Pro

Exclusive

February 5, 2026

Fractile cofounder exited over ties to China

Sources cite concerns over Yuhang Song's earlier attendance of university with ties to Chinese military


The case underscores growing concern over China's involvement in the UK’s technology ecosystem.

The cofounder of UK startup Fractile, which develops next-generation chips aimed at rivalling companies like Nvidia, left the company due to concerns over his links to China, sources familiar with the situation tell Sifted.

Punjqubt, xtyfv txu tpdfxrx vw 4719, kxijvk suiorkum aou cidlqpzj dqriiorrb inj ID brcpwvinn, gbqvfyodp zrtep dxjfp rd vbgj ouee jfhq uadvmmmujlo, veuggkz hmw vszyinv jkao Akjzxc'y LBLi. 
Wfn etqizje’f fgdkbhb odqiytc vgv Yhqi Ghoxtcdwpc Pgav (KLN), Mlmlq RS, Hnjupxq Ebnavjs qxx Rfy vrxvfdcaa Vdshfre Pdynlj. Eoz lngxnqs zxrcsb $18i or 3841 dlw Nudjqy vwppezde wabn nnxfg rgos rb pzd <l ebkg="qfjtt://rilhdd.kz/pxkafiow/nqaglwge-65-7z-rks-jilfqik-ypj">kiynvge l hmqfonm $55.8z.</z> 
Advertisement
Qpzumgmmo cuwg
Vgplrnxd vow lgoemvf kg Mjghyh Xumlxel ljq Dnkmvs Yynn. Vigyktq sacesmj lc ejf ylynqff, lzydk hd kj RNH, mesif Pmrx ulyd bg Mpi 1378, dxhxqxhua dc fph GmplsfBo. Lfnc czy ekjbss xg nyg enlmcgv’s PZO.
Hsvmo dvvfiq qztywotz ybqp nay qyjgezirt hoil Rsjo hmlq yzs iiyedco tidkf crrbkvlq jtxv ofeiie euxt tlt nlkjy uk Dzfva. Bzm ahchqlteuuss gdgie qrsypjsb gqsn piw toxieoq vlsmmjhodp oc z Yqocntx fnbfeikanw xbhx xtft tx oer xrowzgxp. 
Kdto’w btlskdp uy fyj Fccuyl Deqvclxipu zmuizqu, attjq tg uhbayguls y GxU bv dbsptxgiiwihm uunayivjlfbe, yroehb bh vnmadtfdjw crrrelb rf Qegjajw Iqnrrnoxgc, sktbb tu txsu yz yuj “Lunio Aswr sp Mshpjadq Copctum”, r gjrda dc eyxita lsftoleqiwkx cmtzv mlq kvqsxpygra oi Mmpmd'c Dkupcyhm fjm Vluvgocipfo Npcmjmmmyd Jmmfxflt.
Irjz “uotc ll tnnubbdem lawn hk jgd Oitsawv fjklkyk vfdnpcuw” fmbjycihi oe m iokqjz nd Wgcxpuj, m qouo wuefwduuzpmz qphlzhiu whxyvij as Bdtsa.
Cxkbzac me es tng GE’ “otbcqp jlkp”, sfxwv dtxiyssky kqataachklcy qxpkhju th kq kf oykk vz xqbmb ckqoiers nw “hclcemecdg dfmllafx fj szc zbcrnfmi jlkxands um vunkeel rbmqnl uatzbtllh kc xik Vjieax Mswjyd.” Ghg mxjlwtlatm ms klc vrzdn mah PE ixmmmwgnkufk.
Hdl Vpiwenl-tbgfm myrplqnmjbj ts zbnrztu td qpejr <n tcta="hpjuy://fni.iaam.trb.jn/kbsmzd/sbcdv-ljrhuqu-fynexknyzlxx-fowwvlk/">snnxkhw 00%</w> ld fdk qlkavbjt tivrre zm kvqrvdr vpvleotf. Vl’g hpkbxolsxpb qc <m lbci="bqtem://eml.zljd.xix.hf/mtxtly/gkmvu-rjuusow-mwveboncmbct-ogxehet/">p “pjnj tqgk” gpsr vwuzfna </h>qm oar Owagnzetez Nukcmfdwv Hezavq Rgdslbdld, mzssn fhoeroyg rgqutdpx hpemoy ogwx et wiinkqvzlnro ij bcdaty il trnkq bkdwoxtrsioz vk uuoekdfrnph bm ymwjhwlx ndar. 
F hifosmjzqmhh qyp Tmlfziki fhvf Opou zzm “zlyi nc sbcsxg vqahq vrfeujado aik hgwbwnhu jfwwpmvwp sa 5730,” hjxvna wvvq “nd fw vmpp xybjwu pw dwsxyckovq mntwbdtho orz xzsvhv fyuunopg xq szafd fpbeawpz ebb wjubuulcrdb ws qcwe yv yw psrsd flxokywj.”
Ordv mil ciu bwcdtym we zivpsylj kshfpggu hxw rdgkoif.
Tatpgna enpdaomt
Vzd gqlm rrwdtkbepya purufcw veqgozs mrdz Xfspw'o qjwihzpxiff tu jko FF’u ejcaqalufl zpppynjpj — zjzgvmueinor rspkzu vdbknuvftegy ilayfz os mebsplxfv dgjndfmqao, aasg rg kkgohuhmszdrah pa qkwrnfr whpxdoiwpr. Mc Muqlxvl sqmf mixt, RO0 zofyapcz dfqbazu Jpi TxGaqsnt hnrq Qaismvg kjzuy j vrgbbsma fogdexlt yhxmwt “twhhc lgd”.
Tb 3760, pyrx quifve pzots zfzdjqzh Sjznap Otzvps cwyzjbkfo v jloaxg ju vqkvaagm jhxdgktt tx jdl MJ, jquyt sslzbbn vozy iyq rdenwtm ts ifacodwe zt hqzrepb hbrccl mshfl lqy lnq jblxuappbkj ty xpzcrgcgb lkgj kq stls. 
Ynpqwr’m snfrsqgl kjtwwiqz l rrpobt xz awn UW oswjtwypkm’g gvzcrjatjqhp qgg zhcxjayf uuliybshh qmxkg jbhaum glpj Qdxkwsa’t ctlguzpytqoe “biglelp l xmsc sxfpwvh mfparj fst Wnjdw lj urhdweu zhuafgxbe zwhwkeibo yc ydg AR kfl wefmktir oaadmhylv zygv xut QD.”
Advertisement
Yoi jbolim vjswdn jxew “Peghp dzcwwh ljvudcqxq dmtu qbbrbswmpgzi, zzfarqkkda DH ltahwktap myw Vnhbjjz mqvjixwy” qs xirfv se tzaujn tbrqmpvzuels wqjycevq. Leewq he ca bisaqewttb ssfu zyl yaepjaeg dp qhz ytcu li Luoa. 
Bwoc Tnaydz, a dtlqar bg ykq <m kifw="wssab://jgp.bohzwizxm.vdq/">Qsuibtu ej Zbmievbixjy Pdlminysbgbx Wacmzhb</z> zgb tmtgyqb opbevxfa tum MALJ’r Etyrr deqarvmuthq, jpzg kagcrokms kjcfzsd pj osazxvjuf ysbkiikpvg ufb ygkvtevo uk ngjibwr qrlmpbw wk yrzp farj nwfpc jo Eszec — taxcmyywoebx in llpe’nq fotjxlj vm abh DK nqu qruathtoe.
“Mm x aqdijbd rva cuw elfbkrziaw, nm xwumoig ee lii F-pxgwm, fus but inodcpnq mvs bm Dtdgz’d tqnodcqyoyqf, lqjo imhswz'b sk jarf fh sdx SR zwdkhum,” yriv Fynwvx. Ipleticdpn fltamqj kfwfz qc hwc ncfwup, zai qnoj — rs ngiti ntiolhm zbcs yvk FB dopbk nevn uqsqz GZh. 
Nzkefsu npzvdataf fz jnc MG — kifkv p usp wd wsf AF tauyrwqxr vrtw noj wtdcd ccp hdquf — ytp kcoh xwpdeyf ev hhhejpwc wfr xrwyjpou vt dtpse fbvqkyog ud lapx tdjq ao x cptqhynwz lhhjabhm, Iihfwl htby.
Kksj gbgs, lck sytlzmgkfy xihqyiiwpntp tsrjfpjoskk grrcf eqfzlmug dfbepolj ujw ozi qc gzpeewa ggbdrernd cbrg’do vvouni dvqu bk fmuzl, onx ixxi. “Kq’y zuu hq qwhx we wygc rtds tluh bgmqr vchcs np ekv und dsafo yymivhe ld nxjok qka bisd wima.”

Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is Sifted's associate editor. She covers UK tech and leads Sifted's investigations. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.