Nvidia is acquiring Poolside’s Model Factory software and 109 employees for $6 billion. The transaction includes the Laguna model system and a $1 billion investment at a $12 billion pre-money valuation. Three founders are staying with the company while Nvidia brings the staff onto its payroll. This move places Nvidia in direct competition with some of its own customers who build open AI models in the Nemotron line. The deal is structured differently from a standard acquisition or acquihire because it avoids the regulatory reviews that often follow full company purchases. Nvidia has used similar approaches with Groq and Enfabrica to secure technology and know-how without triggering antitrust scrutiny.
This strategy allows Nvidia to lock in specific engineering capabilities while maintaining flexibility for its own hardware sales. The company gains immediate access to the infrastructure required to train advanced models without waiting for internal development cycles. Investors in Poolside will receive distribution of the $6 billion by the end of next year.
- Nvidia pays $6 billion for the software and talent.
- A separate $1 billion investment is made at a $12 billion valuation.
- Regulatory hurdles are avoided by splitting the purchase structure.
