BrainChip (ASX:BRN) has signed a commercial licensing agreement with Frontgrade Gaisler, a provider of radiation-hardened microprocessors.
The deal will see BrainChip’s Akida AI intellectual property incorporated into Frontgrade Gaisler’s fault-tolerant microprocessors, which are designed for use in space missions. This follows an earlier collaboration announced in May 2024 in which BrainChip’s Akida technology was evaluated for potential space applications.
The partnership enables AI deployment in space—an area where extreme environments demand ultra-reliable, low-power computing.
Why Akida was selected
The Akida neuromorphic AI system processes data in real time while offering low power consumption, minimal mass, and a small physical footprint—key attributes for space applications. Traditional systems like GPUs and FPGAs struggle to meet space-grade constraints on mass, volume, and power. The European Space Agency (ESA), which has been spearheading efforts to deploy neuromorphic computing in space, played a key role in evaluating the system’s potential.
Commercial terms
Under the agreement, BrainChip will receive:
- A 10% royalty on the net sale price of the first licensed product sold by Frontgrade Gaisler.
- €150,000 for the initial integration project with Frontgrade Gaisler, which is part of the ESA’s Discovery Open Space Innovation Platform.
Frontgrade has the option to license an additional Akida 1.0 IP for a second product, with a fee of €150,000 or a royalty of 15% on the net sale price of that second product.
BrainChip CEO Sean Hehir commented: “We are pleased to expand on our trusted relationship with Frontgrade as they push the boundaries of space computing.”
Shares closed 4.17% higher at $0.25 yesterday.