Kandou AI
Kandou AI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip interconnect IP and retimers using proprietary Copper MIMO (Chord signaling) technology, serving hyperscale AI infrastructure, data center, and PC OEM customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kandou AI does
Kandou AI is a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland that designs high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip interconnect solutions for AI and data center infrastructure. Founded in 2011 by mathematician Dr. Amin Shokrollahi, the company developed Chord signaling (Copper MIMO), a proprietary multi-wire signaling technique using CNRZ-5 coding that simultaneously transmits five bits over six correlated wires, delivering roughly double the bandwidth at half the power of conventional NRZ or PAM SerDes. This technology is silicon-proven on TSMC's 4nm process node and underpins a portfolio spanning SerDes IP (Glasswing for chiplet interconnect and Tigerwing for next-generation chip-to-chip links), PCIe 5.0 / CXL 2.0 retimers (Regli), USB4 retimers (Matterhorn), a PCIe Gen 5 switch (Zetti), a Windows-based PCIe diagnostics tool (Besso), and advanced error correction IP (DIMMGuard).
The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining semiconductor hardware sales — with tens of millions of retimer units shipped into PC OEMs, servers, and storage systems — and SerDes / error-correction IP licensing to chip designers building chiplet-based AI fabrics. Kandou AI has shipped over 28 million chips to more than 16 customers across hyperscale AI infrastructure, data center, consumer electronics, aerospace and defense, 5G, and automotive segments; Marvell Technology Group is publicly disclosed as an early adopter of Glasswing chiplet designs. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with franchised distribution through EPS Global, and strategic investor relationships with Synopsys, Cadence, Alchip, and SoftBank support both pipeline access and ecosystem integration.
In 2025 the company rebranded from Kandou Bus to Kandou AI and installed Srujan Linga — formerly of Goldman Sachs and the U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS for America program — as CEO, with founder Amin Shokrollahi transitioning to CTO. In March 2026 the company closed a $225 million Series A led by Maverick Silicon at a $400 million post-money valuation, bringing cumulative capital raised above $500 million; the round is being used to scale production, open a new design center in Hyderabad, India, and advance the multi-terabit interconnect roadmap targeting 448G and beyond copper links for AI GPU clusters.
Kandou AI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kandou AI
- Legal name
- Kandou Bus, S.A.
- Website
- https://kandou.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kandou AI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip interconnect IP and retimers using proprietary Copper MIMO (Chord signaling) technology, serving hyperscale AI infrastructure, data center, and PC OEM customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kandou AI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Interconnect IP and Chips
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441), Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Storage & Interface Controllers (SSD/NVMe/UFS/USB/PCIe) (HDAHABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Embedded & Industrial Network Interfaces (PCIe/M.2/SOM/SoC NICs) (HDAFAEAI)
Keywords
Where Kandou AI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lausanne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Kandou AI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Semiconductor Chip / Hardware Sales: Sale of physical semiconductor products including PCIe retimers (Regli), USB4 retimers (Matterhorn), and PCIe switches (Zetti). Products are manufactured by TSMC and assembled/tested by ASECL Taiwan. Tens of millions of units shipped to date.
- SerDes IP Licensing: Licensing of Glasswing chiplet interconnect IP and Tigerwing chip-to-chip SerDes IP to semiconductor manufacturers and system designers. Glasswing PHY enables customers to build chiplet-based AI fabric solutions. DIMMGuard error correction IP available for licensing.
- AI Connectivity Chip Products: Production-scale chips targeting AI infrastructure including GPU connectivity, memory connectivity, network connectivity, and rack connectivity solutions for hyperscale AI data centers.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kandou AI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kandou AI designs and sells high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip interconnect semiconductor products for AI infrastructure. The company's offerings include SerDes IP (Glasswing, Tigerwing), PCIe and USB4 retimers (Regli, Matterhorn), PCIe switches (Zetti), PCIe diagnostics software (Besso), and error correction IP (DIMMGuard), all built on its proprietary Copper MIMO (Chord Signaling) technology. It sells to hyperscale AI data centers, PC OEMs, and semiconductor manufacturers via direct enterprise sales and franchised distribution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Regli: Industry-leading PCIe 5.0 and CXL 2.0 retimer for signal optimization in data centers
- Matterhorn
- Glasswing
- Besso
- Zetti
- Tigerwing
- DIMMGuard
Products and services
- Glasswing
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces cost of AI inference systems by up to 12x through extended copper interconnect reach
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Kandou AI
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kandou AI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
Kandou AI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- EPS GlobalmajorEPS Global is Kandou AI's franchised distributor established in 1999, covering specialized IT components and semiconductors for data networking, storage, virtualization, cloud, and IoT markets. Serves as the primary channel partner for distributing Kandou products to a broader market.
- TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company)coreTSMC is Kandou AI's primary semiconductor fabrication partner with a relationship spanning over a decade. TSMC manufactures Kandou's chips including the Tigerwing on 4nm process node. TSMC's unique chiplet packaging capabilities enable up to 40 chiplets in one package - a key differentiator for Kandou AI's AI fabric solutions.
- ASECL TaiwanmajorASECL Taiwan handles assembly and testing for Kandou AI's semiconductor products. Electrical tests are performed on all die exceeding industry thresholds, followed by flip-chip CSP assembly and parametrical/functional tests on every packaged part. Critical for Kandou's quality and reliability standards.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Kandou AI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alphawave Semi: Fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-speed SerDes IP and connectivity solutions for data infrastructure and AI. Closest direct competitor to Kandou's IP licensing business (Glasswing/Tigerwing), targeting similar hyperscaler and chip-designer customers with multi-standard SerDes.
- Astera Labs: Designs connectivity and compute-retimer chips for AI/cloud data centers, including PCIe retimers, CXL controllers, and connectivity fabrics. Directly competes with Kandou's Regli retimer product and targets the same hyperscaler buyer set for AI rack connectivity.
- Credo Technology: Provides high-speed connectivity semiconductor solutions including retimers, active electrical cables, and SerDes IP for AI, cloud, and hyperscale data centers. Directly comparable AI connectivity silicon portfolio and customer base.
- Rambus: Provides semiconductor IP including memory and SerDes interfaces, plus chip products for data center and AI applications. Comparable IP-licensing business model with overlapping PCIe/CXL/memory interface IP.
Broad incumbents
- Synopsys: EDA and semiconductor IP leader with a large SerDes/interface IP portfolio competing with Kandou's Glasswing and Tigerwing. Also a strategic Series A investor, making it both a peer and a partner/distribution channel.
- Cadence Design Systems: Major EDA vendor with a competing SerDes and interface IP portfolio, plus embedded design services that overlap with Kandou's IP licensing business. Also a Series A strategic investor with stated intent to integrate Kandou technology with Cadence tools.
- Marvell Technology: Large fabless semiconductor company with custom silicon and interconnect IP for data center, AI, and 5G customers. A board member from Marvell sits on Kandou's board, and Marvell is a publicly disclosed early adopter of Glasswing chiplet IP, making it simultaneously customer and competitive incumbent.
- Broadcom: Major incumbent in custom silicon, PCIe switching, and SerDes for AI/cloud data centers. Competes across multiple layers of the AI rack where Kandou plays (PCIe switches vs Zetti, custom SerDes vs Glasswing/Tigerwing).
- Microchip Technology: Broad-line semiconductor vendor producing USB, PCIe, and connectivity products including retimers and interface ICs. Competes in the broader interconnect component market with Kandou's Matterhorn/Regli, though not at the leading-edge SerDes IP level.
Emerging players
- Movellus: Fabless semiconductor IP company focused on clocking and SerDes-related IP for AI and high-performance compute chips. Smaller and earlier stage than Kandou but competes for the same chip-design customer IP slots.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses7 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kandou AI social profiles
Digital presenceKandou AI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kandou AI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Kandou AI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds13 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kandou AI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kandou AI
What does Kandou AI do?
Kandou AI designs and sells high-speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip interconnect semiconductor products for AI infrastructure. The company's offerings include SerDes IP (Glasswing, Tigerwing), PCIe and USB4 retimers (Regli, Matterhorn), PCIe switches (Zetti), PCIe diagnostics software (Besso), and error correction IP (DIMMGuard), all built on its proprietary Copper MIMO (Chord Signaling) technology. It sells to hyperscale AI data centers, PC OEMs, and semiconductor manufacturers via direct enterprise sales and franchised distribution.
Is Kandou AI a public or private company?
Kandou AI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kandou AI founded?
Kandou AI was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kandou AI based?
Kandou AI is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Kandou AI make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Semiconductor Chip / Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are serDes IP Licensing and AI Connectivity Chip Products.
Who are Kandou AI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alphawave Semi, Astera Labs, Credo Technology and Rambus. Broad incumbents are Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems, Marvell Technology, Broadcom and Microchip Technology. Movellus is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kandou AI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kandou AI.
What industry is Kandou AI in?
Kandou AI's product category is Semiconductor Interconnect IP and Chips. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHABAG, Storage & Interface Controllers (SSD/NVMe/UFS/USB/PCIe), with a secondary code of HDAFAEAI, Embedded & Industrial Network Interfaces (PCIe/M.2/SOM/SoC NICs). Its NAICS code is 33441 and its SIC code is 3600.