Korean chip startup FuriosaAI has rejected an $800 million acquisition offer from Meta Platforms Inc., opting to continue growing as an independent company, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Meta began acquisition talks with Seoul-based FuriosaAI earlier this year, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity due to its confidential nature.
FuriosaAI declined to comment, and Meta representatives could not be reached for comment outside regular business hours on Sunday, according to Bloomberg.
Meta is pouring substantial resources into artificial intelligence infrastructure as it aims to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape against rivals like OpenAI, Google, and emerging players such as China’s DeepSeek.
In mid-January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to spend up to $65 billion this year, covering investments in a massive data center and a larger AI workforce.
Just a week later, he told investors that Meta expects to eventually invest hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure over time.
FuriosaAI is one of the few Asian startups to draw interest from Meta.
Headed by June Paik, a former executive at Samsung Electronics Co. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc., the company focuses on developing semiconductors for AI inferencing, or AI-powered services.
FuriosaAI intends to raise additional capital ahead of a future initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company is expected to close an extended Series C funding round in about a month, which is likely to surpass its original target, they said.
The company, which employs about 150 people, including 15 in its Silicon Valley office, is currently distributing chip samples to clients such as LG AI Research, the AI division of LG Group, and Saudi Aramco, according to sources familiar with the situation.
