Intel Veterans Team Up to Challenge NVIDIA NVLink with Next
Intel veterans launch startups Cornelis and Delos to challenge NVIDIA's NVLink in AI computing. Cornelis raised $205M, targeting Scale-up interconnection with Active Compute Fabric. Delos secured over $100M, proposing MoXI for unified data interfaces. UALink, backed by 115 companies, aims to counter NVLink's dominance. NVIDIA counters with NVLink Fusion, expanding to third-party CPUs and AI ASICs.
How this was made

The 30-second read
Why it matters
The capital raises could accelerate development of open AI fabric solutions, introducing competitive pressure on NVIDIA and influencing investor sentiment toward AI infrastructure stocks.
Market read
The announcements introduce new competitive dynamics in the AI data‑center interconnect space, potentially affecting NVIDIA and related AI hardware equities.
What to watch
Potential regulatory scrutiny of AI data pathways and the need for industry-wide standard adoption could delay commercialization.
Background
Two Intel veteran‑led startups, Cornelis Networks and Delos Data, announced $205M and $100M+ financing respectively to develop AI scale‑up interconnect technologies competing with NVIDIA's NVLink.
Market effects
Highlights emerging competition to NVIDIA's NVLink in AI interconnect market, may pressure NVIDIA pricing and market share.
Shows increased venture activity in US AI infrastructure startups, potential spillover to Silicon Valley ecosystem.
Signals a shift toward open, scalable AI fabric standards that could affect global AI hardware supply chains.
Counterpoint
The startups may struggle to gain traction against entrenched NVIDIA ecosystem; financing may not translate to market share.
Key entities
- CompanyCornelis Networks
Spin‑off from Intel's Omni‑Path business, raised $205M to launch Active Compute Fabric for AI scale‑up interconnect.
- CompanyDelos Data
Founded by former Intel and Barefoot executives, raised >$100M to develop MoXI and high‑bandwidth I/O chiplet solutions.
- CompanyNVIDIA
Incumbent provider of NVLink, responding with NVLink Fusion to maintain market position.





