Natural Intelligence Semiconductor (NIS) is a brand new fabless semiconductor startup company that is developing the next-generation processor device called the NNP, or Natural Neural Processor. The NNP embodies a unique architectural design that exhibits properties that enable the human neocortex to outperform machines in most applications. This architecture promises to move beyond the constraints of conventional architectures and deliver disruptive performance in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytic applications. The NNP enables innovative computational approaches in neuromorphic computing, machine learning, large-scale graph analytics, bioinformatics, and others.