BRIEF—Merck invests in AI chip start-up SynSense

Germany’s science and technology company Merck KGaA today announced its investment in SynSense (formerly known as aiCTX), a neuromorphic computing start-up based in China and Switzerland.

The start-up’s artificial intelligence (AI) processors and sensors provide an unprecedented combination of ultra-low power consumption and low latency for a broad range of edge applications in smart home, smart security, autonomous driving, drones or robots.

“This is a great first investment by our newly-established China Seed Fund and will further strengthen our ties with local entrepreneurs and investors,” said Isabel de Paoli, chief strategy officer at Merck.

“Our plan to be an active player in the China innovation landscape is paying off with this exciting step, which nicely complements our activities in our Performance Materials business sector,” she added.

Merck invested in SynSense via its China Seed Fund, which was established in October 2019 by its corporate strategic investment arm M Ventures and the Merck China Innovation Hub.

The current deal marks the third investment of M Ventures in the advanced computing technologies space in less than a year, following investments in AI chip design company  MemryX, quantum computing start-up SeeQC.