Archive · 24 Jul 2026
IIT Patna Graduate Leads US AI Chip Startup
Dr. Saptadeep Pal, who graduated from IIT Patna and later earned his PhD from UCLA, is a key figure at Etched, an AI startup valued at $10.3 billion.
Etched recently raised $300 million and unveiled a new facility to test and prototype AI chips.
Pal, as the VP of ASIC and Architecture, leads the design of custom silicon that maximizes efficiency and performance for AI workloads.
His work includes innovations like Low Voltage Inference (LVI) and specialized ASIC designs.
Etched aims to compete with established GPU giants like Nvidia by offering advanced AI chip technology.
Etched, an AI startup, raised $300 million in a Series C round, valuing the company at $10.3 billion.
The startup unveiled an 80,000-square-foot, 10-megawatt testing and prototyping facility near its headquarters.
Dr. Saptadeep Pal, an IIT Patna graduate and VP of ASIC and Architecture at Etched, leads the design of custom silicon for AI workloads.
Pal's innovations include Low Voltage Inference (LVI) and specialized ASIC designs that maximize efficiency and performance.
Etched aims to compete with GPU giants like Nvidia by delivering purpose-built, rack-scale inference clusters.
- Who
- Dr. Saptadeep Pal, an Indian-origin engineer and VP of ASIC and Architecture at Etched.
- What
- Etched, an AI startup, announced a $300 million Series C raise at a $10.3 billion valuation and unveiled a new testing and prototyping facility.
- When
- The announcement and unveiling occurred recently, with specific dates not mentioned in the articles.
- Where
- Etched is based in Silicon Valley, with the new facility located 15 minutes from its headquarters.
- Why
- Etched aims to compete with GPU giants like Nvidia by delivering purpose-built, rack-scale inference clusters for AI workloads.
AI Startup Innovation
Traditional GPU Giants
Innovation vs. Established Technology
AI Startup Innovation
Etched's custom silicon and specialized ASIC designs represent a significant innovation in AI chip technology, focusing on low-voltage inference and high-density FLOPs.
Traditional GPU Giants
Traditional GPU giants like Nvidia have established technologies and a strong market presence, which may make it challenging for new startups to compete.
- Company
- Etched
- Valuation
- $10.3 billion
- Funding Round
- Series C
- Funding Amount
- $300 million
- Key Investors
- Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Jane Street, Argo, SK Hynix
- Facility Size
- 80,000 square feet
- Facility Power
- 10 megawatts
- Key Person
- Dr. Saptadeep Pal
- Education
- IIT Patna, UCLA
- Role at Etched
- VP of ASIC and Architecture