Preferred Networks
Founded Year
2014Stage
Unattributed VC - II | AliveTotal Raised
$272.94MMosaic Score The Mosaic Score is an algorithm that measures the overall financial health and market potential of private companies.
+341 points in the past 30 days
About Preferred Networks
Preferred Networks is a technology company that develops applications of deep learning and robotics across various industries. The company provides services in manufacturing automation, transportation technologies, healthcare analytics, visual inspection software, educational tools, and entertainment media processing, using deep learning frameworks and supercomputing infrastructure. Preferred Networks serves sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, life sciences, robotics, and education. It was founded in 2014 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.
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Expert Collections containing Preferred Networks
Expert Collections are analyst-curated lists that highlight the companies you need to know in the most important technology spaces.
Preferred Networks is included in 4 Expert Collections, including Unicorns- Billion Dollar Startups.
Unicorns- Billion Dollar Startups
1,257 items
AI 100
99 items
Winners of CB Insights' annual AI 100, a list of the 100 most promising AI startups in the world.
Artificial Intelligence
9,386 items
Companies developing artificial intelligence solutions, including cross-industry applications, industry-specific products, and AI infrastructure solutions.
Advanced Manufacturing
6,492 items
Companies in the advanced manufacturing tech space, including companies focusing on technologies across R&D, mass production, or sustainability
Preferred Networks Patents
Preferred Networks has filed 165 patents.
The 3 most popular patent topics include:
- machine learning
- artificial neural networks
- artificial intelligence
Application Date | Grant Date | Title | Related Topics | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
12/29/2020 | 11/26/2024 | Pickup trucks, Numerical climate and weather models, Cybernetics, Image processing, Climate modeling | Grant |
Application Date | 12/29/2020 |
|---|---|
Grant Date | 11/26/2024 |
Title | |
Related Topics | Pickup trucks, Numerical climate and weather models, Cybernetics, Image processing, Climate modeling |
Status | Grant |
Latest Preferred Networks News
Dec 25, 2024
Preferred Networks (PFN), a developer of AI solutions and semiconductors, announced on December 23 that it has raised 19 billion yen in its latest funding round. The round was led by SBI Group, with participation from SEKISUI HOUSE Innovation & Communication, Development Bank of Japan, Mitsubishi Corporation (TSE: 8058), and Wacom (TSE: 6727). The total includes debt financing from Shoko Chukin Bank, SMBC, MUFG Bank, and Resona Bank. Prior to this funding, PFN signed a basic agreement with SBI Holdings in August for capital and business alliance focused on next-generation AI semiconductor development and commercialization. PFN plans to continue raising funds through spring 2025. With this latest round, the company’s total known funding has reached approximately 36 billion yen. PFN’s valuation exceeds 300 billion yen, making it Japan’s highest-valued unicorn. The new funding will be invested in strengthening recruitment of top talent and accelerating the development, manufacturing, and sales of their low-power AI processor “MN-Core Series,” particularly the MN-Core L1000 inference processor for generative AI. The funds will also support enhancement of their domestic generative AI foundation model “PLaMo,” development of solutions and products across various domains using these technologies, and expansion of their large-scale computing infrastructure. Since its founding in 2014, PFN has pursued a vertically integrated approach to developing and providing both hardware and software necessary for practical AI applications. Recently, the company launched the MN-Server 2 (standard price: 20 million yen) and MN-Core 2 DevKit (standard price: 2 million yen), both equipped with MN-Core 2. The MN-Core 2 achieves 393 teraFLOPS performance in 16-bit AI computations with power efficiency of 1,192 gigaFLOPS per watt. PFN’s technological prowess was demonstrated when their supercomputer equipped with the first-generation MN-Core ranked first in the Green500 list three times in 2020 and 2021. As of November 2021, this supercomputer achieved power efficiency of 39.38 gigaFLOPS per watt with 64% execution efficiency. In practical applications, it has achieved significant improvements including 10x faster 3D model reconstruction, 7x faster image recognition model search for their home autonomous robot “Kachaka,” and over 5x faster atomic-level new materials simulation.
Preferred Networks Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When was Preferred Networks founded?
Preferred Networks was founded in 2014.
Where is Preferred Networks's headquarters?
Preferred Networks's headquarters is located at 1-6-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
What is Preferred Networks's latest funding round?
Preferred Networks's latest funding round is Unattributed VC - II.
How much did Preferred Networks raise?
Preferred Networks raised a total of $272.94M.
Who are the investors of Preferred Networks?
Investors of Preferred Networks include SBI Group, Development Bank of Japan, SEKISUI HOUSE, Wacom, Mitsubishi and 17 more.
Who are Preferred Networks's competitors?
Competitors of Preferred Networks include Furiosa AI and 7 more.
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