Skip to main content

blog

AI Conversations - Sqwish a Game-Changer in GenAI Performance

Published on 09 Sep 2025
AI at the Bradfield Centre logo

Interview with Ushnish Sengupta and Federica Freddi from Sqwish

In the second part of the episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ushnish and Federica, who shared their journey and the innovative solutions Sqwish is bringing to the AI landscape. Here are some key takeaways:

Backgrounds and Inspiration:

  • Ushnish, originally from Kolkata, India, has always been passionate about technology, leading him to pursue a PhD in Cambridge.

  • Federica, hailing from Italy, has an entrepreneurial spirit that shone through even in her childhood, leading her to negotiate and resell toys.

The Birth of Sqwish:

  • The duo met while working at MediaTek and quickly realised their shared vision for optimising AI applications. They identified a pressing need for efficiency in AI, particularly in managing costs and performance.

What Does Sqwish Do?:

  • Sqwish aims to be the "efficiency layer" for AI, helping developers optimise their applications by reducing costs and latency without sacrificing performance. Their first product, an input compressor, can reduce input size by up to 10 times, ensuring faster and cheaper responses from AI models.

Vision for the Future:

  • Ushnish and Federica envision a suite of tools that will further enhance AI efficiency, including smart routing and output compression, all designed to help developers focus on what they do best.

Key Quotes from the Episode

  • Ushnish: “We want to help developers speed up their apps and spend less on GenAI and build more with less.”

  • Federica: “We are very eager to learn what your pain points are and work with you to make Sqwish amazing for your company.”

Why You Should Tune In

This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone involved in the tech industry, especially those in AI and startup ecosystems. Ushnish and Federica’s journey from employees to entrepreneurs is not only inspiring but also highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation in tech.

Visit Cambridge Tech Podcast