DEEPX is a South Korean AI semiconductor company focused on on-device intelligence — building neural processing units (NPUs) that let edge devices run AI inference locally, efficiently and affordably. As AI proliferates beyond the datacenter into cameras, robots, vehicles, appliances and factory equipment, there is growing demand for chips that can perform sophisticated inference at the edge without the latency, cost, privacy concerns or connectivity dependence of sending data to the cloud. DEEPX positions itself as a leader in this on-device AI category.
Founded in 2018 by CEO Lokwon Kim, a veteran of Apple, Cisco and IBM, DEEPX has developed a portfolio of NPUs spanning multiple performance and power tiers. Its lineup includes the DX-V1 and DX-V3 vision-oriented processors, the DX-M1 mainstream AI accelerator and the DX-H1 high-performance part, collectively targeting applications from smart cameras and robotics to industrial automation and consumer electronics. The company's emphasis is on delivering strong inference performance per watt at a competitive cost, which is critical for high-volume edge deployments where power budgets and bill-of-materials economics are tight.
The company's technology has won backing from Korean semiconductor industry heavyweights. In 2024 DEEPX raised an $80.5 million (roughly KRW 108.5 billion) Series C at a $529 million valuation, with the round led by SkyLake Equity Partners and participation from BNW Investments, AJU IB and existing stakeholder TimeFolio Asset Management. The valuation marked a roughly eightfold increase, underscoring investor confidence in the edge AI opportunity.
DEEPX has earmarked its funding for the mass production of its inaugural chips for global distribution and is scaling commercial operations accordingly. Looking further ahead, the company has engaged Morgan Stanley to advise on a larger capital raise and is reportedly preparing for a potential initial public offering around 2027.
With a focused on-device strategy, a multi-tier product portfolio and strong institutional backing, DEEPX is among the most prominent edge AI chip players emerging from Asia, aiming to capture the fast-growing market for intelligence embedded directly into devices.