Etched Founder Gavin Uberti Believes His Company Stands on the Shoulders of Giants
3 min read
The release of ChatGPT in November 2022 initiated a new AI startup wave. Companies like Etched, already working in the space, gained major attention.
Etched’s founder, Gavin Uberti, recently shared insights on the company’s journey on a podcast. Uberti believes that Etched ‘stands on the shoulders of giants.’ This belief reflects their early focus on transformer models, laying the groundwork months before the AI boom.
The Beginning of Etched
Etched was born from a proactive approach to AI innovation. While the company conceived the idea of focusing on chips for transformer models before the AI boom, the release of ChatGPT in November 2022 was a pivotal moment.
Gavin Uberti, co-founder and CEO, remarked that during their initial phase, products like GPT-3 were still unique. “When we started out, GPT-3 was still very unique, a very differentiated kind of product, and I could not fathom why folks weren’t talking about it,” Uberti said.
The Impact of ChatGPT
ChatGPT’s release offered a user-friendly interface and demonstrated the large-scale demand for these language models. It showed that consumers desired half a million tokens per second for large models. This sudden surge in demand attracted investor interest in AI, enabling Etched to raise a seed round and begin their journey.
Since then, Etched has raised more than $125 million in venture funding. Although their chips aren’t yet on the market, Uberti believes being first movers gives them a significant advantage.
First Movers Advantage
Uberti argued that large competitors like Nvidia and Google will inevitably enter the market. However, he believes it’s too late for them. He stated, “I think we have more than an 18-month head start on them, and we’re going to get to market way earlier.”
Etched’s early entry and significant lead time are expected to secure a strong market position.
Parallels to Bitcoin Mining
Uberti compared Etched’s journey to the early days of Bitcoin mining. Companies producing ASIC chips for Bitcoin mining achieved notable success by offering superior performance over existing GPU solutions.
Similarly, Etched aims to provide transformative chip solutions in AI. Just as ASICs revolutionized Bitcoin mining by outperforming GPUs, Etched’s transformer model chips are poised to set new performance benchmarks.
Building Etched
Gavin Uberti dropped out of Harvard to build Etched. He openly discussed his experience as a CEO and the challenges of hiring in a complex technical field.
Uberti shared insights into aspects of company formation often overlooked, such as the right time to set up employee benefits. Etched realized they had delayed this step too long, learning valuable lessons along the way.
These experiences highlight the practical challenges of building a startup, from inception to scaling.
Preparing for Market Entry
Though Etched’s chips are not yet available, the company is gearing up for a timely market entry. Uberti’s confidence stems from their first-mover advantage and substantial lead over competitors.
The company’s development phase has laid a solid foundation for achieving early market penetration.
Future Outlook
As Etched prepares to launch its products, Uberti remains optimistic about their prospects. The company aims to continuously innovate and lead in the AI chip sector.
Etched’s journey underscores the importance of vision, innovation, and strategic positioning in the tech industry.
Etched’s story is a testament to visionary entrepreneurship and strategic thinking in the AI industry. By capitalizing on early trends and leveraging first-mover advantage, Etched has positioned itself for success.
Gavin Uberti’s belief in ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ highlights the collaborative nature of technological advancement. The company’s future looks promising as it continues to innovate and lead in the AI chip market.
About The Author
