Netherlands-based inference chip startup Euclyd raised a €200M+ Series A co-led by Samsung, Somerset Capital, Scaleup Europe Fund, and Innovation Industries

Euclyd's chip systems aim to reduce the energy needs and costs for AI data center infrastructure.

Netherlands-based Euclyd, a startup developing an alternative to Nvidia's AI inference chips, has secured over €200 million (approximately $230 million) in a Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Samsung, Somerset Capital Partners, the Scaleup Europe Fund, and Innovation Industries. Founded in 2024, Euclyd's architecture is designed to rival the performance and efficiency of current GPU-based solutions for AI workloads, particularly for inference. The company's co-founder and CEO, Bernardo Kastrup, stated that their technology aims to reduce energy consumption and costs in AI data centers. Euclyd plans to generate revenue by selling hardware and rack systems to enterprises seeking self-hosted AI inference capabilities and by licensing its intellectual property. While Euclyd's systems have not yet been deployed at scale, they anticipate initial rollouts in 2028 and aim to serve thousands of enterprise customers by 2030. Samsung's involvement provides not only capital but also expertise in memory manufacturing, systems engineering, and supply chain management.

The substantial funding round, co-led by a major player like Samsung, signals a significant market appetite for alternatives to Nvidia's dominant AI processing units. As hyperscalers and even startups like OpenAI develop their own custom silicon, Euclyd's approach of offering both hardware and IP licensing positions it to capture a slice of this rapidly expanding market. The company's focus on inference, a critical but often overlooked component of AI workloads, could address the escalating operational costs and energy demands of AI deployment.

Euclyd's strategy of targeting enterprises seeking secure, self-hosted AI inference with physical systems and IP licensing addresses a key concern for companies wary of relying solely on cloud providers or third-party hardware. The backing from Samsung, a leader in memory and semiconductor manufacturing, suggests a strong potential for Euclyd to navigate the complex supply chain and manufacturing challenges inherent in chip development. Investors are betting that Euclyd can replicate the success seen by other AI chip ventures by offering a differentiated and cost-effective solution to a growing industry pain point.