Habana Labs Overview
Habana Labs develops artificial intelligence (AI) and deep-learning computing solutions. The company's goal is to take AI processing from its current limits to the peak of its potential. To optimize efficiency, Habana offers separate processors for training and inference workloads. Its inference processor supports models trained by any processor (GPU, TPU, CPU, and Habana Gaudi). Habana's seamless integration with frameworks and ONNX exchange format allow developers to quickly use complex AI resources without having to be experts. For power users looking for further customization and optimization, Habana offers software development tools and a neural network profiler.
Cumulative Funding Raised Over Time ($)
$45.0MJan 2017
$120.0MNov 2018
Latest News
growth-positive
Habana’s founders - Willenz, Dahan and Halutz - established Element Labs last year in Tel Aviv to develop an AI chip for inference.
Element Labs, founded by the original creators of Habana Labs, has leased office space previously occupied by Intels Habana Labs in Caesarea. The company is developing AI chips for inference, aiming to efficiently manage data processing across large data centers and local stations. Earlier this year, Element Labs raised $50 million at a valuation of approximately $500 million, with significant investment from Fidelity and the Atreides private equity fund. The move to new office space allows for potential growth, as the company currently employs around 200 people. This development comes after Intels decision to vacate the space as part of its restructuring efforts.
Product StageInvestmentExpand
growth-negative
Element Labs, founded by the same team behind Intel’s failed $2 billion acquisition, will now occupy the Caesarea offices once seen as the cornerstone of Intel’s AI future.
Intels acquisition of Habana Labs for $2 billion in 2019 aimed to challenge Nvidias dominance in AI chips. However, by 2025, the acquisition failed to meet expectations, leading to the closure of Habanas offices and the dispersal of its employees across Intels centers. The founders of Habana Labs, including Avigdor Willenz, have launched a new venture, Element Labs, focusing on AI processors for inference operations. Meanwhile, Intel is undergoing broader retrenchment in Israel, with significant layoffs, particularly at its Kiryat Gat plant. The new venture aims to optimize AI computation for smaller data centers, contrasting with Habanas focus on large-scale training chips.
AcquisitionLayoffs
growth-negative
How Intel ruined an Israeli startup it bought for $2B—and lost the AI race | CTech
The article discusses the challenges faced by Intel following its acquisition of Habana Labs, an Israeli startup specializing in AI processors. Intel acquired Habana for $2 billion to compete with Nvidia in the AI processor market. Despite initial optimism, Intels management of Habana Labs led to its downfall, with the Gaudi processors failing to meet market expectations. Intels next-generation processor, Falcon Shores, received negative customer feedback and will not be marketed commercially. The article highlights Intels broader struggles with acquisitions and its inability to effectively integrate Habana Labs, resulting in layoffs and a shift in focus to a new chip, Jaguar Shores. This situation underscores Intels ongoing challenges in competing with Nvidia and its missteps in AI strategy.
Product StageCustomersAcquired-byAcquisitionLayoffs
growth-negative
The Falcon Shores processor, developed using technology from Israeli company Habana Labs, will be repurposed for internal tests as Intel struggles to keep pace in the AI race.
Intel has decided not to commercially release its Falcon Shores AI processor, initially developed using technology from Habana Labs, an Israeli company acquired by Intel in 2019. Instead, the processor will be repurposed for internal testing to aid in the development of Intels next-generation Jaguar Shores chip and a comprehensive AI solution for data centers. This decision reflects Intels strategic shift to focus on delivering a complete rack-scale solution, similar to Nvidias offerings. The move is seen as a setback in Intels efforts to compete with Nvidia in the AI chip market, as it widens the gap between the two companies. Intels only current AI processor solution, the Gaudi 3 chip, is considered outdated compared to Nvidias products.
Product Stage
growth-negative
As Intel grapples with layoffs and massive cost-cutting, its high-stakes $2 billion acquisition of Habana Labs in 2019 has struggled to make a dent in Nvidia’s dominance.
Intels $2 billion acquisition of Habana Labs in 2019 was intended to bolster its position in the AI market and challenge Nvidias dominance. However, the acquisition has not met expectations, with Intel struggling to gain market traction with its Gaudi chips. The company has faced setbacks, including missed revenue targets and strategic shifts, leading to the integration of Habana Labs into Intels broader operations. This has resulted in layoffs and the departure of key personnel, including Habanas founders. Intels AI strategy now focuses on the Falcon Shores project, which aims to integrate Habanas technology into a hybrid CPU-GPU platform. Despite these efforts, Intel continues to face significant challenges in the competitive AI market.
AcquisitionLayoffs
| Sector | Industrial Technologies |
Funding
| Total funding | $120M |
| Last funding | $75M |
| Stage | Acquired |
| Rounds | 2 |
| Investors | 5 |
Team Members
3
Employees: 201-500
Web & Social Links
| Website | habana.ai |
Locations
Menachem Begin Road 121, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
Tarshish Industrial Park Street 5, Caesarea, Israel
Gdask, Poland
Beijing, China
San Jose, CA, USA
Photos & Videos
2 item(s)
Habana Labs Business
Business models
B2B
Product stage
Released
Employees
201-500
Sector
Industrial TechnologiesMicroelectronics & Photonics SolutionsBusiness SoftwareIT, R&D & Data SolutionsData ArchitectureTarget Customer
Enterprise & Professional ServicesITData CentersSoftware DevelopmentCore Technology
Semiconductors & ElectronicsChipsetsArtificial IntelligenceMachine LearningTags (12)
data-centerschips-designdeep-learningcomputer-visionartificial-intelligencesemiconductorsai-process-optimizationnatural-language-processingmachine-learninghardwarecloud-platformdevelopersGeographic Markets
GlobalHabana Labs Financials
$120M
Total funding
Undisclosed
Capital raised
$75M
Last funding
Acquired
Funding stage
2
Total rounds
5
Investors
Cumulative Funding Raised Over Time ($)
$45.0MJan 2017
$120.0MNov 2018
Private Equity Funding
B Round
Nov 2018
$75M
Battery Ventures, WRV Capital, Cisco Investments, Intel Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners
A Round
Jan 2017
$45M
Public Offering / Exit
MNAEvent
Dec 2019
$2B
Habana Labs Lifecycle
Cumulative Funding Raised Over Time
$45.0MJan 2017
$120.0MNov 2018
All Events
B Round
Nov 2018
$75M
Battery Ventures, WRV Capital, Cisco Investments, Intel Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners
A Round
Jan 2017
$45M
MNAEvent
Dec 2019
$2B
Habana Labs News
25 articles
growth-positive
Habana’s founders - Willenz, Dahan and Halutz - established Element Labs last year in Tel Aviv to develop an AI chip for inference.
Element Labs, founded by the original creators of Habana Labs, has leased office space previously occupied by Intels Habana Labs in Caesarea. The company is developing AI chips for inference, aiming to efficiently manage data processing across large data centers and local stations. Earlier this year, Element Labs raised $50 million at a valuation of approximately $500 million, with significant investment from Fidelity and the Atreides private equity fund. The move to new office space allows for potential growth, as the company currently employs around 200 people. This development comes after Intels decision to vacate the space as part of its restructuring efforts.
Product StageInvestmentExpand
growth-negative
Element Labs, founded by the same team behind Intel’s failed $2 billion acquisition, will now occupy the Caesarea offices once seen as the cornerstone of Intel’s AI future.
Intels acquisition of Habana Labs for $2 billion in 2019 aimed to challenge Nvidias dominance in AI chips. However, by 2025, the acquisition failed to meet expectations, leading to the closure of Habanas offices and the dispersal of its employees across Intels centers. The founders of Habana Labs, including Avigdor Willenz, have launched a new venture, Element Labs, focusing on AI processors for inference operations. Meanwhile, Intel is undergoing broader retrenchment in Israel, with significant layoffs, particularly at its Kiryat Gat plant. The new venture aims to optimize AI computation for smaller data centers, contrasting with Habanas focus on large-scale training chips.
AcquisitionLayoffs
growth-negative
How Intel ruined an Israeli startup it bought for $2B—and lost the AI race | CTech
The article discusses the challenges faced by Intel following its acquisition of Habana Labs, an Israeli startup specializing in AI processors. Intel acquired Habana for $2 billion to compete with Nvidia in the AI processor market. Despite initial optimism, Intels management of Habana Labs led to its downfall, with the Gaudi processors failing to meet market expectations. Intels next-generation processor, Falcon Shores, received negative customer feedback and will not be marketed commercially. The article highlights Intels broader struggles with acquisitions and its inability to effectively integrate Habana Labs, resulting in layoffs and a shift in focus to a new chip, Jaguar Shores. This situation underscores Intels ongoing challenges in competing with Nvidia and its missteps in AI strategy.
Product StageCustomersAcquired-byAcquisitionLayoffs
growth-negative
The Falcon Shores processor, developed using technology from Israeli company Habana Labs, will be repurposed for internal tests as Intel struggles to keep pace in the AI race.
Intel has decided not to commercially release its Falcon Shores AI processor, initially developed using technology from Habana Labs, an Israeli company acquired by Intel in 2019. Instead, the processor will be repurposed for internal testing to aid in the development of Intels next-generation Jaguar Shores chip and a comprehensive AI solution for data centers. This decision reflects Intels strategic shift to focus on delivering a complete rack-scale solution, similar to Nvidias offerings. The move is seen as a setback in Intels efforts to compete with Nvidia in the AI chip market, as it widens the gap between the two companies. Intels only current AI processor solution, the Gaudi 3 chip, is considered outdated compared to Nvidias products.
Product Stage
growth-negative
As Intel grapples with layoffs and massive cost-cutting, its high-stakes $2 billion acquisition of Habana Labs in 2019 has struggled to make a dent in Nvidia’s dominance.
Intels $2 billion acquisition of Habana Labs in 2019 was intended to bolster its position in the AI market and challenge Nvidias dominance. However, the acquisition has not met expectations, with Intel struggling to gain market traction with its Gaudi chips. The company has faced setbacks, including missed revenue targets and strategic shifts, leading to the integration of Habana Labs into Intels broader operations. This has resulted in layoffs and the departure of key personnel, including Habanas founders. Intels AI strategy now focuses on the Falcon Shores project, which aims to integrate Habanas technology into a hybrid CPU-GPU platform. Despite these efforts, Intel continues to face significant challenges in the competitive AI market.
AcquisitionLayoffs
growth-positive
Intel launches Habana Labs Gaudi 3 AI accelerator
Intel Corp. has launched its next-generation AI solutions, including the Xeon 6 and Gaudi 3 AI accelerators, aiming to capture a significant share of the AI chip market. The Gaudi 3, developed by Intels Israeli subsidiary Habana Labs, boasts a performance-price ratio 1.8 times higher than Nvidias H100 processor. Despite previous challenges, Intel is optimistic about the Gaudi 3s potential, expecting it to generate $500 million by year-end. The Gaudi 3 will be integrated into servers from Dell, Super Micro, and Lenovo. Intel plans to release a new AI-focused processor next year to compete with Nvidia. The Gaudi 3 is priced at $65,000, a third of the cost of Nvidias rival product.
AcquisitionPartners
growth-positive
Intel Habana Labs AI Driver Moving To New "Accel" Subsystem For Linux 6.3
The article discusses how the Intel Habana Labs AI driver is transitioning to the new accelerator subsystem in the upcoming Linux 6.3 kernel cycle. The Habana Labs driver has been residing in the catch-all char/misc area of the accelerator subsystem, but now a dedicated subsystem for AI devices/accelerators called accel has been established. This transition is seen as a positive growth for Intel. The article also mentions other enhancements and enablement work for Gaudi2. The event described in the article is the submission of the pull request to move the Habana Labs driver to the new subsystem. The date of the event is not mentioned in the article.
PartnersExpand
Intel, Habana Labs and Hugging Face Advance Deep Learning Software
growth-negative
Intel's Habana Labs lays off 10% of workforce | CTech
Israeli AI chip developer Habana Labs, acquired by Intel for $2 billion in 2019, is laying off around 100 employees, which account for about 10 percent of its total workforce. The decision comes as Intel is reportedly planning a major reduction in headcount, likely numbering in the thousands. Habana Labs assesses and updates its technical and business focus from time to time to adapt to the current business reality. Intels divisions, including the sales and marketing group, could see cuts affecting about 20% of staff. Habana Labs develops processors optimized for AI applications and was founded by former executives of PrimeSense Limited. Habana had raised $120 million prior to the acquisition, with Intel Capital as one of its investors.
Layoffs
growth-positive
Intel's Habana Labs launches processor to challenge Nvidia
Intels AI deep learning processors developer Habana Labs has launched the Gaudi2 processor, which demonstrates two-times throughput compared to Nvidias A100 GPU processor. The Gaudi2 processor intensifies competition with Nvidia in the AI deep learning processor market. Habana Labs, acquired by Intel in 2019 for $2 billion, aims to compete as the data centers market grows. The new processor is already available for customers, and supply chain disruptions have not affected distribution. The Gaudi2 processor provides a significant boost to compute, memory, and networking capabilities. Mobileye, an Intel company, has placed orders for the Gaudi2 processor. Intels AI strategy aims to offer customers a wide array of solution choices for AI workloads.
Customers
growth-negative
Cyberattack on Intel: Hackers claim they breached the network of chipmaker Habana Labs
Hackers using Pay2key malware, suspected to be Iranian hacking groups, have breached the systems of Intel-owned and Israel-based Habana Labs. The hackers gained access to plans and information regarding Habanas new artificial intelligence chip Gaudi. They have posted leaked materials on Twitter, including source code and internal processes, and are seeking a ransom from Habana and Intel. The breach may have also compromised Intels network. The Pay2key malware has previously been used for blackmail, but this breach appears to be more extensive. The motive is believed to be criminal rather than business espionage. Intel and the National Cyber Directorate are investigating the incident.
PartnersCustomers
growth-positive
AWS leverages Gaudi AI processor to reduce cost of deep learning models - SiliconANGLE
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that its Amazon EC2 cloud management platform will be powered by Gaudi accelerators from Habana Labs, an Intel company, to increase the efficiency of training deep learning models. The partnership between AWS and Habana aims to provide up to 40% better price performance than top-of-the-line GPU instances. Habanas Gaudi AI processor is designed for training deep learning models and focuses on efficiency and scalability. The solution will be integrated with the full AWS stack and will be available in the first half of next year. The main applications of the solution are image classification, object detection, natural language processing, and recommendation systems.
Partners
growth-positive
Israeli-made Habana AI processors challenge Nvidia
Habana Labs, an Israeli chipmaker, has received an order for up to eight of its Gaudi AI processors from Amazon Web Services (AWS), its first cloud customer. AWS is offering Habanas Gaudi processor as an alternative to Nvidias AI chips. The Gaudi AI processors deliver up to 40% better price performance than Nvidias chips. Habanas new AI processor is now in mass production and is being used by selected customers. The chip will be sold to companies building servers. Habana looks forward to continued collaboration with AWS.
CustomersPartners
growth-positive
Intel Has Been Missing an AI Business to Compete With Nvidia. It's Finally Here.
Intel has announced a partnership with Amazons cloud computing division. The partnership will see Intel provide the hardware for artificial intelligence training from one of the companies it has acquired.
PartnersAcquisition
growth-positive
Intel renting four more floors in Tel Aviv's Azrieli Center despite pandemic real-estate crunch
Intel is renting four additional floors in the Azrieli Triangular Tower in Tel Aviv for its employees from Habana Labs, an AI chip developer that Intel acquired for $2 billion. The yearly rent is estimated at NIS 7.5 million ($2.2 million). This deal comes despite the crisis in the office real estate industry. Bezeq, Israels largest telecom company, is vacating 17 floors in the tower, and Azrieli is negotiating with several companies for new tenants. The office real estate industry in Israel has suffered due to tech companies reducing their use of office space and shifting to remote work. A recent study predicts a 10% drop in office real estate value in Israel due to the Covid-19 crisis.
PartnersCustomers
growth-positive
Habana Labs to quadruple office space in Caesarea
Intel unit Habana Labs has signed a five-year lease agreement with The Caesarea Assets Corporation to expand its leased space from 2,000 square meters to 8,000 square meters. The company will pay an estimated NIS 4.8 million annually for the space. Habana Labs develops artificial intelligence processors and was acquired by Intel for $2 billion. The leased space is located on the Granit campus, which is currently under construction and will offer 30,000 square meters in three buildings. The investment in construction on the campus totals NIS 150 million.
Expand
growth-positive
Intel buys Israeli AI startup Habana Labs for $2 billion
Intel Corp has acquired Israel-based AI firm Habana Labs for $2 billion in order to expand its AI portfolio and strengthen its data-center business. Intel expects the AI chip market to reach over $25 billion by 2024, with its own AI-driven revenues projected to increase by 20% this year. Habana Labs, founded in 2016, specializes in AI processors and has raised $120 million in funding. The acquisition is part of Intels strategy to address the diverse needs of its customers in the AI market. Habana Labs will continue to operate as an independent business unit under Intels data platforms group.
Acquisition
growth-positive
Intel in talks to buy Israeli AI chip co Habana Labs
Intel is in advanced talks to acquire Israeli startup Habana Labs for an estimated $1 billion. Habana Labs, founded in 2016, has raised $120 million in funding. The company recently launched the Gaudi chip, an AI Training Processor for data centers. The acquisition would strengthen Intels position in the AI chip market, which is currently dominated by Nvidia. Habana Labs CEO is co-founder David Dahan, and its VP R&D is the third co-founder Ran Halutz. The companys chairman is Avigdor Willenz, who previously founded chipmaker Galileo and sold it to Marvell for $2.7 billion. The acquisition would be a growth-positive move for Intel.
Acquisition
growth-positive
Habana Labs unveils rival AI chip to Nvidia
Israeli AI chip startup Habana Labs has unveiled the Habana Gaudi AI Training Processor for data centers. The Gaudi processors will deliver up to four times the throughput compared to systems built with an equivalent number of GPUs. The innovative architecture of Gaudi enables near-linear scaling of training systems performance, allowing for performance scaling from a single-device to large systems. Habana will be sampling the Gaudi to select customers in the second half of 2019. Since its inception, the company has raised $120 million.
Investment
growth-positive
Habana, the AI chip innovator, promises top performance and efficiency ZDNet
Habana, an AI chip company, has developed specialized processors for machine learning training and inference. The company recently closed a $75 million funding round led by Intel Capital, bringing its total funding to $120 million. Habanas processors, Goya and Gaudi, offer superior performance and power efficiency compared to CPUs and GPUs. Goya is already being used in production, while Gaudi will be released in Q2 2019. Habanas clients include data center owners, cloud providers, and autonomous car ventures. The company has also developed a software stack that supports popular machine learning frameworks. While Habana is still in the sampling phase for its products, it has the potential to disrupt the AI chip market and compete with dominant player Nvidia.
Investment
growth-positive
Intel-Backed Chipmaker Habana Labs Opening R&D Center in Poland
Israeli AI chip developer Habana Labs is opening a new research and development facility in Gdańsk, Poland. The company is hiring software developers and validation engineers for the new center. Habana Labs develops processors optimized for AI applications and was founded by former executives of PrimeSense Limited. In November, Intel Capital led a $75 million investment in Habana Labs.
Expand
growth-positive
Open-Source Linux Driver Published For Habana Labs' "Goya" AI Processor
Habana Labs, a company working on an AI processor, has published open-source Linux kernel driver patches for review. Their Goya processor has shown impressive benchmark performance, outperforming competitors like NVIDIA and Intel. The AI processor consists of programmable Tensor Processing Cores, DMA channels, a PCIe interface, and DDR4 memory. Habana Labs plans to release the Gaudi HL-2000 for training workloads. The company has published a set of 15 patches for the initial kernel driver, with plans to extend support for Gaudi in the future. The driver allows for workloads to be submitted to the device, memory management, and system-level information retrieval. The effort is being led by Oded Gabbay, a former Red Hat developer.
PartnersExpand
growth-positive
Habana Labs Secures $75M in Series B Financing Led by Intel Capital
Habana Labs, a leading startup in the AI processor space, has secured $75 million in a series B funding round led by Intel Capital. The funding will be used to execute on their product roadmap for inference and training solutions, including their next-generation 7nm AI processors. Habana Labs has already started production of its first Goya inference processor PCIE card and plans to sample the Gaudi training processor solution in Q2 2019. The Goya processor has set industry records for throughput and power efficiency. The funding and support from investors will help Habana Labs become the leader in the AI processor market.
Investment
growth-positive
Habana unveils world's fastest AI chip - 3x faster than Nvidia
Israeli company Habana Labs has developed an AI chip called Goya that is claimed to be three times faster than Nvidias processor. The chip was built from scratch for AI and deep learning capabilities and is designed to compete with Nvidias chips in AI data centers. Habanas Goya HL-1000 processor delivers 15,000 images/second throughput on the ResNet-50 inference benchmark, with 1.3 milliseconds latency, while consuming only 100 watts of power. The company was founded in 2016 by Avigdor Willenz, who also founded chipmaker Galileo. Habana has 120 employees and investors include Bessamer Venture Partners and Waldman Capital Management.
InvestmentExpand
growth-positive
Habana Labs Announces The World's Highest Performance AI Inference Processor
Habana Labs, Ltd. has officially come out of stealth mode and is sampling its first AI processor to select customers. The processor, based on its Goya HL-1000 processor, delivers high performance and power efficiency for various AI inferencing workloads. The company plans to sample its first Gaudi training processor in the second quarter of 2019. Habana Labs aims to transform the way AI processing is done in the cloud and data centers.
Customers
Habana Labs Team
Employee Info
| Employees (range) | 201-500 |
| Exact count | 221 |
| Team members | 3 |
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Admin Info
| Confidence | 93/100 |
| Missing | markets, not claimed |
| BI Verification | Yanina Wainscheinker |
| Registrar ID | 515361327 |
| Crunchbase | habana |
| Phone | +97236005798 |
| Creator | Natalia Golczar |
| Creator email | ngolczar@gmail.com |
| Last updater | Maor Perlov |
| Updater email | maor.perlov@sncentral.org |
| Last update | 2023-03-06T00:00:00.000Z |
| Created | 2018-07-22T00:00:00.000Z |
| Status detail | Acquired by Intel on Dec, 2019 |