Deeper-I, Efinix sign deal to develop world’s first AI-FPGA single-chip solution

Deeper-I, a South Korean AI semiconductor firm, has partnered with U.S.-based Efinix to develop the world’s first AI-FPGA single chip, targeting global commercialization.

The companies signed a joint development agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding on March 26 at Deeper-I’s headquarters in Seoul. The partnership aims to integrate AI System-on-Chip (SoC) and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technologies into a single System-in-Package (SiP) solution. Key executives from both companies attended the signing ceremony.

Strategic Technology Partnership

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Cupertino, California, Efinix provides FPGA products and software built on its proprietary “Quantum” architecture. Deeper-I has previously integrated Efinix’s FPGA series into its Tachy-Shield NPU, a lightweight AI inference system.

With this agreement, the companies will jointly create a SiP product combining FPGA’s design flexibility with AI computational capabilities. Their goal is to deliver a scalable, globally competitive solution for edge AI applications.

Innovative Chip Integration

Deeper-I plans to apply its proprietary X2X chip-to-chip communication technology to integrate AI dies within FPGA chip pins using die-to-die interconnect. This approach enables a one-chip package with enhanced performance and scalability, addressing the limitations of traditional edge AI semiconductors.

The collaboration is positioned to reshape the market by merging the reprogrammability of FPGA with AI processing in a compact, efficient form factor.

Targeting Rapidly Growing Edge AI Market

This joint effort targets the growing demand for edge AI chips across industries like automotive, robotics, smart factories, security, and smart cities. According to QYResearch, the global edge AI semiconductor market is projected to grow from $2.72 billion in 2023 to $8.13 billion by 2030, with a 16.5% annual growth rate.

Deeper-I CEO Lee Sanghun stated, “This agreement is part of our strategy to secure global market-leading technologies through the convergence of FPGA and AI semiconductor technologies. We aim to strengthen our global competitiveness in the edge AI sector.”

Expanding Global Reach

Deeper-I showcased its deep learning-based edge AI inference solutions at MWC 2025 in Barcelona, signaling its ambitions to expand internationally. Meanwhile, Efinix continues to build a global FPGA ecosystem through partnerships with companies such as CAST (US), Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions (Japan), Fidus Systems (Canada), and Solectrix (Germany).

With Deeper-I’s advanced AI technology and Efinix’s FPGA expertise, both firms expect their collaboration to yield significant impact in the global semiconductor market.

By Mooyoung Lee   [lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com]