Finance
European AI chip startup Axelera raises additional $250 million
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 24, 2026
Quick Summary
Axelera AI secured $250M led by Innovation Industries, with BlackRock and SiteGround Capital, to scale Europa inference chip production and enhance software. The Dutch firm has raised over $450M since 2021.
Axelera AI Secures $250 Million to Scale Europa Chip Production
Funding Round and Strategic Use of Proceeds
AMSTERDAM, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Axelera AI has secured $250 million in a funding round led by Innovation Industries that included BlackRock and SiteGround Capital as new investors, it said on Tuesday, marking one of the largest investments to date in a European AI chipmaking firm.
Europa Chip Timeline and Software Plans
CEO Fabrizio Del Maffeo said in a statement the company would use the money to expand manufacturing of its "Europa" chip, which it plans to launch before June, and to further develop software that makes using its chips easier for customers.
Company Focus and Applications
Axelera, based in Eindhoven in the Netherlands, is one of the few companies in Europe that make specialised computer chips for AI applications. Its energy-efficient inference chips are used in industrial settings for running, not training, AI models.
Total Capital Raised Since 2021
Since its founding in 2021, it has raised more than $450 million.
Investor Lineup: New and Existing Backers
Previous investors including Bitfury, Verve Investments, Samsung Electronics' Catalyst Fund, the European Innovation Council Fund and funds backed by the Belgian and Dutch governments also participated in the latest round.
EU 'Titania' Grant and AI Factory Goals
Axelera received a $66 million grant in March 2025 as part of a European Union project to develop an advanced chip dubbed "Titania" for use in supercomputing centres - also referred to as AI factories. That chip is expected in 2027.
(Reporting by Toby Sterling; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Key Takeaways
- •$250M round led by Innovation Industries; new investors include BlackRock and SiteGround Capital.
- •Funds will scale manufacturing of the Europa AI inference chip and advance software tools.
- •Total capital raised since 2021 now exceeds $450M across equity, grants and debt.
- •Axelera builds energy‑efficient chips for AI inference at the edge, not for training workloads.
- •Company previously received a €61.6M EuroHPC grant to develop the Titania chiplet for AI factories.
Frequently Asked Questions about European AI chip startup Axelera raises additional $250 million
1What is the main topic?
Axelera AI raised $250 million in fresh funding to scale manufacturing of its Europa AI inference chip and further develop its software platform.
2Who led the funding and which new investors joined?
The round was led by Innovation Industries, with new participation from BlackRock and SiteGround Capital alongside existing backers.
3How will the funds be used?
Axelera plans to expand Europa chip production, grow customer and partner programs, and enhance its edge AI software stack and SDK.
