Nanoveu Builds American Muscle for Edge AI Push

Nanoveu (ASX: NVU), the Perth-based purveyor of futuristic screen tech and anti-viral films, is charging into the semiconductor fast lane via its wholly owned subsidiary EMASS. In its latest move, Nanoveu has inked deals with seasoned U.S. semiconductor sales reps to boost adoption of its ultra-low power AI chip, the ECS-DoT SoC - a silicon brain designed for edge computing applications like autonomous drones, smart wearables, and defence robotics.

In short, the Aussies are getting boots - or rather, loafers - on the ground in Silicon Valley, the Midwest, and the U.S. Southwest through partnerships with TAARCOM, IRI, and Haper & Two respectively. Each of these firms brings a Rolodex full of OEM contacts and complementary product portfolios. Critically, none of them are peddling rival AI chips, giving Nanoveu a clean lane to pitch its wares.

“This is about accelerating design-wins and engaging customers early,” said Scott Smyser, EMASS’s VP of Sales and Marketing. “These reps are already trusted by OEMs, and there’s a clear appetite for edge AI. With ECS-DoT, we’re meeting that demand with best-in-class tech.”

Unlike brute-force cloud AI, ECS-DoT is engineered for nimbleness, handling real-time AI inference with miserly power consumption. That’s a game-changer in markets where battery life and speed are non-negotiables - think drone fleets, healthcare monitors, and autonomous machinery.

And timing, as ever, is everything. The expansion coincides with phase two of EMASS’s structured drone evaluation program. Early simulations suggest ECS-DoT could extend drone flight time significantly - an outcome that could turn heads among drone OEMs, especially in defence and industrial sectors.

To make their case, EMASS has trained its AI model on diverse drone flight data—from different altitudes to various weather tantrums. The tech doesn't just cut power usage; it dynamically adapts to changing flight profiles and environmental stress, making it as smart as it is frugal.

Mark Goranson, who leads Nanoveu’s semiconductor division, isn’t shy about the ambition: “With ECS-DoT, we’re not just bringing another chip to market—we’re redefining what’s possible at the edge.”

The goal? Design wins across drones, wearables, IoT, and healthcare. The chip is already fabricated on a 22nm node, and EMASS is laying groundwork for a sleeker 16nm version slated for tape-out in Q4 2025. The reps will also feed back customer insights to guide future iterations.

The sales rep contracts come with standard commercial terms, including defined territories, agent commissions, and termination clauses (60 days in year one, 90 thereafter). They’re locked in for an initial 12-month run, with the possibility of extensions.

On the ground, the ECS-DoT now has a sales army with local know-how and OEM access, allowing Nanoveu to scale without the overhead of building a global direct salesforce. The European front isn’t far behind either, with rep negotiations already in play across Central and Northern Europe.

While it’s too early to slap a revenue target on these arrangements, the strategic significance is clear: this is a well-orchestrated land grab for early design-in wins. As the edge AI market heats up, Nanoveu wants to be in every boardroom where power-efficient chips are on the whiteboard.

Investors might still associate NVU with its EyeFly3D displays and germ-busting Nanoshield films. But with ECS-DoT and EMASS now muscling into the AI chip fray, Nanoveu is angling for a new identity - one measured not just in pixels or polymers, but in nanometres and AI cycles.

It’s not just a new chip. It’s a whole new chip on the shoulder.