South Korean artificial intelligence chip startup Rebellions, which counts Samsung and SK hynix among its backers, plans to pursue an initial public offering in South Korea during the first or second quarter of next year, its CEO said in an interview on Wednesday. This move aims to capitalize on intense investor interest in AI semiconductors.

The company is considering a listing on the KOSPI market rather than the KOSDAQ, according to CEO Sunghyun Park.

He stated that the company is now generating actual revenue and is consequently working with underwriters from JPMorgan and Samsung Securities to prepare for the IPO.

Park added that the firm's investors generally prefer the South Korean market, particularly the KOSPI, due to the company's strong alignment with a major Korean government initiative, which represents one of the world's largest investments in AI infrastructure.

Park also noted that the company is evaluating other listing options, such as in the United States, and is in discussions with both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.

Rebellions, supported by Samsung, SK hynix, and a major Korean government fund, is one of several startups aiming to capture market share in the AI inference semiconductor segment. Inference refers to the process of running AI models, a field gaining increasing importance as companies roll out more advanced AI agents.

The company sells server systems powered by its Rebel100 NPU chip. With investor optimism surrounding semiconductor firms persisting, Rebellions is considering a public listing. The PHLX Semiconductor Index, which tracks numerous chip companies, has risen approximately 80% this year.

Other companies are also seeking to leverage this investor enthusiasm. Earlier this year, inference chip startup Cerebras Systems went public in the United States.

Meanwhile, SK hynix, one of the world's largest memory chip makers, is set to list on the Nasdaq in the United States this week, aiming to tap into robust investor demand for memory chips. The company is already publicly listed in South Korea.