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Naveen Rao's new AI hardware startup targets $5B valuation

4 hours ago
https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/03/sources-naveen-raos-new-ai-hardware-startup-targets-5b-valuation-with-backing-from-a16z/
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  • #AI
  • #Venture Capital
  • #Startup
  • Naveen Rao, former head of AI at Databricks, is raising $1B at a $5B valuation for his new startup, Unconventional, Inc.
  • The startup aims to build a new type of computer, focusing on 'Brain Scale Efficiency without the biological baggage.'
  • Andreessen Horowitz is leading the investment, with participation from Lightspeed, Lux Capital, and possibly Databricks.
  • Rao plans to start building the startup before the full $1B round closes, raising capital in installments.
  • Unconventional, Inc. will compete with Nvidia by designing custom AI machines with silicon chips and server infrastructure.
  • Rao previously founded MosaicML (acquired by Databricks for $1.3B) and Nervana Systems (acquired by Intel for over $400M).
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