Synthara raises $11m for in-memory computing

Synthara, the Swiss in-memory computing startup, has raised $11 million in funding through investments and European and Swiss grants.

The round is led by Vsquared Ventures, with OTB Ventures, Hermann Hauser’s Onsight Ventures, Deep Tech Labs, along with existing investors such as High-Tech Gründerfonds, DeepIE, Excellis, ZKB and first investor Sandeep Raju.

Hauser also joined the company as an advisor. This funding will enable Synthara to introduce its patent-pending product, ComputeRAM, to embedded computing applications.

ComputeRAM enables MCUs that are 100x better, both in terms of energy efficiency and latency. These high-performance and flexible MCUs can address a broad set of AI.

Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from the Institute of Neuroinformatics at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, Synthara is based on the doctoral research of Dr. Manu V. Nair and Dr. Alessandro Aimar.

“This founding round empowers us to work closely with our early adopter community as they develop game-changing chips and devices,” says Synthara co-founder and CEO Manu Nair.

”Hermann Hauser, founder of Acron Computers and ARM and advisor to Synthara, said: “The seamless integration of in-memory computing into existing chip designs is a game-changer, significantly enhancing capabilities and performance,” says Hauser, “this advancement is particularly relevant for AI applications, where the need for faster, more efficient processing is paramount.”

In addition to raising venture capital, Synthara is involved in several significant European projects, targeting advanced computing and next-generation AI applications (Rebecca, Centric, and Tristan).

The company has also secured substantial funding from Innosuisse and SERI, including a recent CHF 2.5 million Swiss Accelerator grant to advance next-generation edge AI chips.

The team of 20 is based in Zurich. Previous investors include HTGF, DeepIE, Excellis, and ZKB.