AI chip maker Etched weighs bids that could value it at up to $50 billion
Etched, a four-year-old AI chip startup, is reviewing investment offers that value it between $40 billion and $50 billion, according to people familiar with the company cited by TechCrunch in October 2026. The bids follow a $700 million round at a $21 billion valuation in September 2026, led by Jane Street, and a $300 million round at $10.3 billion led by Sequoia in July 2026.
Two forces push Etched toward another round. Building complete AI hardware systems on its own chips consumes capital, and raising as much as the last round could give it up to 3.5 years of runway. The offers came to the company, though, and lesser-known backers made the highest bids. The open question is whether the next round funds a set plan or simply rewards the loudest bidder.
Source: TechCrunch Startups · October 5, 2026