerful deep learning capabilities.

Core Technology

Syntiant's Core technology comprises a series of programmable deep learning architectures designed for ultra-low-power, high-performance edge AI applications:

Syntiant Core 1

  • First-generation neural network processor
  • Optimized for very low energy consumption, particularly in audio keyword-spotting applications
  • Features a five-layer fully connected network with 4-bit weights and biases
  • Operates at 16 MHz with 8 parallel MACs
  • Tailored for near-field wake word detection and simple audio processing tasks

Syntiant Core 2

  • Significant advancement over Core 1
  • Offers a highly flexible and configurable neural network runtime
  • Provides up to 25x the processing power of Core 1
  • Supports a wide range of neural network architectures
  • Can execute multiple layers simultaneously without compilers
  • Demonstrated outstanding performance in the MLPerf Tiny v1.1 benchmark suite

Syntiant Core 3

  • Latest generation, integrated into the NDP250 Neural Decision Processor
  • Delivers 5x the tensor throughput of the previous generation
  • Designed for various imaging, speech, and sensor applications
  • Capable of handling complex tasks like person detection, object classification, automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech, and motion tracking
  • Particularly suited for real-time speech interfaces for large language models and battery-powered, always-on vision applications

Key Features

  • Ultra-Low Power Consumption: Suitable for battery-powered devices
  • High Performance: High throughput and low latency for real-time processing
  • Flexibility and Versatility: Support for a wide range of neural network architectures
  • Multi-Modal Capabilities: Can handle multiple applications simultaneously, including edge AI vision, speech, audio, and sensor processing Syntiant's core technologies focus on delivering high-performance, ultra-low-power solutions for edge AI applications, positioning the company as a leader in edge AI deployment.

Industry Peers

Syntiant operates in the competitive fields of edge AI and neuromorphic computing. Here are some notable industry peers and competitors:

Edge AI and AI Processors

  • Hailo: Focuses on edge AI processors for embedded deep learning applications in automotive, security, and industrial automation sectors
  • MemryX: Develops AI accelerator chips for edge devices in automotive, robotics, and machine vision
  • Kneron: Provides integrated software and hardware solutions for on-device AI processing

Neuromorphic and Low-Power Computing

  • Innatera: Develops low-power intelligence for sensors using neuromorphic processors that mimic brain mechanisms
  • Perceive: Specializes in edge inference chips for various edge devices, offering high accuracy and performance at low power

AI Inference and Accelerators

  • Analog Inference: Focuses on analog in-memory computing technology for AI inference accelerators
  • Blaize (formerly ThinCI): Offers full-stack hardware architecture and no-code software platform for AI applications

Semiconductor and AI Hardware

  • POLYN Technology: A fabless semiconductor company developing application-specific Tiny AI chips
  • STMicroelectronics: Creates semiconductor technologies, including intelligent and energy-efficient solutions

Other Competitors

  • GreenWaves: Known for their GAP8 IoT processor designed for low-power AI applications
  • Silicon Labs: Provides semiconductor products for IoT and edge computing
  • SiTime: Specializes in MEMS-based timing solutions and competes in the broader semiconductor and IoT space These companies are involved in various aspects of AI, edge computing, and semiconductor technologies, competing with Syntiant in different market segments. The competition drives innovation and advancements in edge AI and neuromorphic computing, benefiting the overall industry.

More Companies

L

LemFi

LemFi is a financial technology company specializing in international payment solutions, primarily serving immigrants and the African diaspora. Founded in 2020 as Lemonade Finance, the company rebranded to LemFi in 2023. Key aspects of LemFi include: Services and Products: - International money transfers - Multi-currency accounts - Digital wallets - Global accounts for managing funds across multiple countries Target Market: LemFi primarily serves migrants, especially those from Africa living in North America and Europe, addressing their unique cross-border banking needs. Funding and Valuation: The company has raised $33.86 million in total funding, including a $33 million Series A round. Investors include Y Combinator, Global Founders Capital, and Left Lane Capital. Operations and Expansion: Headquartered in Maidstone, United Kingdom, LemFi operates in Canada, Nigeria, and the United States. Recent expansion efforts have focused on Asia and Europe. Regulatory Compliance: LemFi is registered with financial regulatory bodies in each country of operation, including FINTRAC in Canada and the FCA in the United Kingdom. The company is GDPR compliant and undergoes regular audits. Partnerships: A notable partnership with ClearBank powers LemFi's e-wallet offering in the UK, contributing to significant transaction volumes. Ownership and Stock: As a privately held company, LemFi's stock is not publicly traded. Shares are held by founders, employees, venture capital funds, and private investors. Accredited investors may explore share purchases through platforms like UpMarket, though such investments carry high risks. LemFi has positioned itself as a significant player in the cross-border payments and digital banking space, particularly for immigrant communities and the African diaspora.

H

Harbinger

The term "Harbinger" encompasses various entities and works across different domains: ### The Harbinger (2022 Film) A horror film directed by Andy Mitton, set during the early COVID-19 lockdown. The movie follows Monique and her friend Mavis as they experience terrifying dreams haunted by a malevolent entity. It explores themes of isolation, mental health, and supernatural horror, utilizing the pandemic as a backdrop to amplify anxiety and fear. The film is praised for its intentional writing, unique plot, and effective use of practical effects. ### The Harbinger (2011 Novel) A Christian novel by Jonathan Cahn that draws parallels between ancient Israel's destruction and potential future events in the United States. Cahn identifies nine "harbingers" or signs that he believes were given to ancient Israel before its destruction and argues that similar signs are appearing in the U.S. The novel urges a return to spirituality and faith, warning of impending judgment if the nation does not repent. ### Harbinger (Electric Vehicle Company) An American company specializing in medium-duty electric vehicles. Harbinger has raised $100 million in Series B funding to accelerate growth, expand production, and enhance sales and service operations. The company is known for its vertically integrated approach to building electric vehicles, which allows it to maintain quality and keep costs low. Harbinger's products include electric platforms for vehicles such as walk-in vans, box trucks, and recreational vehicles.

B

Blockstream

Blockstream is a prominent blockchain technology company that plays a significant role in the development and infrastructure of the Bitcoin ecosystem. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Blockstream is led by co-founder Adam Back, a well-known figure in the cryptocurrency space. ## Products and Services ### Liquid Network Blockstream's flagship product is the Liquid Network, a sidechain protocol launched in October 2018. It enhances the Bitcoin blockchain by enabling: - Faster and more confidential transactions - Reduced counterparty risk - Issuance of new assets The Liquid Network uses Elements Core, a sidechain protocol built on the Bitcoin Core codebase, and features Confidential Transactions, Segregated Witnesses (SegWit), and new opcodes. It processes blocks every minute, compared to Bitcoin's 10-minute interval. ### Blockstream Satellite Blockstream operates a satellite network that broadcasts the full Bitcoin blockchain via one-way transmission. Initiated in 2017, this service: - Propagates valid Bitcoin transactions to areas without internet access - Provides coverage in multiple regions, including Asia and the Pacific - Offers API specifications for user data transmission ### Blockstream Jade The Jade device is a hardware wallet designed for secure storage of private keys for Bitcoin and layer-2 assets, known for its simplicity and high-security features. ### Blockstream Mining The company provides bitcoin mining infrastructure and colocation solutions, positioning itself as a leader in the global Bitcoin mining sector. ## Industry Partnerships Blockstream collaborates with various industry players, including: - Bitcoin Core developers - Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE) for cryptocurrency market data feeds - Digital Garage to create Crypto Garage, targeting the Japanese institutional market ## Funding As of 2021, Blockstream had raised $210 million from investors, including venture capital firms such as Horizons Ventures and AXA Strategic Ventures. In summary, Blockstream is a key player in the Bitcoin and blockchain ecosystem, focusing on enhancing the efficiency, security, and capabilities of digital asset transactions and storage.

C

Crunchbase

Crunchbase is a leading provider of comprehensive business information, with a particular focus on startups, investments, and corporate data. Founded in 2007, the company has evolved into a crucial resource for investors, researchers, and businesses seeking detailed insights into the startup ecosystem and corporate landscape. History Crunchbase began as a database to track startups featured on TechCrunch. In 2010, AOL acquired the company, but Crunchbase regained independence in 2015, raising $8.5 million in funding. Subsequent funding rounds included an $18 million Series B in 2017 and a $30 million Series C in 2019. Products and Services Crunchbase offers a range of products and services: 1. Crunchbase Pro: An advanced search tool providing in-depth data on companies, investments, and market trends. 2. Crunchbase Enterprise: Tailored for larger organizations, offering enhanced features such as API access, custom data solutions, and CRM integrations. 3. Crunchbase Marketplace: Launched in 2018, providing subscriptions to third-party data sources. 4. Investment Analytics and Trend Analysis: Tools for analyzing investment trends and market data. 5. Web Traffic Review and Marketing Tools: Resources to support marketing efforts and review web traffic. 6. News and Updates: Current information on startup activities and corporate developments. Data Licensing Crunchbase has navigated complex data licensing issues, notably a 2013 dispute with Pro Populi. This led to AOL adopting the CC BY-NC license for future dataset revisions, while maintaining a snapshot of the 2013 dataset under the CC-BY license. Expansion Over time, Crunchbase has broadened its database to include information on incubators and venture capital partners, further enhancing its value as a comprehensive resource for startup and investment data.