Plaid Semiconductors is building a next-generation hardware platform that fits the computing power of an entire data center rack onto a single substrate.
This breakthrough delivers unprecedented performance in compute density, bandwidth, and energy efficiency—far beyond today’s semiconductor technologies.
Plaid Semiconductors is developing the next generation of hardware infrastructure for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.
Current GPUs are built as mosaics of smaller chips interconnected on substrates, then linked across boards, racks, and data centers via copper and optical fibers. This fragmented approach creates significant inefficiencies:
- Signal and power losses at every connection point
- High energy waste
- Increased latency due to physical distances
Plaid’s innovative substrate platform solves these challenges by interconnecting multiple GPUs—and effectively an entire data center rack—on a single panel. This dramatically shortens interconnect distances, reducing electrical losses by orders of magnitude.
Key benefits include:
- Superior power efficiency
- Higher bandwidth
- Faster data transfer
- Enabling a new class of ultra-efficient AI compute systems
Leadership Team
- Pratik Nimbalkar – CEO
Former Research Engineer at Georgia Tech with a PhD in Materials Engineering. Led industry-supported R&D programs, authored 15+ papers and holds 5 patents in advanced packaging and interconnects—one licensed by Intel. - Lakshmi Narasimha – CTO
PhD in Materials Engineering from Georgia Tech. Specializes in electrical and packaging design for high-performance computing systems. - Peter Huang – COO/CBO
Over 30 years of semiconductor leadership experience. Former VP at TSMC North America and CMO at Empower Semiconductor. Holds 15 patents.
The team combines deep technical innovation, proven R&D execution, and extensive commercialization expertise—uniquely positioning Plaid to deliver next-generation AI hardware platforms.
Plaid’s go-to-market follows a proven three-stage model: Demo → Develop → Deploy.
- Demo
Showcase substrate technology to strategic customers in AI, data center, and 5G markets to prove performance and scalability. - Develop
Engage customers via joint development and NRE projects, customizing the platform while securing early revenue and design wins. - Deploy
Scale production through fab and OSAT partners using standard manufacturing equipment for high-volume deployment.
Plaid is actively building ecosystem partnerships with materials suppliers, substrate manufacturers, OSATs, and system companies to drive rapid adoption.
Plaid will generate revenue through a phased, capital-efficient approach:
Revenue Phases
- Initial Phase
Technology licensing to customers and manufacturing partners, including upfront fees, royalties, and NRE from joint development projects using existing infrastructure. - Mid-Term Growth
Expand licensing and royalty agreements via OSAT and fab partners while growing the IP portfolio for stronger defensibility. - Long-Term Scale
Transition to a fabless product model, directly supplying advanced substrates to AI, data center, and 5G markets for higher-margin recurring revenue.
Investment Opportunity
Plaid Semiconductors is raising a $3M seed round to accelerate the transition from proven prototypes to commercial-scale deployment.
Use of Proceeds
- Team Expansion
Grow engineering capabilities to support customer pilots, advance R&D, and accelerate new IP development, including hires for process and design engineering. - Manufacturing Scale-Up
Increase production capacity 10× to 100 wafers per month through manufacturing partnerships and process optimization on standard equipment. - Technology & IP Development
Enhance platform performance, reliability, and scalability while strengthening the IP portfolio for long-term defensibility.
This funding will bridge Plaid from customer pilots to full-scale commercial adoption in high-growth AI and HPC markets.
Plaid’s technology is at TRL 6–7, with multiple prototype designs developed, tested, and optimized across design rules using standard semiconductor tools and supply chain partners.
Key Achievements
- Delivered proof-of-concept wafers to two customers
- In discussions for larger NRE and pilot-scale engagements
- Completed initial reliability and qualification testing, confirming material and process robustness
Next Milestones
- Expand manufacturing capacity with established partners
- Complete full reliability qualification for commercial deployment
- Transition to early-stage production
These advancements ensure scalability and compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure.
Plaid Semiconductors has raised a total of $450,000 to date.
| Source | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Venture Capital | $200,000 | Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator |
| Grants | $225,000 | Georgia Research Alliance & Northeast Microelectronics Coalition |
| Angel Investment | $25,000 | |
| Total | $450,000 |
