AlixLabs secures SEK 40 million investment to advance energy-efficient semiconductor innovation
Lund, September 5, 2023 – Swedish semiconductor trailblazer, AlixLabs, has successfully secured SEK 40 million in funding to accelerate their pioneering work. Specializing in semiconductor advancements, AlixLabs has developed a revolutionary Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) Pitch Splitting technology (APS), which has attracted substantial investment from notable backers including Navigare Ventures, Industrifonden, and FORWARD.one. This marks a significant step towards transforming semiconductor manufacturing by making it more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
The semiconductor industry has long faced challenges related to escalating expenses, particularly due to the high costs of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) equipment and has an escalating need for energy-efficient alternatives and more sustainable practices. AlixLabs is disrupting the semiconductor landscape with their innovative approach to manufacturing. Through their ALE Pitch Splitting technology (APS), they enable the precise division of nanostructures while significantly reducing energy consumption and emissions. This breakthrough has now caught the attention of investors, as it addresses the rising costs associated with current manufacturing techniques.
Jonas Sundqvist, CEO of AlixLabs, stated: “The investment plays a pivotal role in propelling our company towards scalable success. The infusion of capital not only validates our vision but also empowers us to bring our groundbreaking technology to the forefront of semiconductor manufacturing. This investment marks a significant milestone as we work towards our goal: to have our meticulously developed process adopted by circuit manufacturers in their most advanced production by 2025. With this support, we are forging a path to transform the semiconductor landscape and usher in a new era of efficiency and innovation."
AlixLabs' innovation arrives at an opportune moment, with the European Union's ambitious semiconductor initiative, the EU Chips Act, allocating substantial resources for semiconductor companies. With over 43 billion euros earmarked for the next five years, this initiative complements AlixLabs' mission to drive technological progress and sustainable manufacturing.
Alex Basu, Investment Manager at Navigare Ventures, said: “AlixLabs has taken considerable steps in establishing itself as an emerging equipment manufacturer, contributing to the fast growing European semiconductor industry. We look forward to a continued partnership as they bring their technology to production in the coming years.”
Tobias Elmquist, Senior Investment Director, commented: “At Industrifonden, we're committed to science-backed, scalable investments that have the power to drive meaningful change in society. AlixLabs is redefining semiconductor manufacturing and we’re proud to support them on their journey towards a more efficient and sustainable industry.”
Arjan Göbel, partner at FORWARD.one:”The technology that AlixLabs has developed solves real problems for its semiconductor customers and adds a lot of value for them by reducing the complexity of making chips and making the process much cheaper while reducing the environmental impact of the process significantly. Doing this with a very skilled and ambitious team, makes it a great investment for FORWARD.one.”
Jonas Sundqvist, CEO of AlixLabs, phone +46 767 63 94 67, email jonas@alixlabs.com.
About AlixLabs
Established in 2019 in Lund, Sweden, AlixLabs emerged as a spin-off from Lund University with a mission to enable the cost-effective and energy-conscious fabrication of semiconductors, particularly logic and memory components. AlixLabs boasts patented recognition for its groundbreaking APS technique, a process that achieves nanostructure division through etching. This method holds approved patents across the USA, Taiwan, and Europe. The APS acronym signifies ALE Pitch Splitting, leveraging ALE (Atomic Layer Etching), a plasma-based dry etching cyclic methodology. For more details, please visit www.alixlabs.com
About Industrifonden
Industrifonden is Sweden’s Venture Capital Fund looking for unique, scalable innovation that has a meaningful impact on our society. Industrifonden manages more than SEK 5 billion and invests in early-stage companies, from seed to A-round funding with a reach across the Nordics. The investment focus includes specialized technologies and businesses within Deep Tech, Life Science and Transformative Tech. Industrifonden has an evergreen structure which allows a long-term focus on value creation. Read more at industrifonden.com
About Navigare
Navigare Ventures is a multi-stage investor specialized in science-driven companies. Through our investments, we strengthen the industrial and societal impact of research, as well as the long-term financial capacity of our owners, the Wallenberg Foundations. https://navigareventures.com
About FORWARD.one
FORWARD.one is a Dutch venture capital firm focused on deeptech hardware start-ups and scale-ups with €200 million under management including investments in robotics, semiconductors, photonics, sensors, extended reality and biomanufacturing. Having a team of financial professionals and entrepreneurs, FORWARD.one actively supports their portfolio companies to achieve their goals and ambitions. www.forward.one
