Axelera AI introduced its new Europa AI Processing Unit (AIPU), a high-performance, power-efficient, and cost-optimized accelerator designed for multi-modal AI workloads spanning edge to enterprise environments. Featuring RISC-V vector processors and Axelera’s proprietary Digital In-Memory Compute (D-IMC) technology, Europa delivers up to 629 TOPs at INT8 precision within a compact 35×35 mm package. Shipments of both the AIPU and the PCIe card variants are scheduled for the first half of 2026.
The Europa AIPU architecture combines eight second-generation AI cores with 16 RISC-V vector processors to handle AI and non-AI pre- and post-processing tasks. With 128 MB of on-chip L2 SRAM and a 256-bit LPDDR5 interface delivering 200 GB/s of bandwidth, the chip eliminates traditional memory bottlenecks while maintaining up to 5× greater performance-per-watt and performance-per-dollar than comparable solutions. Europa integrates an H.264/H.265 decoder for simultaneous visual, language, sensor, and speech processing, allowing the host CPU to focus on higher-level application logic.
The Europa PCIe card version supports configurations from 16 GB (single-chip) to 256 GB (quad-chip), enabling scalable local AI processing and real-time decoding of multiple 4K video streams. Both models leverage the company’s Voyager SDK for seamless development and deployment across the Europa and Metis product families. Europa also includes a secure enclave for enterprise-grade workload protection.
- 629 TOPs INT8 performance using eight second-generation AI cores
- 16 RISC-V vector processors delivering 4915 GOPS for non-AI workloads
- 128 MB on-chip SRAM and 200 GB/s memory bandwidth
- Integrated H.264/H.265 decoder and PCIe Gen4 interface
- Multiple form factors, including compact 35×35 mm package and scalable PCIe cards
- Voyager SDK compatibility across Europa and Metis accelerators
“Organizations shouldn’t have to choose between the raw compute power they want and the real-world usability they need,” said Fabrizio del Maffeo, CEO of Axelera AI. “Europa makes enterprise-class AI processing power available to nearly anyone.”
🌐 Analysis:
Axelera’s Europa AIPU positions the company as a strong European challenger in the edge-to-data-center AI accelerator market. By combining in-memory compute with open RISC-V vector processing and high integration density, Europa directly targets segments dominated by NVIDIA Jetson, Intel Movidius, and AMD’s embedded AI platforms. Its focus on sovereignty and local manufacturing aligns with EU initiatives like DARE and the European Chips Act, suggesting Axelera could become a foundational player in Europe’s AI hardware ecosystem.
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