Lola Vision Systems aims to simplify running AI models on chips

Lola Vision Systems is developing software and chips designed to make it easier to run AI models on devices. The Washington, D.C.-based startup was founded in 2024 by Tayo Adesanya, who previously worked with microchips and AI processors for almost 12 years.

The company’s core software translates an AI model and a customer’s code into instructions that a specific chip can execute. Adesanya told TechCrunch that manually setting up a model on new hardware can take “roughly 200 hours” just to begin testing. Lola Vision says it has rebuilt this software layer and is working to automate more of the process while developing its own semiconductors.

Adesanya said faster setup could give aerospace and other mission-critical companies more time to run accurate models on their own data while using less power. He also said teams can spend days or weeks getting existing options, including NVIDIA’s Jetson modules and open-source models, running and debugging them. In his account, power use or limited computing capacity can make some models unsuitable for edge devices such as cameras and drones.

According to the company, a dozen corporate customers have signed letters expressing interest in buying its chips when they become available, and it has one signed customer. Lola Vision has partnered with SCALE, a microelectronics workforce development program. Adesanya said the company will license its software for existing hardware to bring in revenue sooner, and has raised just over $1 million in total funding. Lola Vision was selected for TechCrunch Battlefield 200.