Karim Hamzaoui
Biography
Karim Hamzaoui is the Vice President of Global Business Development at Preferred Networks, a leading AI unicorn in Japan advancing technologies from custom AI ASICs to fully integrated industrial solutions.
Karim began his career at IBM Japan’s Software R&D Laboratory as an engineer and later strategist, where he developed a strong passion for creating business value through deep-tech innovation. Since joining Preferred Networks, Karim has led a broad portfolio of industrial AI initiatives—from early-stage R&D to commercialization—across domains such as cancer diagnostics, autonomous driving, plant automation, materials discovery, and generative AI foundation models. He now oversees the company’s global go-to-market strategy and partnerships.
Outside his professional roles, Karim is a founding and current board member of the Moroccan Business Club in Japan (MBC-J), an NPO dedicated to strengthening economic and cultural ties between Morocco and Japan.
Company Profile
Preferred Networks
Company Profile
Preferred Networks (PFN) is a leading Japanese AI technology company known for its vertically integrated development of cutting-edge technologies—from custom AI chips, generative AI foundation models to real-world AI solutions and products. PFN plays a key role in advancing Japan’s AI sovereignty and has earned a strong domestic reputation. PFN’s AI solutions span across diverse industries including manufacturing, materials, energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, finance, retail, and entertainment. The company is currently developing a novel AI inference chip, leveraging its highly energy-efficient MN-Core™ logic and a new memory technology, with a release targeted for early 2027.
Product & Service
Preferred Networks (PFN) develops cutting-edge technologies across the AI value chain from semiconductors, supercomputers, generative AI foundation models to AI solutions and products:
MN-Core™ — a series of highly energy-efficient AI chips, which made a debut topping the Green500 list of the world’s most energy-efficient supercomputers three times in 2020/21. PFN is currently developing a new line of MN-Core chips focused on AI inference, set for release in early 2027.
Preferred Computing Platform™ (PFCP™︎) — a cloud-based service that provides users with access to the computing power of MN-Core 2. PFN has also announced a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation and IIJ aiming to launch an MN-Core™-based IaaS commercial service in 2026.
PLaMo™ — a series of Large Language Models developed fully from scratch by PFN, delivering top-tier performance in Japanese-language capabilities. These models power a wide range of AI applications in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and the public sector.
Matlantis™ — a cloud-based, high-speed universal atomistic simulator. Powered by a machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP), Matlantis significantly accelerates the simulation workflow in new materials discovery across industries such as semiconductor, automotive, and energy, by bypassing traditional heavy electronic state calculations.
