femtoAI, founded in 2018, is a technology company originating from Stanford University's Brains in Silicon Lab. It develops ultra-efficient AI inference technology designed for the extreme edge, enabling artificial intelligence to run directly on battery-powered and cost-sensitive devices without requiring cloud connectivity. The company is based in Silicon Valley.
The company's core technical domains include sparse processing, neuromorphic computing, and energy-efficient hardware design. Its product offerings center on the Sparse Processing Unit (SPU-001), a hardware chip that achieves 100x energy efficiency and 10x model capacity compared to traditional AI processors. A full-stack solution combines this custom hardware with deployable AI models and a software development kit (SDK) for real-time applications on compact silicon.
femtoAI's technology is shipping in real-world products, including the NewSound AI over-the-counter hearing aid. The company has raised $20.6 million in funding and operates within industry verticals such as consumer electronics, wearables, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. It has received recognition through awards including the CES 2026 Best-in-Show and the Startup Terrace Award at InnoVEX 2025, and is part of the NVIDIA Inception Program.
