COMPANY INFO
Cognichip Inc. is a semiconductor design company founded in 2024 by Faraj Aalaei, Ehsan Kamalinejad, and Simon Sabato. Based in Redwood City, California, Cognichip develops AI-powered semiconductor design software that drastically reduces chip development time and costs, leveraging its proprietary Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI®) platform to innovate the chip design process. The company has raised $33 million in seed funding, employs around 11-48 people, and operates in the semiconductor and AI technology industry. Its official website is www.cognichip.ai.
Cognichip Inc. is a cutting-edge semiconductor design company based in Redwood City, California. The company harnesses proprietary Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI®) to drastically accelerate semiconductor design, enabling AI-powered chip development that reduces time and cost.
The Cognichip leadership team brings a wealth of expertise in AI, semiconductor technology, and product innovation, with founding members and executives who have successfully led startups to IPO, driven product strategy at industry leaders, and spearheaded R&D in premier technology roles. This broad and deep management experience fuels Cognichip’s growth, innovation, and vision to revolutionize chip design through advanced AI solutions. By combining their backgrounds in executive management, deep learning, hardware architecture, and sustainable innovation, the Cognichip executives and founders are positioning the company at the forefront of the AI semiconductor revolution.
As CEO, Faraj Aalaei leads Cognichip with over 40 years of experience in communications and networking industries. Faraj Aalaei has successfully raised significant funding, executed major M&A deals, and guided startups to IPOs. At Cognichip, he drives the company’s vision to pioneer Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI), positioning the company to transform the semiconductor industry and cement its leadership in AI-powered chip design.
Faraj holds an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, an MBA from University of New Hampshire, and an MSEE from University of Massachusetts. His career includes CEO roles at Aquantia and Centillium Communications, Executive VP at Marvell Semiconductor, and early engineering roles at AT&T Bell Laboratories. He is recognized as an industry pioneer with multiple patents and a deep background in optical communications, broadband connectivity, and automotive networking.
Ehsan Kamalinejad, as Co-Founder and CTO, leads Cognichip's technology vision and AI-driven development. Ehsan Kamalinejad has spearheaded the integration of deep learning and machine learning techniques within semiconductor design, architecting the platforms that form the backbone of Cognichip's AI-powered chip innovation.
Ehsan holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from University of Toronto. He previously served as Deep Learning Tech Lead at Amazon, Senior Machine Learning Scientist at Apple, and Co-Founder & CTO at Visual One (Y Combinator). His academic and industry experience includes professorial and research appointments at Stanford and UC Riverside.
As Chief Product Officer, Stelios Diamantidis oversees product strategy and directs the development of AI-driven chip design solutions at Cognichip. Stelios Diamantidis is renowned for pioneering generative AI transformation strategies and autonomous design applications, driving Cognichip’s edge in producing next-generation AI-enabled EDA suites.
Stelios holds an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and has held senior leadership roles at Synopsys Inc—as Distinguished Architect and Executive Director of the Center for Generative AI—and as co-founder and CTO of TESLA Design Automation. He has a strong background in artificial intelligence for chip design and holds several patents in applied machine learning.
Simon Sabato, as Chief Product Officer, is integral to Cognichip's system architecture and hardware design leadership. Simon Sabato’s expertise in ASIC/FPGA systems, hardware methodology, and chip specification supports Cognichip’s innovation in semiconductor hardware.
Simon studied EECS at University of California, Berkeley. His previous industry experience includes Senior Architect at F5, VP Hardware Engineering at Lilac Cloud, and Hardware Tech Lead at Google, along with roles at Cadence, Cisco, Intel, and 3Com, with expertise in hardware and device drivers.
Mehdi Daneshpanah, as Founding VP of Software, leads Cognichip’s software engineering teams, driving the delivery of robust enterprise software solutions that power advanced semiconductor applications. Mehdi Daneshpanah is recognized for building high-performance teams and innovating in AI and computational imaging for chip design.
Mehdi holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Imaging Systems) from University of Connecticut. He brings over 14 years of experience in semiconductor software engineering, including senior roles at KLA, and has expertise in algorithms, system engineering, and product lifecycle management, supported by an extensive patent and publication record.
Amir Babaei is a Senior Software Engineer at Cognichip, specializing in backend systems, scalable API development, and microservices. Amir Babaei enhances the functionality and resilience of Cognichip’s AI-driven chip design platform, ensuring robust software architecture for rapid innovation.
Amir holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from University of California, Santa Cruz. Prior to joining Cognichip, he held software engineering roles at Unity, Vidtek Associates, and Palo Alto Networks, with skills in Python, JavaScript, Golang, and cloud services applied to ML prototyping.
Sangwon Ko works as a Software Engineer at Cognichip, focusing on effective software architecture, testing, and development for the company’s product line. Sangwon Ko applies his expertise to streamline software processes and drive solutions for complex engineering challenges in AI-driven chip design.
Sangwon earned his Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Hanyang University. He has held technical and software engineering roles at a range of firms including Salt AI, Nextdoor, Joyent, SAP, LG Electronics, and Lotte Data Communication Company, with a focus on backend infrastructure and automotive software.
Andrew Ranck serves as Senior Staff Silicon Engineer at Cognichip, providing expertise in ASIC/FPGA hardware development. Andrew Ranck drives the creation and refinement of the silicon solutions at the core of Cognichip’s innovative semiconductor products.
Andrew earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He previously held engineering positions at Citadel Securities, Akuna Capital, Tower Research Capital, Google, and IBM, specializing in ASIC design, cryptography hardware, and logic systems.
Sheri Rohani-Amiri supports Cognichip as an advisor with a strong focus on sustainability and technology adoption. Sheri Rohani-Amiri leverages her expertise to guide Cognichip’s sustainability initiatives and strategic partnerships for impactful technological change.
Sheri is founder and CEO of GreenMe Solutions Inc. and previously held senior roles in sales operations at Aquantia. She has a certificate in Circular Economy and a background in smart city development, renewable energy, and advanced technology consulting.
Flora Wang leads Cal Hacks—the largest collegiate hackathon—advancing AI exploration and innovation in technology. While not a direct Cognichip executive, Flora Wang’s championing of AI and data privacy governance resonates with Cognichip’s leadership in the AI-driven chip design sector.
Flora is currently a student at UC Berkeley, studying computer science and cognitive science. Her credentials include roles in product management, technology policy, and AI research, contributing to the broader AI ecosystem that Cognichip operates in.
The Cognichip management team boasts diverse expertise across executive management, AI research, product strategy, and silicon engineering, anchored by visionary leadership from its founders. With decades of combined experience from major technology companies and top research institutions, Cognichip’s executives foster a collaborative environment that drives technological innovation and industry leadership. Together, the Cognichip CEO, founders, and management team leverage their collective backgrounds to accelerate company growth, investor confidence, and sustained competitive advantage in semiconductor and AI markets.
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