MPower Partners Invests in EdgeCortix, a Pioneer in Edge AI Semiconductors
Global VC MPower Partners Fund II has invested in EdgeCortix Inc., a fabless developer of power-efficient AI chips. The investment will support domestic sales expansion and the advancement of dual-use technologies in Japan.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 13:15 (98h 43m after Collected)
Global venture capital fund MPower Partners Fund II (hereinafter 'MPower') has invested in EdgeCortix Inc. (hereinafter 'EdgeCortix'), a fabless semiconductor company developing power-efficient AI semiconductors for the edge.
As AI becomes integrated into all critical infrastructure, including defense systems, robotics, and industrial automation, there is a rapidly growing demand for processors capable of high-performance inference processing with ultra-low power consumption. Particularly in environments where cloud-based architectures are unsuitable due to constraints in size, latency, power consumption, and security, 'edge AI'—a technology that processes data directly on devices independent of the cloud—is becoming indispensable, calling for processors optimized for this purpose.
EdgeCortix is a company that develops proprietary chips and software to run AI on devices at high speed and with low power consumption. Its flagship product, the 'SAKURA-II' AI chip, features the performance to process large-scale AI models with billions of parameters in real time using only about 8 watts of power, achieving up to 5 times the energy efficiency compared to conventional edge GPUs. They are also developing their proprietary software foundation 'MERA', which facilitates the introduction of AI models to various devices such as robots, communication equipment, and industrial servers, as well as the next-generation chip 'SAKURA-X' designed for large-scale processing. EdgeCortix's technology, which realizes high-performance AI inference at a fraction of the power and cost of existing solutions, holds the potential to globally transform the way AI is utilized at the edge.
EdgeCortix was founded by Dr. Sakyasingha Dasgupta, who has over 20 years of research and development experience at the Max Planck Institute, RIKEN, Microsoft, IBM Research, and more. Currently, the team gathers world-class experts in the fields of AI, semiconductor design, and software engineering. The company holds patents for its unique approach of designing hardware and software together, making it a standout as a global deep tech semiconductor company based in Japan.
EdgeCortix's power-efficient AI semiconductor technology directly aligns with 'Japan Dynamism', the core investment theme of MPower Partners Fund II. The revival of Japan's semiconductor industry has primarily focused on the fabrication sector, while it still lags in the cutting-edge AI chip design sector. In contrast, EdgeCortix has established its R&D base and core engineering team in Japan, building its proprietary AI processor architecture from scratch. As an entity contributing to the strengthening of Japan's semiconductor value chain, the company is expected to contribute to enhancing Japan's unique AI hardware development capabilities, advancing dual-use technologies spanning both civil and defense sectors, and elevating Japan's position in the global edge AI infrastructure competition.
This strategic importance is recognized both domestically and internationally. Since 2024, EdgeCortix has received a cumulative total of approximately 7 billion yen in support as a government-backed project by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), advancing the development of a next-generation chip foundation for power-efficient AI inference and learning. Furthermore, it is the only Japanese company and the only semiconductor company adopted by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit.
MPower plans to accelerate EdgeCortix's business growth in the Japanese market by leveraging the deep relationships it has built with domestic telecommunications carriers, major manufacturers, and defense-related companies to support the development of new sales channels for the SAKURA AI chip. Additionally, MPower will support the company's response to the policy environment surrounding Japan's dual-use technologies, pushing for the utilization of the company's technology in government-led initiatives aimed at strengthening AI and semiconductor infrastructure.
■ Comments from Dr. Sakyasingha Dasgupta, CEO of EdgeCortix
Japan is in a critically important position to lead next-generation AI infrastructure, possessing not only advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities but also experiencing innovation across all areas of the fabless design ecosystem. MPower's deep network in Japan's industrial and policy spheres, along with its global perspective, strongly aligns with our mission to build a power-efficient AI platform that can be deployed not only in Japan but worldwide, and we are delighted to be working together.
As AI becomes integrated into all critical infrastructure, including defense systems, robotics, and industrial automation, there is a rapidly growing demand for processors capable of high-performance inference processing with ultra-low power consumption. Particularly in environments where cloud-based architectures are unsuitable due to constraints in size, latency, power consumption, and security, 'edge AI'—a technology that processes data directly on devices independent of the cloud—is becoming indispensable, calling for processors optimized for this purpose.
EdgeCortix is a company that develops proprietary chips and software to run AI on devices at high speed and with low power consumption. Its flagship product, the 'SAKURA-II' AI chip, features the performance to process large-scale AI models with billions of parameters in real time using only about 8 watts of power, achieving up to 5 times the energy efficiency compared to conventional edge GPUs. They are also developing their proprietary software foundation 'MERA', which facilitates the introduction of AI models to various devices such as robots, communication equipment, and industrial servers, as well as the next-generation chip 'SAKURA-X' designed for large-scale processing. EdgeCortix's technology, which realizes high-performance AI inference at a fraction of the power and cost of existing solutions, holds the potential to globally transform the way AI is utilized at the edge.
EdgeCortix was founded by Dr. Sakyasingha Dasgupta, who has over 20 years of research and development experience at the Max Planck Institute, RIKEN, Microsoft, IBM Research, and more. Currently, the team gathers world-class experts in the fields of AI, semiconductor design, and software engineering. The company holds patents for its unique approach of designing hardware and software together, making it a standout as a global deep tech semiconductor company based in Japan.
EdgeCortix's power-efficient AI semiconductor technology directly aligns with 'Japan Dynamism', the core investment theme of MPower Partners Fund II. The revival of Japan's semiconductor industry has primarily focused on the fabrication sector, while it still lags in the cutting-edge AI chip design sector. In contrast, EdgeCortix has established its R&D base and core engineering team in Japan, building its proprietary AI processor architecture from scratch. As an entity contributing to the strengthening of Japan's semiconductor value chain, the company is expected to contribute to enhancing Japan's unique AI hardware development capabilities, advancing dual-use technologies spanning both civil and defense sectors, and elevating Japan's position in the global edge AI infrastructure competition.
This strategic importance is recognized both domestically and internationally. Since 2024, EdgeCortix has received a cumulative total of approximately 7 billion yen in support as a government-backed project by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), advancing the development of a next-generation chip foundation for power-efficient AI inference and learning. Furthermore, it is the only Japanese company and the only semiconductor company adopted by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit.
MPower plans to accelerate EdgeCortix's business growth in the Japanese market by leveraging the deep relationships it has built with domestic telecommunications carriers, major manufacturers, and defense-related companies to support the development of new sales channels for the SAKURA AI chip. Additionally, MPower will support the company's response to the policy environment surrounding Japan's dual-use technologies, pushing for the utilization of the company's technology in government-led initiatives aimed at strengthening AI and semiconductor infrastructure.
■ Comments from Dr. Sakyasingha Dasgupta, CEO of EdgeCortix
Japan is in a critically important position to lead next-generation AI infrastructure, possessing not only advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities but also experiencing innovation across all areas of the fabless design ecosystem. MPower's deep network in Japan's industrial and policy spheres, along with its global perspective, strongly aligns with our mission to build a power-efficient AI platform that can be deployed not only in Japan but worldwide, and we are delighted to be working together.