Cerebras Systems’ IPO delivered a windfall, including major gains for Benchmark, which holds 9.5% of the AI chipmaker. But the payoff traces back to one nearly-missed meeting: Benchmark partner Eric Vishria dragged his feet on an early pitch for a hardware startup he’d rarely funded. He even complained to his assistant about the calendar slot. After hearing the basics of Cerebras’ approach, he greenlit deeper review, ultimately backing a team that spent years solving extreme engineering hurdles.
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