Overview
- Bloomberg-reported negotiations value the Palo Alto startup at roughly $1.6 billion including debt.
- People familiar with the process say an agreement could be finalized in January 2026, though terms remain subject to change.
- SambaNova has signed preliminary agreements with alternative investors, preserving options beyond a sale to Intel.
- Founded in 2017 by Stanford professors, SambaNova builds AI accelerators and systems positioned against Nvidia and was valued at $5 billion in 2021.
- Intel CEO Lip‑Bu Tan chairs SambaNova and his firm Walden International led its $56 million Series A in 2018, prompting governance scrutiny around the talks.