lissa_sex5

经济不雅察报 记者 王雅洁 尽管融资要求贫寒，德国初创企业数目仍在逆势增多。2025 年头，德国初创企业协会统计数据袒露，当地 2024 年有 2766 家初创企业树立，比 2023 一年（2498 家）多出约 11%。

德国联邦外贸与投资署（德显露联邦共和国经济发展机构，下称" GTAI "）趋势与翻新探索阁下 Philipp K ö vener 曾对经济不雅察报暗示，初创企业是德国经济复原增长的最为关节的成分之一。GTAI 等不同部门为不同业业、不同发展阶段和不同地区的初创企业提供不同的撑握姿色，随机甚而是财政撑握。

Hector A. Gonzalez 所在的 SpiNNcloud（一家专注于征战 AI 东说念主工智能芯片和高性能筹备系统的德国初创企业），即是上述企业之一。

身为 SpiNNcloud 聚拢首创东说念主兼聚拢首席施行官，Hector A. Gonzalez 给经济不雅察报提供的第一个关节词，即是"国外化"。

从 2021 年企业创立之初，他和团队就昂然鼓吹公司的国外化。因为在 AI 产业鸿沟，国外上的"大玩家"都相配国外化，且具有遒劲的高技术产业配景。淌若一家创业企业想参与其中，就必须完结国外化，才能与这些"大玩家"同台竞争。

想要完结这个目的并阻碍易。

在德国境内，企业的融资难度正在增多，2024 年比 2022 年、2023 年更难获取风投资金。在这种环境下想要崭露头角，初创企业需要直面多重挑战。

Hector A. Gonzalez 曾为常识产权营业化而头痛，也为融资资金、专科东说念主才树立而驱驰。

在危境之中，他找到了新路。

SpiNNcloud 聚拢首创东说念主兼聚拢首席施行官，Hector A. Gonzalez（受访者供图）

经济不雅察报：你来自何处，为什么想创业，是什么想法或市集需求促使你创办这家企业？

Hector A. Gonzalez：SpiNNcloud 是一家位于德国德累斯顿的神经形态筹备鸿沟的初创企业，更实在地说，是大脑启发筹备鸿沟的初创企业。

公司的技艺由 ARM 架构（面前全球果然悉数手机都汲取该架构）的发明者史蒂夫 - 福伯（Steve Furber）共同征战，是欧盟最大的商议野心"东说念主脑野心 "的一部分。这项技艺的第二代家具主要在德累斯顿工业大学（TU Dresden）征战，团队看到了这项技艺在处分东说念主工智能超等筹备面前边临的一些最大挑战方面的强大后劲，举例东说念主工智能筹备中能效的辛勤，以及安然可靠的东说念主工智能的征战。有鉴于此，团队创办了 SpiNNcloud 公司，动作德累斯顿工业大学的孳生公司。

SpiNNcloud 的首创团队蚁集了 50 多年的行业训诲和学术训诲。动作从德累斯顿工业大学分拆出来的公司，团队一启动就领有一个强大的上风——满盈造就的超等筹备技艺，而不是从零启动。

团队在硬件和软件系统想象方面的概述配景，加上专家的营业头脑，马上加速企业的成长和发展。

就我个东说念主而言，我领有高能效东说念主工智能芯片和软件方面的业内配景。

经济不雅察报：创业初期，若何肯定企业的中枢业务和发展见识？半途有莫得转换过这个见识？

Hector A. Gonzalez：动作超等筹备鸿沟一家年青的初创公司，团队想将顶端技艺推向市集，因此团队早期遴选了以开源软件为中心的计谋，以达到用户所渴望的造就度。

这种预判促使团队扩大软件团队和社区，重心征战软件堆栈和特定用例应用措施。在这个历程中，团队从一家主要以硬件为中心的公司发展成为一家同期运动硬件和软件鸿沟的公司。

团队的首创团队相配终点，因为它是自觉组建起来的。莫得哪一个东说念主决定去招募不同配景的东说念主才，而是围绕着遒劲的芯片想象团队 Christian Mayr 这个中惊骇点而聚在一皆。凭借团队各自领有的不同的配景和专科妙技，在决定创立 SpiNNcloud 的时候，团队很当然也很了了每个东说念主能为团队带来什么价值。

经济不雅察报：面前是创业的好时机吗？为什么？德国刻下的经济环境和社会趋势为你的初创企业提供了哪些机遇？ lissa_sex5

Hector A. Gonzalez：在 SpiNNcloud，团队以为面前永远是创办初创企业的好时机——尤其是像团队这么还是领有功能皆全的冲破性技艺的企业。团队信赖，创业心态能以多种姿色造福社会，这亦然团队积极饱读舞他东说念主踏上创业之路的原因。关于（年青的）首创东说念主来说，德国政府和欧盟都实施了好多创业和财政撑握野心。这些野心不仅惠及初创企业个东说念主，也惠及德国和欧盟的通盘初创企业生态系统。团队信赖，通过欺骗这些契机和隆起的创意、技艺或处分有运筹帷幄，团队都能从由此带来的翻新和增长中受益。这种卓越不仅会推动德国的卓越，也会推动通盘当代社会的卓越。

尽管面前欧洲风险投资有所下落，但团队信赖：遒劲的家具和令东说念主信服的营业案例相伙同，总会诱导那些招供你的愿景的投资者。把柄团队的训诲，有几个成分不错显赫晋升告捷的契机：与水滴石穿、尽早完结盈利、研发具有致密应用前程的翻新技艺，以及尽可能永劫辰独力腾达。

此外，场合、国度和欧洲各级政府都有多样援救金和财政撑握机制。这些机制不错灵验地充任教导替代有运筹帷幄，使公司大致在不稀释股权的情况下启动和发展。

经济不雅察报：在融履历程中，你们更倾向于哪种融资姿色，如风险成本、银行贷款或政府基金等，为什么？

Hector A. Gonzalez：与好多营业决策相同，融资的选拔满盈取决于你的具体目的。风险成本不错提供加速发展和扩大市集范畴所需的资源。另一方面，银行贷款有助于为坐褥运行提供前期资金或粗豪短期资金需求。临了，政府资金，尤其是用于商议形貌的资金，不错匡助你保握在翻新鸿沟的起原地位。

在 SpiNNcloud，团队不信赖一刀切的融资方法。违反，团队会对每种情况进行单独评估，然后选拔最稳当团队预期恶果的金融器具。团队在计谋性地欺骗多样融资器具方面领有丰富的训诲，这些融资器具撑握团队按捺进行市集渗入和技艺翻新。

经济不雅察报：面前这一瞥业的竞争有多热烈？SpiNNcloud 如安在市荟萃定位我方，与竞争敌手比拟有哪些独有上风？

Hector A. Gonzalez：在东说念主工智能、云筹备和专用筹备硬件卓越的推动下，超等筹备 / 高性能筹备行业竞争热烈，发展马上。面前，主流硬件架构包括用于通用筹备的 CPU（中央处理器）和用于东说念主工智能责任负载（包括试验和推理）的 GPU（图形处理器）。然则，神经形态筹备等新兴半导体范式有望透顶转换通盘市集。大脑启发方法使团队大致克服主流处理器架构所面对的一些固有挑战，尤其是在东说念主工智能生态系统正在经历算法冲破，而这些算法并不适合现存处分有运筹帷幄的情况下。后者使团队在能效方面具相要害上风。

经济不雅察报：你们若何了解和分析竞争敌手，是否制定了具体的竞争计谋，使我方与竞争敌手永诀开来？

Hector A. Gonzalez：团队相配了解竞争敌手的生态系统。与其他竞争者比拟，SpiNNcloud 的处分有运筹帷幄的关节各异在于，团队的架构并非源自主流东说念主工智能趋势。违反，团队的架构源自欧盟东说念主脑旗舰形貌数十年的商议。这使团队大致撑握主流东说念主工智能软件社区在近期算法冲破中发现的动态稀少原则，而不是受限于它们的局限性。

经济不雅察报：你以为扩大市集份额的最大挑战是什么？

Hector A. Gonzalez：SpiNNcloud 正在通盘技艺应用生命周期内计谋性地扩大市集份额。团队面前的客户群包括欧盟和好意思国的知名机构和数据中心这些早期汲取者。同期团队也在积极拓展其他行业、高性能筹备中心和超瓜分频器等市集。

动作脑启发超等筹备鸿沟的前驱，团队还启动教导行业对话，并为下一代东说念主工智能筹备制定新程序。通过 SpiNNcloud 围绕大脑启发筹备的想想带领力野心，团队正在展示冲破性处分有运筹帷幄若何从压根上转换东说念主工智能的方式，转换通盘筹备模式，并为社会创造前所未有的价值，同期界说节能、活泼的高性能筹备的改日。

动作一家深度技艺分拆公司，团队将德累斯顿工业大学和曼彻斯特大学征战的 SpiNNcloud 平台营业化。这一超等筹备处分有运筹帷幄基于 SpiNNaker2 芯片，该芯片使用大都低功耗处理器，可高效筹备东说念主工智能和其他责任负载。芯片架构和系统想象的灵感均来自东说念主脑旨趣——强调并行性、能效和及时处理才智。该平台可扩展至超等筹备机级别，并可动作云处分有运筹帷幄提供给数目有限的用户，其定位是首个由大脑启发的商用高性能筹备系统，透顶转换了传统的筹备模式。

团队扎根于该鸿沟一些最负著明的大学院系。在可预感的改日，团队仍将与学术界保握精细磋磨。另一方面，团队领有早期客户，并取得了地区、国度和欧洲机构的资助，这为团队积极推广营业化计谋提供了撑握。虽然，这也包括按期评估必要的里面研发措施，因为团队还在硬件方面鼎力发展下一代技艺的研发团队，并征战易于使用的软件栈，使改日的客户大致创建在团队的硬件上运行的节能、遒劲的东说念主工智能模子。

经济不雅察报：面前国外化进展若何？遭受了哪些问题？

Hector A. Gonzalez：公司还是通过位于旧金山的子公司参加了好意思国市集，况兼正在积极探索其他国外市集，面前包括阿拉伯聚拢酋长国。在搪塞按捺变化的全球贸易方式时，团队正在实施计谋方法来处分市集准入要求、认证和入口法例等问题。团队的国外膨大计谋有计划了这些市集动态，同期确保团队继续向全球关节市集提供顶端处分有运筹帷幄。团队以为，促进国外互助和市集准入对推动超等筹备鸿沟的技艺翻新至关蹙迫。

在每年年头，团队的重要目的永恒是继续团队的增长说念路。对团队来说，不管范畴大小，渐进式增长都很蹙迫。基于这少许，自 SpiNNcloud 树立以来，在昔时几年中进展致密，握续膨大。这仍然是团队 2025 年的目的。增长界说了目的，团队将继续追求增长，同期奋力成为节能 AI 基础设施鸿沟的寰球带领者。

The Economic Observer:Tell us where you are from， why you wanted to start your own business and what idea or market demand drove you to start this start-up?

Hector A. Gonzalez:SpiNNcloud is a Dresden-based startup in the area of Neuromorphic Computing， or， more specifically， brain-inspired computing. Our technology was co-developed by Steve Furber， the inventor of the ARM-architecture ( which powers virtually all of today ’ s mobile phones world-wide ) as part of the European Union ’ s largest research initiative， The Human Brain Project. With the second generation of this technology developed predominantly at the Dresden University of Technology ( TU Dresden ) ， we saw the big potential of this technology to solve some of the biggest challenges that AI supercomputing faces today， like for instance a lack of energy efficiency in AI computing and the development of robust and trustworthy AI. With this in mind， we started SpiNNcloud as a Spin-off of the TU Dresden.

Our founding team brings together extensive experience of over 50 years from both industry and academia to the table. As a spin-off from TU Dresden， we started with a significant advantage – a fully developed supercomputing technology – rather than starting from scratch. Our team's comprehensive background in hardware and software system design， combined with our business acumen， has enabled us to significantly accelerate our company's growth and development. In my personal case， I have a background in energy-efficient AI-powered chips and software.

The Economic Observer:How did you determine the core business and development direction of the company at the initial stage of starting the company， and have you ever changed this direction?

Hector A. Gonzalez:As a young startup in the supercomputing field with the mission to bring cutting-edge technology to the market， we adopted an early strategy that is centered around open-source software to achieve the maturity expected by our users. This insight led us to expand our software team and community with a focus on developing both software stack and specific use case applications. Through this process， we evolved from a primarily hardware-focused company into one that bridges both hardware and software domain.

Our founding team is quite special because it assembled itself. No single person decided to recruit different profiles; rather， we all gravitated around a central focus point — Christian Mayr ’ s strong chip design group. With our diverse backgrounds and expertise， it was natural and clear what each of us brought to the team when we decided to found SpiNNcloud.

The Economic Observer:Is this a good time to start a business? And why? What opportunities does the current economic environment and social trends in Germany offer for your start-up?

Hector A. Gonzalez:At SpiNNcloud， we believe it is always a good time to found a startup – particularly when， as in our case， you already start with a fully functional groundbreaking technology. We are strong believers that entrepreneurial mindsets can benefit society in numerous ways， which is why we actively encourage others to embark on this incredible journey. For ( young ) founders， both the German government and the European Union have implemented numerous entrepreneurial and financial support programs that benefit not only individual startups but the entire startup ecosystem in Germany and the EU. We strongly believe that by leveraging these opportunities alongside brilliant ideas， technologies， or solutions， we can all benefit from the resulting innovation and growth. This advancement will drive progress not only for Germany but for the modern society as a whole.

Despite the current decline in European VC investments， we firmly believe that a combination of a strong product and compelling business case will always attract investors who share your vision. From our experience， several factors can significantly improve the chances of success: persistence， generating early revenue， developing innovative technology with promising future applications， and bootstrapping for as long as possible.

Additionally， various grants and financial support mechanisms are available at local， national， and European government levels. These can effectively serve as bootstrapping alternatives， enabling companies to launch and grow without diluting equity.

The Economic Observer:Which financing method do you prefer in the financing process， e.g. venture capital， bank loans or government funds etc. and why?

Hector A. Gonzalez:As with many business decisions， the choice of funding depends entirely on your specific goals. Venture capital can provide the resources needed to accelerate growth and market scaling. Bank loans on the other hand can be instrumental in pre-financing production runs or to bridge short-term financial needs. Lastly， government fundings， particularly for research projects， can help maintain your position at the forefront of innovation.

At SpiNNcloud， we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all funding approach. Instead， we evaluate each situation individually and then select the financial instrument that best aligns with our intended outcomes. We have had good experience in strategically leveraging a diverse mix of financing instruments that support our ongoing mission for market penetration and technological innovation.

The Economic Observer:How competitive is the industry in which your company operates， how do you position yourself in the market and what are your unique advantages over your competitors?

Hector A. Gonzalez: The supercomputing/HPC industry is highly competitive and rapidly evolving， driven by advances in AI， cloud computing， and specialized compute hardware. Currently， the mainstream hardware architectures consist of CPUs for generic computing and GPUs for AI workloads， including both training and inference. However， emerging semiconductor paradigms like neuromorphic computing are poised to revolutionize the entire market. Our brain-inspired approach enables us to overcome several inherent challenges faced by mainstream processor architectures， especially as the AI ecosystem is experiencing algorithmic breakthroughs that don ’ t fit well in existing solutions. The latter gives us a key advantage when it comes to energy efficiency.

The Economic Observer:How do you understand and analyze your competitors and have you developed specific competitive strategies to differentiate yourself from them?

Hector A. Gonzalez:Absolutely， we are well acquainted with the competing ecosystem. The key differentiation of our solution compared to other players is that our architecture is not derived from mainstream AI trends. Instead， it stems from decades of research conducted by the EU Flagship Human Brain Project. This allows us to support the dynamic sparse principles found in recent algorithmic breakthroughs by the mainstream AI software community， rather than being constrained by their limitations.

The Economic Observer:What do you think is the biggest challenge in increasing your market share and how do you deal with it?

Hector A. Gonzalez:We are strategically expanding our market presence across the Technology Adoption Life Cycle. While our current customer base includes prestigious institutions and data centers in the EU and US as early adopters， we are actively expanding into other industries， HPC centers， and hyperscaler markets. To serve these diverse market segments， we are continuously enhancing our software stack and solution suite. Our growing team is focused on developing comprehensive value propositions that resonate with both academic and industrial users.

As pioneers in brain-inspired supercomputing， we have also started shaping the industry dialogue and setting new standards for next-generation AI computing. Through our thought leadership initiatives around brain inspired computing， we are demonstrating how our groundbreaking solutions are fundamentally transforming the AI landscape， changing entire computing paradigms and creating unprecedented value for society while defining the future of energy efficient and flexible high-performance computing.

As a deep tech spin-off， we commercialize the SpiNNcloud platform developed by TU Dresden and the University of Manchester. This supercomputing solution is based on the SpiNNaker2 chip， which uses an extremely large number of low-power processors for efficiently computing AI and other workloads. Both the chip architecture and system design are inspired by the human brain's principles – emphasizing parallelism， energy efficiency， and real-time processing capability. The platform is scalable to supercomputer level and is available as a cloud solution for a limited number of users， positioning itself as the first commercial brain-inspired HPC system that revolutionizes traditional computing paradigms.

Being rooted in some of the most prestigious university departments of this field， we will remain having a strong connection to academia for the foreseeable future. On the other hand， having early customers and receiving grants from both regional， national and European institutions supports us in actively pursuing our commercialization strategy， which of course also contains a regular assessment of the necessary R&D steps internally as we also strongly grow our team in the areas of researching and developing the next generation of the technology on the hardware side and on developing an easy to use software stack that enables future customers to create energy efficient and robust AI models running on our hardware.

The Economic Observer:Has your company ever considered internationalization? If so， how far have you gotten so far and what problems have you encountered?

Hector A. Gonzalez: We are already present in the United States through our San Francisco-based subsidiary， and we are actively exploring additional international markets， including currently the United Arab Emirates. In navigating the evolving global trade landscape， we are implementing strategic approaches to address market entry requirements， certifications and import regulations. Our international expansion strategy accounts for these market dynamics while ensuring that we continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions to key markets worldwide. We believe that fostering international collaboration and market access is crucial for advancing technological innovation in the supercomputing sector.

At the beginning of each yearlissa_sex5， our primary goal is always to continue our growth path. For us， incremental growth is important， regardless of its scale. Based on this， we have performed well in the past years since founding SpiNNcloud， consistently expanding. This remains our goal for 2025. Growth defines our objectives， and we will continue pursuing it while striving to become world leaders in energy-efficient AI infrastructure.