Rebellions to Acquire SqueezeBits in Push to Build Integrated AI Infrastructure

Rebellions said July 13 that it will acquire SqueezeBits, a company specializing in AI inference optimization. The acquisition marks a broader push by Rebellions to become an integrated AI infrastructure company offering a single platform spanning neural processing unit, or NPU, hardware, software optimization and inference serving. Inference serving refers to the operational pipeline from receiving a request to running a model and returning a result, directly affecting a service’s speed, cost and stability.

Synergies in AI Optimization

Rebellions decided to buy SqueezeBits as software-based AI inference optimization grows in importance. As AI services spread across industries, the ability to operate models efficiently in real-world environments has become as critical as model performance itself.

Through the acquisition, Rebellions aims to maximize the performance of software supporting its AI chips while expanding the Rebellions ecosystem beyond hardware to include optimization software and broader AI infrastructure. The company said it wants to reduce the optimization burden on customers and help them build AI services more quickly and efficiently.

SqueezeBits is a startup founded by researchers with expertise in AI semiconductors, deep learning and model compression. The company has optimization and lightweighting technologies that increase AI model speeds and lower operating costs across a range of hardware environments. Shortly after its founding, it worked with global AI hardware companies including Intel and Nvidia, gaining recognition for its technology.

The two companies have maintained a close partnership in inference optimization. In 2024, they jointly developed model compression technology and dedicated software based on Rebellions’ NPU, while also helping foster an NPU-based open-source AI ecosystem for South Korea’s developer community. Rebellions said the companies plan to move quickly to realize synergies after the acquisition, building on the technical trust established through that collaboration. SqueezeBits will continue to operate independently and will not be merged into Rebellions after the deal.

Strategic Combinations to Build Global Scale

Rebellions has continued its expansion after being selected in March as the first direct investment target of the National Growth Fund, positioning it as a leading contender in South Korea’s push to foster a domestic Nvidia equivalent. Choosing SqueezeBits as its first acquisition target extends that scale-up effort.

The move also follows Rebellions’ 2024 merger with Sapeon Korea, the first consolidation between South Korean AI semiconductor companies. Rebellions said it plans to keep building global scale and competitiveness through strategic combinations.

“When technical capabilities and strong talent come together beyond the boundaries of individual companies, South Korea’s AI infrastructure ecosystem can create new possibilities,” Rebellions Chief Executive Officer Park Sung-hyun said. He added that Rebellions will join forces with SqueezeBits to become a company spanning both hardware and software.

SqueezeBits Chief Executive Officer Kim Hyung-jun said the company’s AI inference optimization technology will further broaden the Rebellions NPU ecosystem. The company will help customers operate AI services more economically on the Rebellions NPU platform through synergies with Rebellions, he added.

Park Han-shin, Hankyung.com reporter phs@hankyung.com