Nvidia Invests $3.5B into MediaTek, Wafer Raises $40M Series A, VC Argues for Raising Less for AI

<p>Wafer Co-Founder and CEO Emilio Andere talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about optimizing open source models for non-Nvidia chips. We also talk with New Enterprise Associates Partner Mustafa Neemuchwala about Nvidia’s $3.5 billion convertible bond investment in MediaTek, and we get into the VC case for building software in the AI era with The General Partnership Co-Founder Phin Barnes.</p><p><br></p><p>Articles discussed on this episode: </p><p><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/ai-agenda/wafer-inference-provider-uses-non-nvidia-chips-lands-acquisition-offers-200-million-plus-valuation"><u>https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/ai-agenda/wafer-inference-provider-uses-non-nvidia-chips-lands-acquisition-offers-200-million-plus-valuation</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe: </p><ul><li><p>YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theinformation"> <u>https://www.youtube.com/@theinformation</u></a> </p></li><li><p>The Information:<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/subscribe_h"> <u>https://www.theinformation.com/subscribe_h</u></a></p></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Sign up for the AI Agenda newsletter:<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/features/ai-agenda"> <u>https://www.theinformation.com/features/ai-agenda</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>TITV airs weekdays on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.</p><p><br></p><p>Follow us:</p><p>X: <a href="https://x.com/theinformation"><u>https://x.com/theinformation</u></a></p><p>IG: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theinformation/"><u>https://www.instagram.com/theinformation/</u></a></p><p>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@titv.theinformation"><u>https://www.tiktok.com/@titv.theinformation</u></a></p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/theinformation/"><u>https://www.linkedin.com/company/theinformation/</u></a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters:</strong></p><p><strong>00:00 - Introduction</strong></p><p><strong>01:13 - Wafer Raises $40M Series A at $200M+ Valuation</strong></p><p><strong>03:42 - Optimizing Open Weight Models for AMD &amp; Non-Nvidia Chips</strong></p><p><strong>11:26 - OpenAI’s Jalapeño Chip &amp; Agentic Workflows</strong></p><p><strong>12:56 - Nvidia Invests $3.5B in MediaTek Convertibles</strong></p><p><strong>17:42 - Does Nvidia-MediaTek Deal Deepen Circular Financing?</strong></p><p><strong>23:30 - The VC Case for Building Software in the AI Era</strong></p><p><strong>28:45 - The VC Mechanics Driving Mega-Rounds &amp; Pivots</strong></p><p><strong>34:02 - Outcome-Based Pricing vs. Predictable SaaS Margins</strong></p><p><br></p>