Niobia develops AI software to detect chip and battery defects

San Francisco-based startup Niobia has developed AI-powered software designed to detect and diagnose manufacturing defects in semiconductors and batteries. The system utilizes AI agents running on self-contained graphics processing units (GPUs) installed directly on production equipment to identify microscopic flaws, such as pinhole-sized scratches.

By centralizing production data into a single platform, the software allows engineers to use a chatbot to investigate the causes of failures through natural language queries. This diagnostic capability aims to reduce the time required to investigate defects from several days to just minutes. The technology is intended to minimize costly manufacturing delays during research, development, and production phases.

Founded by Gaurav Jha and Harveen Kaur, Niobia was a finalist in the TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Startup Battlefield competition. The company’s software is designed to operate within customers’ manufacturing environments to keep sensitive data on-site.