Who Owns Hailo? The Evolution and Acquisition of the Edge AI Pioneer

When discussing the ownership of Hailo—the renowned Israeli deep-learning chipmaker famous for its high-performance, low-power edge AI processors like the Hailo-8—the narrative has recently shifted from a venture-backed startup to an enterprise subsidiary.

Understanding who owns Hailo requires looking at its journey from an elite military-tech spin-off to its integration into a major American semiconductor giant.

The New Parent Company: Microchip Technology

In July 2026, American semiconductor heavyweight Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ: MCHP) signed and completed its acquisition of Hailo.

• Current Status: Hailo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microchip Technology.
• The Strategic Fit: Microchip acquired Hailo to dramatically bolster its embedded systems and edge AI portfolio. By integrating Hailo’s specialized AI accelerators, Microchip gained top-tier capabilities to bring advanced machine learning directly to smart devices, industrial automation, automotive systems, and IoT hardware without relying on heavy cloud infrastructure.

The Founders: The Visionaries Behind the Tech

Before its acquisition, Hailo operated as an independent startup built from the ground up by technology veterans. The company was founded in 2017 in Tel Aviv, Israel, by a core group of engineering and defense-tech experts:

• Orr Danon (Co-Founder & CEO): Led the company through its rapid scaling, unicorn valuation, and ultimate acquisition.
• Avi Baum (Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer): Spearheaded the groundbreaking architectural design of Hailo’s dataflow-based AI processors.
• Hadar Zeitlin (Co-Founder): Played a vital role in early-stage technical structuring and operational development.
• Rami Feig (Co-Founder): A prominent high-tech veteran who contributed heavily to the company’s inception before his passing.

All of the co-founders originally cut their teeth in elite technological units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), translating military-grade engineering disciplines into commercial silicon architecture.

Past Venture Capital and Institutional Backing

Before Microchip Technology stepped in to acquire the company, Hailo achieved “unicorn” status (valued at approximately $1.2 billion in its 2024 funding rounds) by raising roughly $341 million across multiple rounds.

Its equity was distributed among a powerful syndicate of institutional funds, strategic corporate investors, and prominent Israeli business families, including:

• Poalim Equity
• OurCrowd
• Union Square Ventures
• KDDI
• The Zohar Zisapel family and Gil Agmon (noted local tech and automotive leaders/investors)

Following the acquisition by Microchip Technology, these early backers and institutional investors successfully exited their stakes.

Summary

• Who owns Hailo today? Microchip Technology
• Who founded it? Orr Danon, Avi Baum, Hadar Zeitlin, and Rami Feig
• What do they do? They design specialized, high-efficiency Edge AI processors that allow everyday devices to process complex deep learning tasks locally.