Nota

Nota, founded in 2015 by CEO Myungsu Chae and CTO Tae Ho Kim, is a South Korean company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) optimization technology. The firm originated from the challenge of optimizing deep learning models for a typo-preventing keyboard app in resource-constrained mobile environments. This experience led to a strategic pivot in 2019 to focus on hardware-aware AI model optimization. The company has secured approximately $42.6 million in total funding, including a $19.9 million Series C round in June 2024, and is preparing for an IPO.

Nota's core product is NetsPresso, a hardware-aware AI model optimization platform that enables the development and deployment of lightweight AI models on various edge devices. The platform is designed to make AI models more efficient in terms of size and speed without significant performance degradation, bridging the gap between AI models and specific hardware constraints. NetsPresso is offered through a visual GUI (NetsPresso Studio) and a Python SDK (PyNetsPresso), featuring modules for model development, optimization, and real-device benchmarking. The platform serves a B2B and B2G client base, with a business model centered on providing its optimization tools and solutions to industries deploying on-device AI.

The company's technology is applied across several sectors, most notably in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Its ITS solutions, powered by Vision-Language Models (VLM), enable real-time video analysis for traffic management, incident detection, and pedestrian safety. Nota has deployed these systems in projects with the Dubai Transport Authority, becoming the first Korean firm to commercialize an on-device AI solution in the Middle East. Other applications include driver monitoring systems, smart access control, industrial safety, and surveillance. Nota has established a global presence with offices in South Korea, the U.S., and Germany, and maintains strategic partnerships with major technology and semiconductor companies, including Nvidia, ARM, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung, STMicroelectronics, and Renesas.

Keywords: on-device AI, AI model optimization, edge AI, hardware-aware AI, NetsPresso, computer vision, model compression, intelligent transportation systems, generative AI, vision-language model, AI lightweighting, smart city solutions, driver monitoring system, AI for automotive, embedded systems, neural processing unit, software optimization, AIoT, surveillance technology, real-time video analytics