# Episode 88: AI Accellerators, Startup graveyard? With Special Guest Austin Lyons

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2024-10-07
- Length: 51m
- Episode: 88
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ae97461e

## Summary

Austin Lyons of Chip Strat joins Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg to discuss the 'startup graveyard' for AI accelerator companies, noting 67 US startups are struggling against NVIDIA's dominance. The hosts argue that software moves too fast for dedicated ASICs to remain relevant, making flexible GPUs the short-term winner for both training and inference. They highlight Google's TPU success due to vertical integration, while questioning the viability of startups like Groq, Cerebras, and SambaNova that lack hyperscaler backing or control over their target workloads.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=6) Introduction: Austin Lyons and Chip Strat
- [2:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=173) Software vs. Hardware Pace and the Dissonance
- [5:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=302) NVIDIA's Ecosystem and the Inference Opportunity
- [10:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=641) The 67 Startups and the Flexibility Argument
- [18:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=1092) Hyperscalers, Google TPU, and Internal Software Control
- [25:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=1506) Maddox, Groq, and Distributed Systems
- [29:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=1795) Integrated vs. Disaggregated Training and Inference
- [42:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons#t=2566) Venture Capital, Herd Mentality, and Startup Viability

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Chip Strat (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Google (company)
- TPU (product)
- Groc (company)
- Samanova (company)
- Cerebrus (company)
- Maddox (product)
- TSMC (company)
- Bloomberg (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Google TPU vs Nvidia GPUs: Token Per Watt Dominance, or the Era of Scaling Is Over?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-11-26-google-tpu-vs-nvidia-gpus-token-per-watt-dominance-or-the-era-of-scaling-is-over) (Built 2 Scale)
- [Can the Nvidia Monopoly on AI Chips Be Broken?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-03-16-can-the-nvidia-monopoly-on-ai-chips-be-broken) (EE Times Current)
- [The Silicon 100: How Startups Rule the Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-07-02-the-silicon-100-how-startups-rule-the-future) (EE Times Current)
- [NVIDIA's Trojan horse, Yann LeCun Timebomb, 8 Sleep Mega Raise and the Physical AI Boom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-08-22-nvidias-trojan-horse-yann-lecun-timebomb-8-sleep-mega-raise-and-the-physical-ai) (Built 2 Scale)
- [AI NEWS | Episode 31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-12-03-ai-news-episode-31) (Built 2 Scale)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-07-episode-88-ai-accellerators-startup-graveyard-with-special-guest-austin-lyons. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Circuit.