SK hynix (000660.KS) has launched a corporate venture capital brand called SK hynix Ventures in Silicon Valley and is expanding its investment scope across the artificial intelligence ecosystem. Moving beyond its earlier focus on semiconductors and emerging technologies, the company plans to seek out promising firms and technologies across AI infrastructure, including AI computing, data centers, system software and optical interconnects.
SK hynix said on the 18th that it held its first SK hynix Ventures Day in Silicon Valley on the 17th, where it presented its investment strategy to global venture capital firms and startup executives. CEO and President Kwak Noh-jung and other senior executives attended, along with representatives of global venture capital firms and startups.
Since 2015, SK hynix has operated a CVC organization through its Americas unit, SKHYA, investing directly in semiconductor and emerging-technology startups in the U.S., China, Israel and Japan and committing capital to venture funds. Returns so far have exceeded twice the cumulative amount invested. The unit has gone beyond purely financial investment, jointly developing equipment with portfolio companies and running proof-of-concept projects that opened up new supply chains and customers.
Until now, the CVC operation has focused on tech sensing, or tracking where technology is headed, and path finding, or identifying new business opportunities. Going forward, it will strengthen its role as a strategic investor aimed at broadening technology and business partnerships within the AI ecosystem.
The range of investment targets also widens from semiconductors and emerging technologies to AI infrastructure as a whole. AI computing, data centers, system software and optical interconnects are the main areas. With AI models growing more advanced, demands on computing performance and memory capacity are rising quickly and power efficiency at data centers is becoming more important, and the company plans to deepen technology cooperation with startups in those fields.
Startups in AI computing and data centers in the U.S. also joined the event, discussing innovations in computing, memory and system software to support next-generation AI models. Optical system technologies to improve the performance and power efficiency of AI data centers were another main topic.
"Competitiveness in the AI era comes not only from securing innovative technology quickly, but from the strength of an ecosystem in which customers, partners and startups create new value together," Kwak said. "Through SK hynix Ventures, we will support the growth of promising companies and grow into a global partner that designs the future of AI infrastructure together, based on strategic investment and technology cooperation."
