Kneron

Kneron is technology company developing integrated edge AI hardware and software solutions.

Kneron offers on-device edge artificial intelligence (AI), which substitutes the cloud by analytics and processing taking place on the device itself. It achieves this feat through its AI system on chips (SoCs), currently, the KL520, KL530, KL720, and KL730 powered by the company’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU). It also offers the Kneron Neural network Edge AI Open platform (KNEO), an intelligence network which includes an AI app store for personalizing and democratizing the use of AI.

The company operates through its headquarters in San Diego and a development team in Taipei. Its KL520 focuses primarily on striking a balance between power, performance, and size, which are all fundamental elements of on-device AI inferencing. Although AI processors typically consume several watts (W), Kneron’s NPU series consumes under 0.5W and its KDP 300 (designed for facial recognition in smartphones) consumes even less than 5 milliwatts (mW).

Kneron launched the “KL530” automotive-grade chip in November 2021, for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle (AV) systems. The chip reportedly supports automotive adoption as it delivers more accurate image detection and reduced processing times without a subsequent increase in power consumption, as it supports Vision Transformers and has a 4-bit processor. The company noted that its KL530 has twice the tera operations per second (TOPS) per watt over its predecessor, KL520. The company intends to enter mass production of the chip in Q1 2022.

Additionally, through its SoCs, the company offers solutions for privacy concerns as well since data is processed within the device, without being sent to the cloud. The company launched the KL720 in August 2020. The chip offers an output of 1.4 TOPS, and performance efficiency of 0.9 TOPS/W.

The company went on to launch KL730, an auto-grade neural processing unit (NPU) chip in August 2023. It featured an integrated Image Signal Processor (ISP), as well as a peripheral interface that connects digital signals such as image, video, audio, and millimeter waves, to enable users to develop a number of AI applications across multiple industries. The company claims that KL730 offers a 3x–4x increase in energy efficiency compared to its previous models and is capable of 0.35–4 effective tera operations per second (TOPS). Notably, the chip will also offer support for lightweight GPT large language models (LLMs).

In June 2024, the company announced that its latest KL830 processor chip will be featured in a new PC. This chip allows the PC to run AI applications directly on the device without needing an internet connection, enhancing privacy and security.

In April 2023, Kneron acquired Otus, a supplier of aftermarket advanced driver assistance systems to Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi. Kneron had aims to accelerate autonomous vehicle applications by integrating OTUS's advanced imaging solutions with Kneron's edge AI capabilities.

Key customers and partnerships

It had amassed around 30 customers as of September 2023, including Toyota, Foxconn, Garmin, and Quanta.

Kneron has partnerships with notable technology companies. including ARM, Synopsys, Foxconn, Qualcomm, and Cadence.

Funding and financials

In September 2023, Kneron raised USD 49 million in an extension to its Series B round from Foxconn and Alltek, bringing its total Series B financing to USD 97 million. The company earmarked the funding to accelerate the development of its AI solutions in the automotive industry and expand its employee base (with a focus on its R&D division)