Hailo, based in Tel Aviv, a leading manufacturer of AI processors for edge devices, continues its strong momentum in Asia. Hailo announced that it is deepening its penetration into the Japanese automotive market with the appointment of NEXTY Electronics from the Toyota Tsusho Group as its second distributor in this country, and the first in the Japanese automotive market. The new announcement comes weeks after Hailo's announcement of a collaboration with the Chinese autonomous driving solutions provider iMotion, through which the Hailo-8 artificial intelligence accelerator developed for Chinese car manufacturers' vehicles, whose mass production will begin in the second half of 2024, will be integrated.
NEXTY Electronics is one of the key companies in Toyota Tsusho Group's electronics business sector, specializing in electronics for automotive, IT, communications, industrial solutions such as smart factories, robotics, and software. The company has also made adjustments to its technologies in autonomous driving, connected cars, and other areas, to serve industries beyond the automotive sector.
The distribution agreement with NEXTY Electronics is joining the first distribution agreement announced by Hailo in Japan in September 2021, which was signed with the leading semiconductor distributor Macnica. The existing agreement with Macnica allows Hailo to serve customers in areas such as smart commerce, smart cities, smart homes, Industry 4.0, and other sectors.
"Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) are a key growth engine for Hailo, and our partnership with NEXTY Electronics will be critical to our ability to expand our presence in the market," said Orr Danon, CEO of Hailo. "Our AI processors and edge devices enable high-performance data processing with low power consumption for the automotive sector. The high capabilities of the chips combined with their cost-effectiveness make them accessible to mass-produced vehicles, allowing for applications that were previously only available in premium cars, both for ADAS systems and autonomous driving. We are excited to collaborate with NEXTY Electronics to offer its customers a wide range of artificial intelligence applications that can handle even the most complex and challenging scenarios in modern vehicles".
Operations in Asia are part of a global wave for Hailo, whose products serve over 300 customers worldwide. Hailo has offices in Tokyo, Taipei, Shanghai, Seoul, Munich, Silicon Valley, and Chicago, as well as a network of distributors across Asia, North America, South America, Australia, and Europe. Last week, Hailo announced the signing of agreements with two new distributors in North and South America. Mancina DHW will distribute Hailo products in South America, with a focus on the Brazilian market, and J-Squared Technologies will distribute the company's products in North America.
Hailo was founded in February 2017 by graduates of the elite technological unit of the Israeli Intelligence Corps. The company became a unicorn in 2022 after completing Series C funding round in the amount of $136 million. Hailo currently employs over 250 workers in Tel Aviv and abroad, and is hiring additional employees to support continued growth. Hailo's processors are the result of a rethink of traditional computing architecture, enabling smart devices to perform advanced machine learning tasks such as real-time identification and segmentation of objects, while reducing power consumption, size, and chip costs. The processors are designed to be integrated into various types of smart machines and devices across a range of sectors, including automotive, security, Industry 4.0, and commerce.