Nvidia Invests $3.5B into MediaTek, Wafer Raises $40M Series A, VC Argues for Raising Less for AI

Wafer Co-Founder and CEO Emilio Andere talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about optimizing open source models for non-Nvidia chips. We also talk with New Enterprise Associates Partner Mustafa Neemuchwala about Nvidia’s $3.5 billion convertible bond investment in MediaTek, and we get into the VC case for building software in the AI era with The General Partnership Co-Founder Phin Barnes.

Articles discussed on this episode: 

https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/ai-agenda/wafer-inference-provider-uses-non-nvidia-chips-lands-acquisition-offers-200-million-plus-valuation

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Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:13 - Wafer Raises $40M Series A at $200M+ Valuation

03:42 - Optimizing Open Weight Models for AMD & Non-Nvidia Chips

11:26 - OpenAI’s Jalapeño Chip & Agentic Workflows

12:56 - Nvidia Invests $3.5B in MediaTek Convertibles

17:42 - Does Nvidia-MediaTek Deal Deepen Circular Financing?

23:30 - The VC Case for Building Software in the AI Era

28:45 - The VC Mechanics Driving Mega-Rounds & Pivots

34:02 - Outcome-Based Pricing vs. Predictable SaaS Margins