Company intelligence

Etched

Transformer-only AI inference chip startup (Sohu) founded by Harvard dropouts, with $1B+ in signed customer contracts and a $10.3B valuation.

Last verified Aug 18, 2026

Key Metrics

Valuation
$21B
As of Aug 18, 2026TechCrunch
Total funding
$1.9B
As of Aug 18, 2026Etched

Company Snapshot

Etched is a AI infra company, based in Cupertino, California, USA, founded 2022. Latest valuation $21B (As of Aug 18, 2026, TechCrunch). Total funding $1.9B (As of Aug 18, 2026).

Recent changes

  1. Aug 20, 2026This Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes Most Pulse story
  2. Aug 18, 2026Raised $700M at a $21B valuation TechCrunch
  3. Aug 18, 2026First reported total funding: $1.9B Etched
  4. Aug 18, 2026New investor: Jane Street TechCrunch
  5. Aug 18, 2026Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a Month Pulse story
Earlier changes (14)
  1. Aug 18, 2026Etched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21B Pulse story
  2. Aug 18, 2026Valuation rose from $10.3B to $21B TechCrunch
  3. Jul 23, 2026Raised $300M Series C at a $10.3B valuation GlobeNewswire (Etched press release)
  4. Jul 23, 2026New investor: Sequoia Capital GlobeNewswire (Etched press release)
  5. Jul 23, 2026Etched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 Months Pulse story
  6. Jul 23, 2026AI Chip Startup Etched Hits $10.3B Valuation Pulse story
  7. Jul 2, 2026Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Etched Through Arizona Ties Pulse story
  8. Jul 2, 2026Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Hot Startups Like Etched Through Arizona Connections Pulse story
  9. Jul 2026First reported valuation: $10.3B (Jul 2026) Value Add Pulse enrichment
  10. Jun 30, 2026Nvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales Pulse story
  11. Jun 30, 2026Nvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales Pulse story
  12. Jun 30, 2026Nvidia Challenger Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Orders Pulse story
  13. Dec 15, 2025Raised $500M Series B at a $5B valuation Value Add Pulse enrichment
  14. Jun 25, 2024Raised $120M Series A Value Add Pulse enrichment

Funding History

4 events ยท sources dated per row
DateEventAmountValuationInvestorsSource
Aug 18, 2026funding round$700M$21BTechCrunch
Jul 23, 2026Series C$300M$10.3BPulse story
Dec 15, 2025Series B$500M$5B
Value Add Pulse research
Jun 25, 2024Series A$120Mโ€”
Value Add Pulse research
Funding timeline ยท 4 rounds ยท $1.6B tracked
$0.0M$392M$784M$120MSeries AJun 24$500MSeries BDec 25$300MSeries CJul 26$700MRoundAug 26
Valuation over time
$0M$12B$23B2026-072026-08
Underlying values
As ofValueMethodSource
Aug 18, 2026$21BReportedTechCrunch
Jul 23, 2026$10.3BReportedValue Add VC entity registry
Jul 23, 2026$10.3BReportedTechCrunch
Jul 2026$10.3B (Jul 2026)ReportedValue Add Pulse research

Investors

Latest Pulse

  1. August's Megarounds Went to Missiles and InferenceIn a single mid-August week, six US startups raised $2.63 billion between them, and the two largest -- a hypersonic missile maker and an inference chip company -- accounted for $1.5 billion of it.โ†’
  2. Physical AI Is Out-Raising the Model Layer This MonthNamed August rounds for chips, energy and defense hardware -- Castelion, Etched, Groq and Base Power -- total more than $3.2 billion, versus roughly $1.1 billion for consumer and enterprise AI application startups covered on Pulse the same month.โ†’
  3. Why Late-Stage AI Rounds Keep Doubling in Under a YearHiggsfield quadrupled its valuation to $5.4B in eight months, Etched doubled to $21B in under a month, and Rillet closed its Series C in under 48 hours -- late-stage AI markups are compressing from years to weeks.โ†’
  4. August's AI Infrastructure Deals Already Top $8.7BDatabricks' $5B raise, Firmus' $2B round, Castelion's $1B Series C and Etched's $700M add up to $8.7B in AI infrastructure and adjacent capital-intensive funding in August alone.โ†’
  5. What $67B in AI Buyouts Says About Where Value Is MovingStripe's $7.5B OpenRouter deal and SpaceX's $60B Anysphere buyout total $67.5B in AI M&A in six weeks, while Etched's $21B venture valuation shows the same distribution/infrastructure bet playing out in funding rounds too.โ†’
  6. This Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes MostFive disclosed rounds this week total roughly $1.1B, with Etched's $700M chip raise alone accounting for about 64% of it -- AI infrastructure still absorbing a disproportionate share of available capital.โ†’
  7. Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a MonthAI inference-chip startup Etched raised $700 million at a $21 billion valuation weeks after its $10.3 billion mark, with first customer Jane Street already running Etched's Sohu chips in production.โ†’
  8. Etched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21BEtched raised $700 million led by Jane Street at a $21 billion valuation, doubling the $10.3 billion mark it set in July after the quant firm tested the startup's inference hardware and installed a rack in its own data center.โ†’
  9. Chip Startups Raised $10.7B In 2026 Through Early JuneSemiconductor startups raised around $10.7 billion in seed-through-pre-IPO rounds in 2026 as of June 10, according to Crunchbase News, led by Cerebras' $1 billion pre-IPO round and $500 million raises by MatX, Ayar Labs and Etched; Etched raised again in July at a $10.3 billion valuation.โ†’
  10. Etched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 MonthsAI inference chipmaker Etched closed a $300 million Series C at a $10.3 billion valuation, roughly doubling its worth in seven months as orders for its Sohu chip surpassed $1 billion.โ†’

Coverage Timeline

newest first
  1. Sep 2, 2026FUNDINGAugust's Megarounds Went to Missiles and Inference$2.63B in a weekโ†’
  2. Aug 29, 2026FUNDINGPhysical AI Is Out-Raising the Model Layer This Monthโ†’
  3. Aug 20, 2026FUNDINGWhy Late-Stage AI Rounds Keep Doubling in Under a Yearโ†’
  4. Aug 20, 2026FUNDINGAugust's AI Infrastructure Deals Already Top $8.7Bโ†’
  5. Aug 20, 2026BIG TECHWhat $67B in AI Buyouts Says About Where Value Is Movingโ†’
  6. Aug 20, 2026FUNDINGThis Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes Most$1.1B in 5 roundsโ†’
  7. Aug 18, 2026AIEtched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a Month$700M Series Dโ†’
  8. Aug 18, 2026FUNDINGEtched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21B$700M at $21Bโ†’
  9. Aug 9, 2026FUNDINGChip Startups Raised $10.7B In 2026 Through Early June$10.7B YTD (to June 10)โ†’
  10. Jul 23, 2026FUNDINGEtched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 Months$300M Series Cโ†’
  11. Jul 23, 2026FUNDINGAI Chip Startup Etched Hits $10.3B Valuation$300M Series C at $10.3Bโ†’
  12. Jul 2, 2026FUNDINGThiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Etched Through Arizona TiesEtched now valued at ~$5Bโ†’
  13. Jul 2, 2026FUNDINGThiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Hot Startups Like Etched Through Arizona Connections$300M Fund II (raising)โ†’
  14. Jun 30, 2026FUNDINGNvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales$5B valuationโ†’
  15. Jun 30, 2026BIG TECHNvidia Challenger Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Orders$5B valuationโ†’

All Coverage

FUNDING

August's Megarounds Went to Missiles and Inference

Illustration for: August's Megarounds Went to Missiles and Inference
FUNDING$2.63B in a week

August's Megarounds Went to Missiles and Inference

In a single mid-August week, six US startups raised $2.63 billion between them, and the two largest -- a hypersonic missile maker and an inference chip company -- accounted for $1.5 billion of it.

BY THE NUMBERS
FUNDING

Physical AI Is Out-Raising the Model Layer This Month

Illustration for: Physical AI Is Out-Raising the Model Layer This Month
FUNDING

Physical AI Is Out-Raising the Model Layer This Month

Named August rounds for chips, energy and defense hardware -- Castelion, Etched, Groq and Base Power -- total more than $3.2 billion, versus roughly $1.1 billion for consumer and enterprise AI application startups covered on Pulse the same month.

BY THE NUMBERS
FUNDING

Why Late-Stage AI Rounds Keep Doubling in Under a Year

Illustration for: Why Late-Stage AI Rounds Keep Doubling in Under a Year
FUNDING

Why Late-Stage AI Rounds Keep Doubling in Under a Year

Higgsfield quadrupled its valuation to $5.4B in eight months, Etched doubled to $21B in under a month, and Rillet closed its Series C in under 48 hours -- late-stage AI markups are compressing from years to weeks.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

August's AI Infrastructure Deals Already Top $8.7B

Illustration for: August's AI Infrastructure Deals Already Top $8.7B
FUNDING

August's AI Infrastructure Deals Already Top $8.7B

Databricks' $5B raise, Firmus' $2B round, Castelion's $1B Series C and Etched's $700M add up to $8.7B in AI infrastructure and adjacent capital-intensive funding in August alone.

BY THE NUMBERS
BIG TECH

What $67B in AI Buyouts Says About Where Value Is Moving

Illustration for: What $67B in AI Buyouts Says About Where Value Is Moving
BIG TECH

What $67B in AI Buyouts Says About Where Value Is Moving

Stripe's $7.5B OpenRouter deal and SpaceX's $60B Anysphere buyout total $67.5B in AI M&A in six weeks, while Etched's $21B venture valuation shows the same distribution/infrastructure bet playing out in funding rounds too.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

This Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes Most

Illustration for: This Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes Most
FUNDING$1.1B in 5 rounds

This Week's Funding: $1.1B Across 5 Deals, Etched Takes Most

Five disclosed rounds this week total roughly $1.1B, with Etched's $700M chip raise alone accounting for about 64% of it -- AI infrastructure still absorbing a disproportionate share of available capital.

BY THE NUMBERS
AI

Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a Month

Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a Month logo
AI$700M Series D

Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21B in a Month

AI inference-chip startup Etched raised $700 million at a $21 billion valuation weeks after its $10.3 billion mark, with first customer Jane Street already running Etched's Sohu chips in production.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

Etched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21B

Etched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21B logo
FUNDING$700M at $21B

Etched Raises $700M as Valuation Doubles to $21B

Etched raised $700 million led by Jane Street at a $21 billion valuation, doubling the $10.3 billion mark it set in July after the quant firm tested the startup's inference hardware and installed a rack in its own data center.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

Chip Startups Raised $10.7B In 2026 Through Early June

Illustration for: Chip Startups Raised $10.7B In 2026 Through Early June
FUNDING$10.7B YTD (to June 10)

Chip Startups Raised $10.7B In 2026 Through Early June

Semiconductor startups raised around $10.7 billion in seed-through-pre-IPO rounds in 2026 as of June 10, according to Crunchbase News, led by Cerebras' $1 billion pre-IPO round and $500 million raises by MatX, Ayar Labs and Etched; Etched raised again in July at a $10.3 billion valuation.

BRIEF
FUNDING

Etched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 Months

Etched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 Months logo
FUNDING$300M Series C

Etched Doubles Valuation to $10.3B in 7 Months

AI inference chipmaker Etched closed a $300 million Series C at a $10.3 billion valuation, roughly doubling its worth in seven months as orders for its Sohu chip surpassed $1 billion.

FUNDING

AI Chip Startup Etched Hits $10.3B Valuation

Illustration for: AI Chip Startup Etched Hits $10.3B Valuation
FUNDING$300M Series C at $10.3B

AI Chip Startup Etched Hits $10.3B Valuation

Etched closed a $300 million Series C at a $10.3 billion valuation for its transformer-specific AI chips, doubling down as investors look for alternatives to Nvidia's grip on inference hardware.

FUNDING

Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Etched Through Arizona Ties

Illustration for: Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Etched Through Arizona Ties
FUNDINGEtched now valued at ~$5B

Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Etched Through Arizona Ties

Jack Selby, a longtime Thiel Capital managing director who founded Phoenix-based Copper Sky in 2021, used a promise to help reshore chip fabrication to Arizona to secure an allocation in AI chip startup Etched's Series A -- now valued at $5B with its first.

FUNDING

Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Hot Startups Like Etched Through Arizona Connections

Illustration for: Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Hot Startups Like Etched Through Arizona Connections
FUNDING$300M Fund II (raising)

Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Nabs Stakes in Hot Startups Like Etched Through Arizona Connections

Jack Selby, a former PayPal executive and longtime managing director at Peter Thiel's family office, has been using his Phoenix-based venture firm Copper Sky Capital โ€” and his seat on the Arizona Commerce Authority board โ€” to secure allocations into hot AI startups like Etched, TechCrunch reported July 2. Copper Sky invested in Etched's $120 million Series A roughly two years ago partly by pledging to help the Nvidia competitor eventually move chip fabrication to Arizona's TSMC GIGAFAB, and is now raising a $300 million second fund built around the same regional-manufacturing thesis.

FUNDING

Nvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales

Illustration for: Nvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales
FUNDING$5B valuation

Nvidia Competitor Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Sales

Etched, the Harvard-dropout-founded chip startup building Sohu, a transformer-only inference chip, disclosed on June 30 that it has booked over $1 billion in orders and closed an unannounced $500 million round in December at a $5 billion post-money valuation. The company bundles Sohu chips with custom racks and software into 'frontier inference clusters' aimed at cheaper, faster, more power-efficient inference than Nvidia GPUs.

BIG TECH

Nvidia Challenger Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Orders

Illustration for: Nvidia Challenger Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Orders
BIG TECH$5B valuation

Nvidia Challenger Etched Hits $5B Valuation on $1B in AI Chip Orders

Etched, the Harvard-dropout-founded AI chip startup building the transformer-specific Sohu chip, disclosed on June 30 that it has booked more than $1 billion in customer contracts for its 'frontier inference clusters' and sits at a $5 billion valuation following a $500 million round in December. The company says an 8-chip Sohu server can outperform 160 Nvidia H100 GPUs on Llama 70B inference while using less power and space -- a direct challenge to Nvidia's inference dominance from a company that nearly ran out of cash three years ago.

Value Add Research

Related Companies

More on EtchedVerified figures in Data Truth โ†’AI Buildout Tracker โ†’Big Tech AI Spending โ†’AI Valuations โ†’

Etched FAQ

What is Etched's valuation?

Etched's valuation is $21B (As of Aug 18, 2026, TechCrunch).

How much has Etched raised?

Etched has raised $1.9B in total funding (As of Aug 18, 2026, Etched).

Who are Etched's investors?

Etched's investors include Jane Street, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital, Conversion Capital, and 5 more (As of Aug 18, 2026).

Sources & methodologyshow
Where these figures come from

Figures are labelled Reported (a source states it), Estimated, Derived (computed from other facts) or Rumored (in talks / unconfirmed). Rumors never replace a confirmed figure. Each figure keeps its own as-of date; history is preserved rather than overwritten.

How we verify data ยท Suggest a correction