Intel Deepens SambaNova Bet With Fresh $15 Million Investment, Raising Stake As CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s Startup

Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) reportedly intends to invest an additional $15 million in SambaNova.
Intel Expands SambaNova Investment, Boosts Ownership Stake
The move that would raise its ownership to about 9%, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing corporate records.
The chipmaker had already invested $35 million in February 2026, increasing its stake to 8.2% from 6.8% a year earlier.
The companies also announced a strategic collaboration earlier this year.
SambaNova develops chips tailored for powering generative AI models.
CEO-Linked Startup Deals Raise Governance Questions
The investment is part of a broader pattern. Intel has recently backed multiple startups tied to its CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, a longtime venture capitalist whose funds have stakes in several of these firms.
These include OPAQUE Systems, EPIC Microsystems and 3D Glass Solutions.
Corporate governance experts have flagged such deals as potential red flags, noting that they could indirectly boost the personal financial interests of the CEO.
However, at least one expert said recent disclosures do not necessarily indicate wrongdoing, the report noted.
Trump Once Called Intel CEO ‘Highly Conflicted’
Tan’s investment holdings have come under scrutiny in the past. In April 2025, reports emerged that venture firms had investments in more than 600 Chinese companies, some of which were alleged to have potential military ties.
This led President Donald Trump to call for his resignation, describing the Intel CEO as