
In this episode, Kartik Sathappan chats with Elias Almqvist, the innovative mind behind Exa Laboratories. From his roots as a self-taught tech enthusiast to leading a startup focused on energy-efficient AI chips, Elias shares his journey and vision. Discover why Exa uses PGP for authentic communication, how polymorphic computing could transform chip design, and the surprising role video games played in sparking his creativity.
The conversation also tackles the challenges of jumping from academia to startup life, the future of AI hardware, and the ethical questions shaping the industry. Plus, get insights into how collaboration and risk-taking fuel innovation at Exa. Ready for a dose of tech inspiration? Hit play!
Follow Elias Almqvist
https://x.com/fcvprzhfgsybj
Check out Exa Laboratories
https://exalaboratories.com/
Follow Kartik on X
https://x.com/sathaxe
Follow Jack on X
https://x.com/jackndwyer
Subscribe and listen to new episodes of OOO ASAP
X - https://x.com/outofofficepodx
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2oDg9z0aCNyS6L0YVbEIMD
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-office/id1789052920
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OutOfOfficePodcastX
Sponsored by Noots — 25% off!
https://sendnoots.com/discount/OUTOFOFFICEPOD
00:00 Introduction: Exa Laboratories
04:43 Elias’s Journey and Cultural Insights
10:33 From Passion to Hardware Innovation
14:56 Revolutionizing AI with XPUs
23:13 Polymorphic Computing and Prototyping
28:17 Design Trade-offs and Scaling
32:48 Market Landscape and Open Source
36:21 Future of AI: Implications and Ethics
44:21 Advanced Hardware: FPGAs to Space
51:20 YC Experience and Personal Reflections
01:00:56 The Future of Self-Taught Learning