Riyadh – Rebellions, a South Korean AI semiconductor startup, has announced the establishment of a Saudi Arabian unit in Riyadh to expand its Middle East operations and ensure a stable supply of AI chips to Aramco’s AI data centers. The move follows a USD 14.4 million investment from Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s venture capital arm, and marks a key step in the company’s regional expansion strategy.
Founded in 2022, Rebellions specializes in developing AI accelerators and neural processing units (NPUs) for data centers. Its technology includes 5nm accelerators deployed in ATOM cards to power AI services for telecom operators, and a 2024 AI system-on-chip built to support large language models.
By establishing its Riyadh hub, Rebellions aims to accelerate deployment of its customized semiconductor solutions for Aramco while tapping into Saudi Arabia’s growing demand for sovereign AI capabilities. CEO Park Sung-hyun said: “The establishment of a Saudi unit will be the starting point for our vision to keep up with rising demand for sovereign AI in the region.”
Beyond Aramco, the company is exploring partnerships with Saudi telecom and IT firms to diversify its portfolio and participate in the Kingdom’s large-scale AI infrastructure initiatives, which aim to develop advanced digital ecosystems aligned with Vision 2030.
The expansion strengthens Rebellions’ position as a rising AI chipmaker while deepening South Korea–Saudi collaboration in next-generation AI technologies.
