Europa chip by Axelera targets NVIDIA’s grip on AI accelerators

Axelera AI has introduced Europa, a new processor built to run modern AI apps on everything from small edge devices to full servers. It focuses on practical speed and low power use. The aim is to offer NVIDIA-rivaling performance without data centre-level budgets.

Inside are eight AI cores that do the heavy lifting, positioned to challenge NVIDIA’s lead in real-world inference. Helper processors handle setup and cleanup so the main system isn’t slowed down. A built-in video decoder offloads common media jobs.

Europa pairs fast on-chip memory with high-bandwidth external memory to cut common AI slowdowns. Axelera says this beats NVIDIA on speed per watt and per dollar in everyday inference. The payoff is cooler, smaller, more affordable deployments.

It ships as a tiny 35×35 mm module or as PCIe accelerator cards that scale up. That’s the same slot where NVIDIA cards often sit today. A built-in secure enclave protects sensitive data.

Research and industry partners are lining up pilots, casting Europa as a real NVIDIA rival. Early names include SURF, Cineca, Ultralytics, Advantech, SECO, Multiverse Computing, and E4. Axelera targets the first half of 2026 for chips and cards.

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