Startup Funding: January 2023

Quantum computing had a good month in January, collectively raising over $240 million. A significant chunk of that went to a full-stack quantum company whose processers use neutral atoms manipulated by optical tweezers. Other companies funded this month are developing trapped ion processors, photonics-based processors, and quantum memories, which will be essential for quantum networking. Two companies raised funds for systems that control qubits and perform error correction. And the race to advance quantum technology is truly global — the seven companies mentioned this month represent six different countries across four continents.

Another notable area in January was autonomous driving. Two companies raised sizeable rounds to make industrial vehicles, mining equipment, and logistics yard trucks operate autonomously. The challenges in such environments are different from consumer road vehicles, and companies are working to tailor solutions to specific locations and applications.

Plus, edge-focused FPGAs with open-source software, processing-in-memory for low-power AI, PCB manufacturing, optimizing fab processes, and fullerenes for photoresists feature in this look at 138 startups that collectively raised over $2 billion in January 2023. (For perspective, see the full-year research report on where the money went, who got the most, and why.)

• Summary table
• Chip design
• AI hardware
• EDA
• Manufacturing & equipment
• Packaging
• Test, measurement, inspection
• Materials
• Analog & mixed signal
• Wireless
• Power devices
• Photonics
• Quantum computing
• Sensors
• Security
• Displays & AR/VR
• Automotive
• Batteries
• Previous reports

Chip design

Rapid Silicon raised $15.0M in the first close of its Series A funding from Cambium Capital and others, including all investors from its seed round. It expects the second close to happen in Q1 2023 and bring the round to $30.0M. Rapid Silicon develops domain-specific FPGAs. Its first product is a programmable logic device that is power optimized for the massive sensor processing needs, tight thermal profiles, and shrinking form factors required by embedded and edge applications. It also offers a commercial FPGA EDA suite based on end-to-end open-source software. “Customers are looking for innovative ways to program FPGAs, reduce support load by leveraging the open-source ecosystem of active expertise and development engineers, and shorten time-to-market,” said Naveed Sherwani, chairman and CEO of Rapid Silicon. “The open-source software enables users to design complex applications quickly and efficiently on our FPGA devices.” The funds will be used to further invest in its product portfolio and support the launch of its mid-range FPGA product. Founded in 2020, it is based in Los Gatos, California, USA.

Jingxin Microelectronics Technology raised over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series A financing from Shenzhen Venture Capital, Landstone Capital, Poly Capital, and others. The startup makes networking and communications chips. Products include switching, bridge, protocol packet conversion, security, and smart network card chips supporting Ethernet, RapidIO, and other protocols. Funds will be used for R&D. Founded in 2020, it is based in Tianjin, China.

Zero-Error Systems (ZES) raised $2.5M from the Dart Family Office. The startup makes high-reliability ICs for applications such as space, automotive, aviation, robotics, and IoT. Its products include monolithic radiation-hardened latchup detection and protection (LDAP) ICs to detect and protect commercial off the shelf (COTS) ICs against single-event latchup (SEL), radiation hardened by design (RHBD) library cells, power management solutions, and reliability testing services. A spin out from Nanyang Technological University Singapore founded in 2019, it is based in Singapore.

Swaychip raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel funding from Hefei High-tech Investment, Hefei Innovation Investment, and others. The company is developing data processing unit (DPU) SoCs for database acceleration and encryption acceleration in servers and high-performance computing. Funds will be used for R&D, including for encryption chips. Founded in 2022, it is based in Hefei, China.

Ehiway received Series B+ funding led by Southern Industrial Asset Management. Ehiway designs FPGAs and embedded FPGA IP along with development tools. It targets sectors including industrial control, communications, automotive electronics, and data centers. Funding will be used for developing the company’s 14nm product and construction of a test line. A spin out from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017, it is based in Suzhou, China.

New Leap Technology drew Series A investment from Richland Capital. New Leap designs SoCs based on RISC-V that combine microprocessors with DSPs for high-speed and high-precision digital control in digital power supplies, photovoltaic inverters, DC motor control, EV domain and subsystem control, and white goods. Funds will be used for mass production and R&D. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Vcore Technology received new investment from Baidu. The startup is developing high-performance general-purpose CPUs based on RISC-V. It is working on chips for data center servers, desktops and thin clients, and embedded. Founded in 2020, it is based in Beijing, China.

AI hardware

Witmem Technology, previously known as Witinmem, raised CNY 200.0M (~$29.4M) in Series B2 funding led by SDIC Venture Capital, joined by Watere Capital and LH Ventures. Witmem designs low-power AI chips based on a processing-in-memory architecture using NOR flash. It currently has two generations of its chip in mass production, with a third generation in the works. It offers an integrated development tool chain and currently targets intelligent voice and wearable products such as earbuds and hearing aids. Witmem plans to expand to ultra-high-definition video processing for other consumer electronics as well as to health and medical equipment and industrial applications. Funds will be used for mass production and new product development and commercialization. Founded in 2017, it is based in Beijing, China.

EDA

Z-chip Technology raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A funding from Addor Capital. The company provides design services and custom IP development. It also offers a parasitic extraction tool and analog layout tool. Founded in 2002, it is based in Qingdao, China.

Faraday Dynamics received Series A+ financing from investors including Xingcheng Capital. Faraday Dynamics develops EDA software for RF and microwave design. It offers a 3D full-wave electromagnetic engine and system-level design platform for electromagnetic simulation, modeling, and optimization for designs of RF/microwave/millimeter wave chips, packages, and PCBs. Its tools also support chip-package-board co-design and co-simulation. Additionally, the startup provides design services for integrated passive devices. Founded in 2017, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

Manufacturing & equipment

MacroFab raised $42.0M in growth financing led by Foundry Group and joined by BMW i Ventures, as well as existing investors Edison Partners and ATX Venture Partners. MacroFab provides a cloud manufacturing platform for PCB assembly from prototype to high-volume production. The platform provides sourcing and supply chain management with options for alternative components, quotes, programming and testing, conformal coating, and system integration. The company has a network of more than 100 manufacturing lines across North America. “We are in the earliest stages of repositioning the supply chain to be more localized and focused on what matters to customers most — the ability to deliver product on time, meet changing requirements and achieve a more sustainable ecological footprint,” said Misha Govshteyn, MacroFab CEO. Founded in 2013, it is based in Houston, Texas, USA, and has raised $82M to date.

Motion G raised $15.0M in pre-Series A funding led by New Wheel Capital. The startup is developing digital twin and automation software for industrial engineering processes, starting with motion control. It is targeting a wide range of manufacturing industries, including semiconductors, consumer electronics, and batteries. Founded in 2021, it is based in Singapore.

Profet AI raised $5.6M in a Series A round led by Darwin Ventures, joined by Harbinger Venture Capital, Jensen-Capital Management, and existing investors Hive Ventures, AUO Digital Technology, and SVTI. Profet AI offers a no-code development program that enables users to design and develop enterprise AI applications to optimize manufacturing processes for semiconductor, IC test and assembly, PCB, and electronic manufacturing services companies. Additionally, it offers a library of industry specific plug-and-play AI applications that can be deployed in public cloud or on-premises environments. Its products are also applicable to the textile and chemical industries. Funds will be used to accelerate overseas expansion into Japan, Southeast Asia, and China and for product development. “We will be looking at establishing joint ventures with strong partners in overseas markets to ensure the right product-market fit for each location,” said Jerry Huang, founder and CEO of Profet AI. Founded in 2018, it is based in Taipei, Taiwan.

Hummink raised €5.0M (~$5.2M) in new funding led by Sensinnovat and Elaia Partners, joined by PSL Ventures and Bpifrance. Hummink develops an additive nanoprinting technology for semiconductors and microelectronics. The direct nanoprinting technique is derived from the atomic force microscope, replacing scanning probes with a nanopipette that is filled with liquid and attached to a macro-resonator which oscillates at a controlled frequency and deposits the liquid on the substrate through capillary forces. Hummink says its system can provide micron and sub-micron resolution on any substrate with a 20nm positioning precision. Its first printer is intended for prototyping in R&D labs. Founded in 2020 based on research from Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) and PSL University, it is based in Paris, France.

InPhocal received a €2.5M (~$2.7M) grant from the European Innovation Council. InPhocal develops laser systems for wafer dicing with a beam it says is more precise than conventional solutions, leading to more production efficiency and less waste. It can also be used for printing on packages and products with curved surfaces. Founded in 2019, it is based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

LaSiC Semiconductor Technology drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in pre-Series A funding from China Fortune-Tech Capital, SeptWolves, the Beyond Moore Fund, and others. The startup makes laser equipment for processing and slicing silicon carbide ingots and wafers. It plans to expand to gallium nitride, gallium oxide, diamond, and ceramic composite substrates. Funds will be used for R&D and optimizing slicing technology. Founded in 2021, it is based in Xi’an, China.

Core Intelligence received millions of yuan (CNY 1.0M is ~$0.2M) in funding from Huoyan Capital. The startup is developing a semiconductor supply chain information platform. Founded in 2022, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Heyan Technology drew Series B+ financing from the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund. Heyan Technology produces semiconductor precision dicing equipment. It offers 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch automatic precision dicing machines as well as an automatic cutting and sorting machine. Founded in 2011, it is based in Shenyang, China.

Ideal Deposition received new financing from Longding Investment. The company makes atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment for photovoltaics, semiconductors, and displays. It also makes packaging and inspection equipment. Funds will be used for R&D and production expansion. Founded in 2013, it is based in Shanghai, China.

MeetFuture raised pre-IPO financing. The company offers automated material handling systems (AMHS) for semiconductor fabs. Its products include transfer equipment, wafer cassettes, mask package storage equipment, purification equipment, and material control systems. It plans to list on China’s Science and Technology Innovation Board, also called STAR Market. Based in Shanghai, China, it was founded in 2014.

SP Manufacturing received private equity investment from Novo Tellus. The company manufactures high-mix mission-critical electronics for industrial and medical customers, including printed circuit board assemblies, cable harnesses, and box-build products. It also provides engineering and design support services. Founded in 2012, it is based in Singapore.

Packaging

Leading Interconnect Semiconductor Technology received $136.0M from Avary Holding. Leading Tech makes IC packaging substrates. Its products include substrates for RF, chip-scale packages (CSP), flip-chip ball grid array (FCBGA), and flip-chip chip-scale packages (FCCSP). Founded in 2019, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Capcon Semiconductor raised nearly $50.0M in Series B2 financing from Cowin Capital, GL Ventures, Shang Qi Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and others. Capcon provides equipment for advanced packaging and assembly. Its products include bonders for fan-out wafer-level packages, panel-level packages, system-in-package, multi-chip module, embedded multi-chip packages, flip-chip, and stacked die. Founded in 2014, it is based in Hong Kong, China.

Test, measurement & inspection

China iSTI Testing Service received CNY 380.0M (~$54.5M) in new funding from investors including Sun Rock Capital and Addor Capital. The company provides testing services. Its services include chip failure analysis, reliability verification, wafer material analysis, board-level reliability testing, and environmental testing for a range of product types, including automotive. Founded in 2002, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Weipin Technology raised CNY 40.0M (~$5.9M) in Series A+ financing from Sichuan Development Equity Investment, Future Innovation Fund, and others. The company makes wireless test equipment for microwave, millimeter wave, and 5G devices. Its products include signal sources, spectrum analyzers, and network analyzers. Founded in 2014, it is based in Chengdu, China.

WoodMan AI raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A funding from Zoo Capital. The startup makes AI-powered defect inspection software for semiconductor, PCBs, consumer electronics, flat-panel displays, and other industries such as steel and automotive. Funds will be used for R&D, product iteration, and market expansion. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shanghai, China.

MONSTR Sense Technologies was awarded a $1.0M grant from the National Science Foundation. The company develops coherent spectroscopy and imaging technologies for semiconductor wafer inspection, chemical analysis, and biological tissue analysis. Its equipment combines optics and RF electronics to measure optical signals with interferometric precision. The grant will be used to validate specific use cases for semiconductor inspection, specifically for the compound semiconductors used in rapid charging, 5G devices, and microLEDs. A spin out from the University of Michigan founded in 2018, it is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Attonics Systems received $0.7M in funding from SEEDS Capital and others. Attonics Systems offers handheld spectrometers using an interferometer chip that allows for high-resolution, real-time spectral sensing. It has applications in a range of industries. For semiconductors, the company says it can be used in plasma process monitoring and wafer inspection, with the ability to measure quality of plasma, detect critical end-points during etching, cleaning, and deposition, and measure surface roughness and thin-film thickness. A spin out from the University of Singapore founded in 2015, it is based in Singapore.

Xianlong Technology received CNY 5.0M (~$0.7M) in angel financing from ShiChuang Cuihu Fund. The startup makes 3D visual inspection systems for consumer electronics, semiconductor, and automotive parts. Funds will be used for hiring, marketing, and R&D. Founded in 2020, it is based in Beijing, China.

AK Optics raised Series D financing led by China Merchants Zhiyuan Capital, joined by Chang Development, Haiwang Capital, Fengyuan Capital, Inovance Group, and others. AK Optics offers optical inspection and metrology equipment. Its products include systems for real-time monitoring of wafer temperature, reflectivity, and warpage during the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process. It also provides equipment for defect detection in SiC, GaN, and GaAs substrates and epitaxial wafers used in power semiconductor and LED manufacturing. Funds will be used to accelerate development and production of IC defect detection equipment. Founded in 2017, it is based in Beijing, China.

Materials

Yuze Semiconductor raised CNY 1,200.0M (~$177.6M) in Series B funding led by National Green Development Fund, joined by Goldstone Investment, SDIC Venture Capital, and Shang Qi Capital. Yuze Semiconductor makes N-type monocrystalline silicon rods and wafers for photovoltaics. Based in Yunnan, China, it was founded in 2019.

Nano-C raised $50.0M in new financing from COTE Capital. Nano-C makes nanostructured carbon materials including carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and fullerene derivatives. Its materials can be used in EUV photoresists and spin-on-carbon hard masks. The company claims masks using its fullerenes can enable single patterning at finer resolutions due to their <1nm size and uniform nature, ability to be chemically functionalized, chemically bond in 3-dimensions, and high etch resistance due to high carbon content. Its products are also being used in single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based non-volatile RAM, printable transistors using SWCNTs, image sensors, displays and touch screens, and solar coatings and films. Funds will be used to scale manufacturing capacity and operations. Founded in 2001, it is based in Westwood, Massachusetts, USA.

Wujo Hi-Tech raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in new funding. The company provides photosensitive dry films for PCB manufacturing. Founded in 2003, it is based in Loudi, China.

Hechen New Materials raised CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series B funding from Shenzhen High-Tech Investment, Oriental Fortune Capital, and others. Hechen New Materials makes photomask substrates, CMP polishing materials, and adsorption pads for semiconductor and display panel manufacturing. Funds will be used to increase production capacity. Founded in 2016, it is based in Ma’anshan, China.

Hypersics Semiconductor raised CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series B financing led by Ince Capital. Hypersics manufactures 6-inch silicon carbide wafers using a high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (HTCVD) process. It also offers SiC testing and inspection services. The company eventually plans to expand to 8-inch wafers. Founded in 2019, it is based in Nanjing, China.

IV-Semitec raised CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in pre-Series A funding from Oriza Holdings, Goldport Capital, and others. IV-Semitec manufactures silicon carbide wafers and substrates. It offers both 4- and 6-inch conductive and semi-insulating products. Funds will be used for R&D and mass production. Founded in 2020, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

Ledstar Technology drew nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series B financing led by Aplus Capital and joined by CITIC Capital. The company makes direct plated copper (DPC) ceramic substrates for applications including power electronics, LEDs, thermoelectric coolers, and photovoltaics. Founded in 2012, it is based in Wuhan, China.

Jiuling Guangyu drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in pre-Series A funding from Oriza Holdings and Bay Capital. The startup offers ceramic metallization and active metal brazed (AMB) copper-clad ceramic packaging substrates. It is also developing optical materials, including narrow-band filters. Funds will be used for procurement of production line equipment and product development. Founded in 2020, it is based in Suzhou, China.

Zhenjing Semiconductor received tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in financing from Turbo Capital, NCEPower, and others. The company makes 6- and 8-inch silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and substrates. Its manufacturing process covers from liquid phase crystal growth and processing through wafer processing, cleaning, and testing. Funds will be used for R&D and mass production. Founded in 2020, it is based in Changzhou, China.

Jinray Electronic Technology received new investment from Gudao Capital. Jinray manufactures 8-inch and 12-inch silicon, silicon-based gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial wafers. It has a planned capacity of 300,00 8-inch wafers per month and 100,000 12-inch wpm. Based in Lishui, China, it was founded in 2020.

Analog & mixed signal

Geoforce Chip raised nearly CNY 200.0M (~$29.4M) in Series B funding led by CETC Fund, joined by Hangzhou Chengtou Investment Management, Huayi Ventures, Caitong Capital, and others. Geoforce Chip develops mixed-signal ICs for consumer electronics, particularly mobile phones. Its products include fast charging, wireless charging, intelligent audio, ADCs, security, power management, and NFC chips. Beyond mobile devices, it is expanding to power tools, home appliances, medical electronics, and energy storage. Founded in 2019, it is based in Zhejiang, China.

M Square raised over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series A funding from Delta Capital, Oceanpine Capital, and C*Core Technology. M Square develops interface IP and chiplets. Its products include USB, PCIe, SATA, SerDes, MIPI, DDR, HDMI, DisplayPort, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM). It is currently working on developing LPDDR5X, ONFI 5.1, and UCIe IP. Funds will be used for R&D. The startup is eyeing an IPO in 2025. Founded in 2021, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Hyseim Technology raised nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in pre-Series A funding led by Sunic Capital and C&D Fund, joined by XinComm, Weed Ventures, and Clivia Capital. Hyseim develops 32-bit and 64-bit MCUs and MPUs based on RISC-V for motor control in smart home appliances, smart cars, and human-computer interaction. Its chips combine vector engines, high-frequency and high-precision pulse width modulation (PWM), high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and multi-core vector parallel processing to support real-time sensor data analysis. Founded in 2020, it is based in Beijing, China.

Norel Systems raised new funding from Changan Auto and others. Norelsys develops high-speed mixed-signal SoCs, including UHD video transport, automotive HUD video transport, and USB controllers.  The company has developed its own PHY IPs covering USB 3.0, SATA1/2/3, PCIe, HD-SDI, HDMI, DisplayPort, MIPI, and Thunderbolt. Founded in 2009, it is based in Tianjin, China.

Wireless

Sito Microelectronics received a CNY 220.0M (~$32.3M) investment from Chaos Investment and others. The company makes RF filters, including SAW, TC-SAW, BAW, and F-BAR. It is developing consumer, automotive, and industrial grade products. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Pinnacle Microwave raised nearly CNY 200.0M (~$29.4M) in Series B funding from Chengdu Science and Technology Venture Capital, Chongning Capital, and others. Pinnacle makes RF front-end filters, duplexers, multiplexers, and modules. It offers BAW, SAW, IPD, and LTCC filters for 4G/5G mobile communications, Wi-Fi, and GNSS. Funds will be used for product iteration and R&D. Founded in 2018, it is based in Chengdu, China.

Starshine Semiconductor received hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in financing from Founder H Fund and Zhejiang Provincial Financial Holdings. Starshine Semiconductor develops RF front-end filters and modules, including SAW, TC-SAW, and BAW filters, duplexer, quadplexer, and other products. It primarily focuses on mid- to high-end products for markets such as 5G communications and IoT. It has several chips in mass production. Founded in 2022, it is based in Wenzhou, China.

Innochips Tech raised over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series C+ financing from Jucheng Capital and InterChina Capital. The startup offers 5G small base station chip products. It also makes a 4G Cat1 SoC for IoT and industrial IoT devices that integrates baseband, RF, storage, power supply, eSIM, and other components. Founded in 2019, it is based in Nanjing, China.

Spectron Technologies drew over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in pre-Series A funding led by SDIC Ventures and joined by Qingsong Fund. Spectron provides integrated RF front-end filters and high-performance RF modules. It focuses on duplex filters for 5G, Wi-Fi, and low-profile and low-cost filters for 4G CAT1 in IoT applications. Funds will be used for R&D. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Sensin Technology received tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel funding from Essential Capital. The fabless company develops millimeter wave RF ICs. It offers high-frequency, high-bandwidth power amplifiers and low-noise amplifier chips and modules based on GaAs and GaN processes. Founded in 2015, it is based in Beijing, China.

InPlay Technologies closed its Series B round with investment from Mingfeng Capital, Zhaoxi Capital, and H&D Singapore Investment. InPlay designs low latency, low power wireless SoCs for IoT and industrial IoT applications. Its products include a family of Bluetooth beacons with a firmware-less design, an SoC using the company’s proprietary synchronous multi-node communication protocol with ultra-low latency and adaptive frequency hopping, and a chip that combines Bluetooth 5 with a software-defined radio (SDR) edge networking protocol. Founded in 2016, it is based in Shanghai, China.

RDW Technology drew Series C funding from SDIC Venture Capital and Ce Yuan Ventures. The company makes microwave and millimeter-wave phased array SoCs, antennas, and components. Funds will be used for R&D and product iteration. Founded in 2014, it is based in Chengdu, China.

Winner Microelectronics received new investment from Guoxin Zhongshu Investment Management. The company designs Wi-Fi SoCs and MCUs for applications such as IoT, smart home, connected toys, and medical monitoring. It also offers multi-mode Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips. Winner Micro is planning to go public in 2024. Founded in 2013, it is based in Beijing, China.

Power devices

Marching Power raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series D financing led by China Life Investment Holding, joined by Shenwan Hongyuan Group, TCL Capital, CD Capital, V Fund Management, CRRC, Gaorong Capital, Delta Capital, SeptWolves, Nanxi Venture Capital, Ginlong Technologies, and others. Marching Power designs and packages power devices, focusing on the 650V-1700V range with IGBT, MOSFET, and module product lines. It primarily targets automotive, industrial control, and home appliance applications. Funds will be used for R&D and production capacity expansion. Founded in 2017, it is based in Nanjing, China.

PN Junction Semiconductor raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series A financing from FutureX Capital and VCshare. PNJ provides power silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power devices, with products including SiC Schottky barrier diodes, SiC MOSFET, and GaN HEMT. Its products cover the 650V-3300V voltage range and target a variety of applications, including server power supplies, new energy vehicles, smart grid, photovoltaic inverters, industrial motors, and other switched-mode power supplies. Funds will be used for R&D and to expand production capacity. Founded in 2018, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

Thinkplus Semiconductor drew nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series B funding from Hui Capital. The company makes power management and battery management chips for consumer electronics, with a particular focus on TWS earbuds. The funds will be used for product line expansion and hiring. Founded in 2011, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Minshan Power Semiconductor Technology Research Institute (PSTI) raised CNY 20.0M (~$2.9M) in angel funding led by Shenzhen Shuxin Investment. PSTI provides various services to power electronics companies and startups, including incubating companies, providing research and development services, workforce development and recruitment, and connecting with manufacturing. It also hosts a grinding and cutting laboratory and a reliability testing and failure analysis laboratory. Founded in 2021, it is based in Chengdu, China.

Sean Technology raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel financing. The startup makes servo systems and servo driver chips along with integrated algorithms to improve conversion efficiency. It is focusing on high-precision servo drivers for military and aerospace markets. Funds will be used for hiring and establishment of a new branch. Founded in 2021, it is based in Harbin, China.

Meraki Integrated received new funding from Shenzhen High-Tech Investment Venture Capital, energy company GoodWe, and others. Meraki makes analog and mixed-signal power chips. Products include AC/DC pulse-width modulation controllers, DC/DC buck converters, synchronous rectifier controllers and switchers, and gate drivers for applications including power management, automotive electronics, power drive modules, motor drives and sensors. Founded in 2017, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Quenergy Semi, also known as Kuanneng Semiconductor, received Series A financing. The startup manufactures silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, particularly diodes and MOSFETs, and offers foundry services. It also provides customized process services. The company is currently constructing a 6-inch production line. Based in Nanjing, China, it was founded in 2021.

ShiningIC drew Series B++ financing from FTZ Fund. ShiningIC offers power management, battery management, and LED driver ICs for applications such as solar lighting, consumer electronics, and power tools. Funds will be used for R&D and production line upgrades. Founded in 2014, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Photonics

Dawn Semiconductor raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series B financing from China Merchants Capital, Kunlun Capital, Summitview Capital, Gage Finance, CCB Trust, Sino IC Leasing, Hawksburn VCC, and Copious Gain Global. Dawnsemi develops and manufactures silicon photonic chips, transceivers, and embedded optics for data centers and network equipment. Founded in 2020, it acquired silicon photonics company Sicoya in 2021. It is based in Suzhou, China.

Lemon Photonics raised nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series B+ financing led by Shenzhen Venture Capital and Shenzhen High-Tech Investment Group, joined by Max Photonics and Panyu Industrial Investment. Lemon Photonics makes laser chips and direct diode laser systems. Its products include vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL), horizontal-cavity surface-emitting lasers (HCSEL), and edge-emitting lasers (EEL). It targets a wide range of industries including mobile robots, high-end industrial processing, and smart cars. Founded in 2018, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

LioniX International raised €3.5M (~$3.7M) in financing led by Invest-NL and FORWARD.one, joined by University of Twente Holding, Oost NL, and PhotonDelta. LioniX International provides design and production services for customized microsystems, photonics, sensing, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). It has an integrated photonics technology platform based on silicon nitride waveguides for applications such as AR/VR, (bio)sensing, telecom, and photonic quantum computing. The company offers full module development and production with services like microfabrication, packaging and assembly, prototyping, testing and characterization, and engineering design. Formed in 2001 as Lion Photonics, it merged with Satrax and XiO Photonics to become LioniX International in 2016. It is based in Enschede, the Netherlands.

Vector Photonics received over £2.4M (~$3.0M) in equity investment from Clean Growth Fund, Foresight WAE Technology, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, and Scottish Enterprise and Equity Gap. Vector Photonics produces Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Lasers (PCSELs) based on III-V semiconductors. The startup says its PCSELs, which utilize a 2D grating structure that scatters light linearly and orthogonally, offer benefits over existing laser technology and are easy to package and incorporate into PCBs and electronic assemblies. It has an initial focus on data center applications and plans to later expand to additive manufacturing, lidar, and optical sensing. Founded in 2020 as a spin out from the University of Glasgow, it is based in Glasgow, UK.

Hongguang Xiangshang raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) from Essential Capital. The startup is developing silicon-based optoelectronic chips. It currently offers 400Gbps DR4 and FR4 optical transceiver chips and is working on 800Gbps products. Founded in 2020, it is based in Beijing, China.

Quantum computing

Pasqal raised €100.0M (~$108.7M) in Series B funding led by Temasek, joined by new investors European Innovation Council, Wa’ed Ventures, Bpifrance, and existing investors including Quantonation, the Defense Innovation Fund, Daphni, and Eni Next. Pasqal designs quantum processors in which neutral atoms in large 2D and 3D arrays are manipulated with laser optical tweezers, which it says offers high connectivity and scalability as well as the ability to implement both analog and digital quantum processing tasks. It offers a full computing stack including lasers, vacuum technology, electronic controls, software tools, and quantum emulators. With the new funding, Pasqal plans to accelerate R&D efforts to build a 1,000-qubit quantum computer in the short term and fault-tolerant architectures in the long term. The company also plans to increase the production of its quantum systems for on-premise installations as well as expand the development of algorithms for key markets. Funds will also support global expansion and hiring. “We are on a clear path to deliver a quantum computer capable of unlocking commercial advantage for our customers, and this latest investment round will help us reach this goal by 2024,” said Georges-Olivier Reymond, CEO and founder of Pasqal. Founded in 2019 as a spin out from the Institut d’Optique, it is based in Massy, France, and has raised more than €140M to date.

Oxford Ionics raised £30.0M (~$36.4M) in Series A funding led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Braavos Investment Advisers, joined by Lansdowne Partners, Prosus Ventures, 2xN, Torch Partners, and individual investor Hermann Hauser. Oxford Ionics is developing quantum processors based on trapped ions. Instead of using lasers to control the qubits, the startup’s trapped-ion processors use a silicon-based Electronic Qubit Control (EQC) system to control the qubits, which it says provides high performance and coherence times along with low error rates, reliability, scalability, and the ability to be manufactured on a semiconductor production line. “Oxford Ionics’ EQC technology offers a path to bringing the power and potential of trapped ion qubits and integrating it into classical semiconductor processes,” said Niels Nielsen, co-founder of 2xN. Funds will be used for hiring. Based in Oxford, UK, it was founded in 2019 based on research from Oxford University and has raised £37M to date.

Xanadu received a CAD $40.0M (~$29.9M) investment from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund. Xanadu builds photonic quantum computers accessible via a cloud platform. It aims to create a fault-tolerant and error-corrected quantum computer capable of scaling up to one million qubits. Xanadu says that using photonics enables leveraging modern chip manufacturing facilities, the application of optical components developed by the telecommunications industry, and the use of fiber optics to network photonic chips together. The startup also leads development of an open-source software library for quantum computing and application development. Founded in 2016, it is based in Toronto, Canada.

Q-CTRL added $27.4M to its Series B funding with participation from new investors Salesforce Ventures, Alumni Ventures, ICM Allectus, Mindrock Capital, and individual investors Bill Lightfoot and John Eales, along with existing investors including Airbus Ventures, Data Collective, Horizons, Main Sequence Ventures, and Ridgeline Partners, bringing its total for Series B to over $52M. Q-CTRL provides quantum control infrastructure software that can correct errors and autonomously stabilize hardware. The company aims to make it easier for enterprises to adopt quantum computing. Q-CTRL also offers a training and education platform for learning quantum programming. Additionally, it develops space-qualified software-defined quantum sensors for acceleration, gravity, and magnetic fields. Funds will be used for product engineering as well as sales and marketing. Founded in 2017, it is based in Sydney, Australia.

Quantum Machines raised $20.0M in Series B funding from new and existing investors. Quantum Machines provides a full-stack hardware and software orchestration platform for controlling and operating quantum processors as well as a standard universal language for quantum computers. The solution can control a wide range of qubit types with functions including quantum error correction and multi-qubit calibration to speed up workloads. Following its 2022 acquisition of QDevil, the company also provides auxiliary electronics and specialized components for quantum computers. Founded in 2018, it is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has raised $100M to date.

TuringQ raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series A funding from the China Internet Investment Fund, Lenovo Capital, Orient Securities, Tsinghua Holdings Capital, and others. TuringQ is developing optical quantum computer chips that integrate large-scale photonic circuits based on lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) photonic chips and femtosecond laser direct writing technology. Thus far, it has released a fully integrated scientific research-grade optical quantum computer for commercial use, a 3D optical quantum chip, an ultra-high-speed programmable optical quantum chip, as well as optical quantum computing simulation software for commercial use. Funds will be used for mass production and R&D of full-stack products. Founded in 2021 based on research from Shanghai Jiaotong University, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Welinq raised €5.0M (~$5.4M) in pre-seed funding led by Quantonation, joined by Runa Capital, the Paris Region, the French National Quantum Initiative, Bpifrance, and the European Commission. Welinq is developing quantum memory and interconnects based on laser-cooled neutral atoms for entanglement-based networked quantum computing and long-distance quantum communications. The startup says that its technologies can both increase the number of qubits available for computation and enable more diverse and enhanced error-correction strategies. Welinq says it has reached a storage-and-retrieval efficiency of up to 90% with a qubit fidelity above 99%. Founded in 2022, it is based in Paris, France.

Sensors

SureStar drew CNY 180.0M (~$24.5M) in Series B financing from Hui Capital and others. The company makes mechanical lidar systems for surveying with drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. It is expanding to automotive with a solid state lidar product. Founded in 2005, it is based in Beijing, China.

Sophoton Technology raised nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in angel and pre-Series A funding led by Baidu Ventures, joined by Falcon Angel Investor, PDSTI, Inovance Group, and others. The startup makes single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) chips and direct time-of-flight (dToF) perception algorithms for lidar and other 3D perception systems. It is targeting automotive, robotics, and XR devices. Funds will be used for mass production and R&D. Founded in 2021, it is based in Suzhou, China.

PreAct Technologies raised $14.0M in Series B financing led by I Squared Capital, joined by State Farm Ventures, Luminate, Traylor Capital, and other new and existing investors. PreAct Technologies develops near-field software-definable flash lidar technology. The lidar sensor is based on continuous wave time of flight (CWToF) technology with sample rates up to 150 fps and integrated with a high-resolution RGB camera. Its product range includes high performance, low power, and low cost models. The sensor is paired with an SDK for integration with existing software stacks and other systems, as well as an AI algorithm development platform from its recent acquisition of Gestoos. Initially focused on automotive pre-crash detection, the company is expanding to other markets. “This new funding round will allow us to capitalize on the overwhelming interest we are getting from multiple industries including agriculture, healthcare, robotics and more,” said Paul Drysch, CEO of PreAct Technologies. Founded in 2018, it is based in Portland, Oregon, USA.

Lumotive raised $13.0M in strategic funding led by Samsung Ventures, joined by insurance and financial company USAA, electronics distributor Uniquest, and others. Lumotive develops optical semiconductor devices for solid-state 3D sensors like lidar. The startup says its Light Control Metasurface (LCM) beam steering chips can steer light in any pattern across the field of view and enable software-defined lidar with advanced perception capabilities. It uses conventional CMOS and VCSEL manufacturing processes and can scale from small near-range lidar to high-performance long-range. Its chips target lidar systems for consumer, automotive, industrial, and other markets involving autonomous systems. “This additional funding will accelerate the deployment of the current generation of LCM chips and the development of the next generation of our product,” said Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive. Founded in 2017 and based in Redmond, Washington, USA, it has raised $56M to date.

Haitu Microelectronics raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A+ financing from Addor Capital, Jintong Capital, and Xingtai Capital Management. Haitu Microelectronics makes high-speed, high-definition global shutter CMOS image sensor chips. It primarily targets machine vision for industrial inspection and scientific research. Funds will be used for mass production and tape-out of its next generation product. Founded in 2018, it is based in Hefei, China.

Sporian Microsystems received a $0.1M grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sporian makes a range of environmental sensors for industrial assets. Its products include high-temperature pressure and flow sensors, real-time hyperspectral and Raman spectroscopy sensors, optical biosensors for water monitoring, electrical signature analysis systems for generators and motors, and low-power sensing systems for condition monitoring. The grant will be used to develop a high-speed, low-cost imaging system to identify microplastics in the environment. Founded in 2000, it is based in Lafayette, Colorado, USA.

FaradaIC Sensors received grant and equity financing from the European Innovation Council. FaradaIC is developing electrochemical gas sensors on microchips that can be manufactured in commercial foundries. It is targeting a range of applications including health monitoring, indoor farming, industrial, and aerospace. The funds will be used for hiring. Founded in 2021, it is based in Berlin, Germany.

SGR Semiconductors drew Series C investment from Riverhead Capital. SGR develops millimeter wave radar chips. It offers 24GHz, 60GHz, and 77GHz product lines. Applications include automotive as well as industrial and consumer IoT. Based in Shanghai, China, it was founded in 2016.

Security

ResQuant received new funding from Invento VC. ResQuant develops cryptography accelerator FPGA IP cores for various cryptographic algorithms, including post-quantum cryptography standards. They are available as customizable cryptographic accelerators and individual modules. It is also developing FPGA-based Trusted Platform Modules, which will be available as IP or as a chip. Additionally, the startup provides cryptography consulting and post-quantum training to support migration to new standards. Founded in 2020, it is based in Lodz, Poland.

Displays & AR/VR

Dream Blossom Technology raised CNY 400.0M (~$59.5M) in Series C funding from Verity Ventures and Qingdao Investment Holdings. The company makes consumer VR headsets and peripherals, with several generations on the market. It recently released a mixed reality (MR) headset capable of adding 3D and 2D content to surroundings. The company is also developing VR content. Formerly known as iQiyi Smart, it was incubated by the streaming video company iQiyi and operates independently. Founded in 2016, it is based in Qingdao, China.

Dimenco received €10.0M (~$10.6M) in grant and equity funding from the European Innovation Council. Dimenco is developing 3D stereoscopic display solutions that can be integrated in laptops and monitors. It combines a volumetric lenticular lens structure, image composition, and eye tracking to create depth, scale, and motion parallax. The startup is working to expand to mobile and tablets. Founded in 2010, it is based in Veldhoven, the Netherlands.

PeroTech raised CNY 36.0M (~$5.3M) in Series A financing from Dajing Venture Capital and Zhenshi Capital. The startup develops perovskite quantum dots for displays. Funds will be used for production line construction and capacity expansion. Founded in 2021, it is based in Wenzhou, China.

Cellid raised ¥500.0M (~$3.7M) in Series B funding from AXA Life Insurance, Epson X Investment, Tokyu Construction, and others. Cellid offers display modules for AR glasses that combine waveguides and a micro projector for a 60° field of view. It also has visual simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) software. Funds will be used to expand its display module development system and improve its quality control system for mass production. Founded in 2016, it is based in Tokyo, Japan.

QNA Technology received PLN 7.2M (~$1.6M) in funding from the National Center for Research and Development and private investors. QNA Technology produces blue-light emitting, heavy metal-free quantum dots and quantum dot-based inks. Both photoluminescent and electroluminescent, they can be used to make LEDs for displays and lighting, EL displays, and in biochemical applications. Founded in 2016, it is based in Wroclaw, Poland.

SeeV raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A funding from CasStar. The startup develops near-eye display diffractive optical waveguides for AR and VR devices. It is working on both surface relief gratings and volume holographic gratings, two types of diffractive waveguides. Funds will be used for hiring, equipment, and production line construction. Founded in 2021, it is based in Guangzhou, China.

Yaoyu Vision Technology drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel funding from Creation Venture Partners, Focustar Capital, Sinowisdom, Ralph Investment Management, and Huitongda. The startup develops chips and algorithms for six degree of freedom (6DoF) visual simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) for AR/VR/XR headsets and hand position recognition. Funds will be used for R&D, hiring, and marketing. Founded in 2022, it is based in Nanjing, China.

Guangqi Image raised angel financing from Jolmo Capital. The startup makes display test equipment supporting microLED and microOLED, as well as mini LED, OLED, and TFT-LCD. Founded in 2020, it is based in Nanjing, China.

LightnTec received grant and equity funding from the European Innovation Council. LightnTec manufactures flexible, cuttable, and ultra-thin LED displays on a foil substrate for large-scale indoor and outdoor video monitors. Founded in 2016, it is based in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Nexdot received grant and equity funding from the European Innovation Council. Nexdot makes a type of 2D quantum dot. The startup says these flat ‘quantum plates‘ can be controlled to atom thickness and have increased brightness, color purity, energy requirements, resistance to heat and intense light, and stability over time compared to traditional quantum dots. These nanoparticle plates can be encapsulated in a way that enables integration into existing industrial processes and provides a protective barrier. Along with displays, the quantum plates are applicable to photodetectors, lighting, and biomedical applications. Founded in 2010 based on research from the École Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles (ESPCI), it is based in Romainville, France.

Tripole Optoelectronics raised Series A funding from China Capital Management. The company makes holographic optical waveguides and holographic optical elements for AR/VR glasses. Founded in 2020, it is based in Nanchang, China.

Automotive

Oxbotica raised $140.0M in Series C investment from new investors including Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance and ENEOS Innovation Partners, along with existing investors BP Ventures, BGF, Halma, Hostplus, Kiko Ventures, Ocado Group, Tencent, Venture Science, and ZF, with more expected to join before the round closes. Oxbotica offers autonomous vehicle software. Primarily focused on industrial, commercial, and delivery vehicles, its platform can be tailored for specific applications and supports navigation, perception, user interfaces, and cloud fleet management. The funding will be used for geographical expansion and accelerating deployment of its autonomy operating system in domains such as agriculture, airports, energy, goods delivery, mining, and shared passenger transportation. Founded in 2014, it is based in Oxford, UK.

Outrider raised $73.0M in Series C financing led by FM Capital, joined by new investors the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Nvidia’s NVentures, B37 Ventures, Lineage Ventures, Presidio Ventures, and ROBO Global Ventures, along with existing investors including Koch Disruptive Technologies and New Enterprise Associates. Outrider makes autonomous yard operations technologies for logistics hubs. The company’s autonomous electric yard truck hitches to and unhitches from trailers, robotically connects and disconnects trailer brake lines, backs semi-trailers with precision, interacts safely with loading docks, and keeps track of trailer locations throughout the yard. The system dynamically adapts to changes occurring in the yard, such as interacting with over-the-road semi-trucks and delivery vehicles, and integrates with supply chain management systems. Funds will be used to expand its autonomy and safety technology portfolio, increase hiring, and scale its solution. Founded in 2017, it is based in Golden, Colorado, USA, and has raised $191M to date.

AST Science Technology raised over CNY 300.0M (~$44.5M) in Series A+ funding led by Summitview Capital, joined by China Capital Management, ShanJin Capital, Hengxu Capital, China Development Bank Capital, Creo Capital, Rockchip Capital, Huajin Capital, and others. AST makes automotive-grade silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET chips and modules, primarily for new energy vehicles and photovoltaics. Founded in 2017, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Opsys Tech drew $36.5 in the final close of its Series C round, bringing the total series raise to $51.5M with investment from 83North, Osage University Partners, Translink Capital, and Saban Ventures. Opsys Tech makes solid-state automotive lidar sensors. Its technology enables merging of multiple base sensors into a single lidar system to provide an integrated single point cloud with a flexible field of view for different types of vehicles and applications. The system uses multi-wavelength technology that enables multiple sensor installations with no interference. It is targeting L3-L5 driving, autonomous trucks, and small delivery vehicles. “With the closing of this financing round, we can complete the full production ramp of our True Solid-State Scanning lidar product line,” said Eitan Gertel, Opsys executive chairman. Founded in 2016, it is based in Holon, Israel.

Spartan Radar raised $17.0M in Series B investment from IronGate Capital, Prime Movers Lab, and Microsoft. Spartan Radar develops software for automotive radar that mimics human perception processes for enhanced focus and context, which the company says makes its performance competitive with lidar. It supports most hardware and can be deployed on existing radar systems. It targets ADAS L2+ applications. Founded in 2020, it is based in Los Alamitos, California, USA.

Freetech raised hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series B+ funding from Tsinghua Research Capital, China Communications Blue Fund, and others. This follows an earlier B round in November 2022. Freetech provides domain control units with ADAS functionality as well as automotive perception systems including radar, lidar, and cameras. The company says its solution has been adopted by numerous automakers. Funds will be used for R&D. Based in Hangzhou, China, it was founded in 2016.

Grecon Semi raised over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in a Series A+ round from Oriza Holdings and Tianlong Electronics. Grecon Semi offers automotive-grade power semiconductors, including single-tube IGBTs, integrated IGBT modules, and silicon carbide (SiC) modules. While the company’s primary focus is automotive, it also offers power devices for the industrial control, photovoltaic, and energy storage markets, as well as infrared sensor chips. Funds will be used to build new vehicle-grade IGBT module production lines, purchase new equipment, and for new product R&D. Based in Shanghai, China, it was founded in 2018.

Sensing Technology raised nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series A financing from Blue Lake Capital and Richen Capital. The startup makes camera modules for L2 ADAS, unmanned delivery vehicles, and robotics. It also offers video capture cards and develops image signal processing algorithms. Founded in 2018, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Ottopia received $14.5 million in Series A funding from taxi operator ComfortDelGro, AI Alliance Fund, and existing investors including MizMaa Ventures, IN Venture, and Next Gear Ventures. Ottopia provides teleoperation software for semi-autonomous vehicles that enables humans in a remote center to monitor, guide, and directly control fleets of vehicles. It targets multiple industries such as mobility, logistics, freight, last-mile delivery, agriculture, and construction. Founded in 2018, it is based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

VSORA raised $4.2M in financing led by Otium Capital, joined by existing and angel investors. VSORA develops silicon IP and chips for ADAS and autonomous driving at L2+ through L5. The startup says its multicore digital signal processor (DSP) and deep learning accelerator architecture eliminates the need for additional DSP co-processors and AI hardware accelerators, while providing a software level of flexibility. In addition to support for CNN and RNN, its Tyr chip family is also capable of handling newer types of algorithms, such as transformers, BEVformer, and federated learning. “Tyr has the ability to provide up to two PetaFlops processing power with superior implementation efficiency reaching more than 80%, combined with a power consumption less than 10W,” said Khaled Maalej, VSORA CEO. While the primary focus is automotive, it is also targeting signal processing for digital communications systems including 5G. Funds will be used to accelerate development and hiring. Founded in 2015, it is based in Meudon-La-Forêt, France.

Jiyu Technology raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in pre-Series A financing from ZongMu Technology, Zeal Capital, and others. Jiyu Technology makes drive-by-wire chassis for low-speed and medium-speed unmanned driving applications such as intra-city and business park logistics, express delivery, mobile kiosks, airport tractors, and sanitation. Funds will be used for hiring, product iteration, and production line construction. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Senbo Electronics received tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel financing from Rongsheng Investment and Suzhou High-tech Zone Science and Technology Angel Fund. The startup makes automotive electronics modules, with products including seat controllers, tailgate controllers, key controllers, headlight controllers, and ambient lighting controllers. Founded in 2019, it is based in Suzhou, China.

Baraja received a strategic investment from automotive safety company Veoneer. Baraja makes a solid-state automotive lidar system that combines per-point Doppler capability at the hardware level with a Random Modulation Continuous Wave (RMCW) ranging method. Instead of rotating lasers or moving mirrors, the technology uses prism-like optics and wavelength-tunable lasers. Rapidly switching the laser’s wavelength and transmitting light through the optics diffracts each color of light in a different direction, a method the startup says provides high performance, accuracy, and reliability at range and speed. Founded in 2016, it is based in Sydney, Australia.

KKChips Automotive Electronics received new investment from Xiaomi. The startup makes automotive power semiconductors including BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) chips and high-side, low-side, and half-bridge driver ICs. It targets electronic control units, regional controllers, body control modules, and climate control systems. Founded in 2021, it is based in Guangzhou, China.

Smarter Eye Technology drew Series C funding from iFlytek, Zhongding Company, and others. The company develops stereoscopic vision sensors for ADAS functions such as advanced emergency braking (AEB) systems. It targets both commercial and passenger vehicles. Funds will be used for R&D, hiring, and marketing. Founded in 2014, it is based in Beijing, China.

Waabi received a strategic investment from Volvo Group Venture Capital. Waabi develops autonomous trucking technology. Its solution combines an AI-first autonomy stack as software along with sensors and compute as hardware for factory-level OEM integration and large-scale commercialization. The startup says its autonomy stack is modular and produces intermediate interpretable representations, enabling decisions to be traced and validated. Its sensor stack includes lidar, cameras, and radar. It is accompanied by a high-fidelity simulator that uses AI to expose the self-driving software to a diversity of experiences to improve driving skills, including both common driving scenarios and safety-critical edge cases, with the aim of reducing the need to drive testing miles in the real world. Based in Toronto, Canada, it was founded in 2021.

Batteries

Hebei Kuntian New Energy raised over CNY 1,000.0M (~$147.4M) in pre-IPO financing from investors including China Broadband Capital, Hana Financial Group, C&D Fund, and SITC Investment. This follows a similar-sized tranche from industrial investors in November 2022. Kuntian makes anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, primarily artificial graphite. It is also developing hard carbon anode materials and silicon carbon anode materials. Funds will be used to expand manufacturing facilities to produce 200,000 tonnes of anode materials annually. Founded in 2018, it is based in Hebei, China.

Keda New Energy raised CNY 750.0M (~$110.2M) in Series B financing. The company makes artificial graphite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Founded in 2017, it is based in Sanming, China.

Summit Nanotech raised $50.0M in Series A2 financing led by Evok Innovations and BDC Capital, joined by Xora Innovation, Capricorn Investment Group, Volta Energy Technologies, NGP Capital, Helios Climate Ventures, and the Grantham Foundation. Summit Nanotech has developed a modular platform for extraction of lithium, which the company says can double yield, reduce climate pollution, minimize the use of chemicals and freshwater, and cut waste by 90% compared to traditional lithium extraction methods. Currently targeting mining activities, it is also working on adapting it to recover lithium from battery recycling streams. Funds will be used to scale manufacturing capabilities. Founded in 2018, it is based in Calgary, Canada, and has raised $72M to date.

Ace Battery raised CNY 300.0M (~$44.1M) in Series B funding from CoStone Capital, Oriental Fortune Capital, Shenzhen Guozhong Venture Capital Management, and U.S.-China Green Fund. The company makes NMC and LiFePO4 lithium-ion batteries in cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch cell formats. It also makes battery packs and systems. Founded in 2014, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Log9 Materials received $40.0M in Series B equity and debt funding led by Amara Raja Batteries and Petronas Ventures, joined by Incred Financial Services, Unity Small Finance Bank, Oxyzo Financial Services, Western Capital Advisors, and others. Log9 Materials makes rapid charge batteries for two- and three-wheel vehicles. Based on a lithium titanium oxide (LTO) chemistry, the batteries are specifically formulated to have good performance in tropical climates and will work from -40°C to 65°C (-40°F to 149°F). It also claims enhanced safety and a ten-year life with up to 40,000 charge-discharge cycles. The startup also makes graphene-based ultracapacitors and aluminum fuel cells. The funds will be used to expand battery manufacturing capacity and advance its cell and battery technology stacks. It also plans to expand into stationary batteries. Founded in 2015, it is based in Bengaluru, India.

Noon Energy raised $28.0M in Series A financing led by Clean Energy Ventures and Aramco Ventures, with participation from Emerson Collective, At One Ventures, Mistletoe, Doral Energy-Tech Ventures, TechEnergy Ventures, and others. Noon Energy is developing a long duration carbon-oxygen battery. The startup says the battery can deliver more than 100 hours of capacity while having a high energy density and low cost. “Our carbon battery stores energy by splitting CO2, similar to how nature stores energy by photosynthesis. Storage in the same air-abundant molecules that nature itself uses, rather than rare metals, is key to our fundamental advantages in cost, sustainability, and energy density,” said Noon Energy founder and CEO Chris Graves.  The company says the battery doesn’t need lithium or cobalt and requires only 1% of other critical elements compared to lithium-ion batteries. Core components of the technology were used for the MOXIE oxygen extraction device in NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover. Funds will be used for hiring along with demonstrations and field deployments. It plans to bring its first battery to market in two years. Founded in 2018, it is based in Palo Alto, California, USA.

HYNN Technology drew hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series D financing led by Morgan Stanley. HYNN makes battery testing equipment, including grading and classification, charge and discharge cycling, resistance and voltage endurance, insulation testing, and BMS calibration. Its solutions cover consumer electronics and electric vehicle batteries in prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical cell formats as well as packs and modules. Funds will be used for R&D and overseas market expansion. Founded in 2006, it is based in Dongguan, China.

Jinsheng New Energy received hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series C financing led by government-backed industrial capital. It reported that it has raised over CNY 1,000.0M (~$147.0M) across its Series B and C rounds. Jinsheng New Energy recycles lithium-ion batteries and supplies battery-grade cobalt sulfate, nickel sulfate, manganese sulfate, lithium carbonate, and other lithium battery materials. Founded in 2010, it is based in Gaoyao, China.

Legend Energy drew hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series B financing led by Joy Capital, joined by Fresh Capital, Century Golden Resources Group, NewLink, and Bigao New Energy. Legend Energy provides management and deployment of lithium-ion battery systems. Its software offerings include lithium battery cell-level evaluation and screening technology, thermal runaway prediction algorithms, and intelligent charging and discharging technology. On the hardware side, it manufactures modular large and medium-sized energy storage systems. Founded in 2015, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Ruilong Technology received hundreds of millions of yuan (CNY 100.0M is ~$14.7M) in Series A financing led by Nio Capital, joined by Midea Capital and Hanhui Capital. The company recycles lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and consumer electronics using hydrometallurgy. It says its nickel and cobalt recovery rate is over 98%, while the recovery rate of lithium is over 90%. Funds will be used for investment in fixed assets, replenishment of working capital, and building procurement and marketing networks. Founded in 2016, it is based in Jiangxi, China.

Hengtron Nanotech drew over CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in pre-Series A+ funding from EastCoast Investment, GF Xinde Investment Management, Infinity Capital, Huajin Investment, and Donghai Securities. Hengtron Nanotech manufactures lithium manganese iron phosphate cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, two-wheeled electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. Based in Yancheng, China, it was founded in 2022.

Sinchin New Materials received nearly CNY 100.0M (~$14.7M) in Series A+ funding. The startup manufactures ultra-fine spherical nickel powder, copper powder, and other materials for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC). Founded in 2017, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

AMTech drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in pre-Series A funding from Oriental Fortune Capital and others. The startup makes high-safety current collectors for lithium-ion batteries, including composite copper foil current collectors and composite aluminum foil current collectors. Funds will be used for R&D and production line expansion. Founded in 2021, it is based in Beijing, China.

Dinho Technology raised tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A funding from Zhejiang Venture Capital. Dinho Technology manufactures functional materials for batteries, including lithium-ion battery isolation paper, current collectors, and carbon-coated aluminum foil. Funds will be used in production capacity expansion. Founded in 2013, it is based in Shanghai, China.

InCore Materials drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel financing from Northern Light Capital. The startup makes electrode pastes and powders for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC). Funds will be used for R&D and production line construction. Founded in 2022, it is based in Guangzhou, China.

Janaenergy Technology drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in pre-Series A funding from Lightspeed China Partners. Janaenergy manufactures materials for sodium-ion batteries. Its products include polyanion cathode materials and biomass hard carbon anode material. The company says polyanion cathodes have advantages in raw material resource utilization, processing, safety, and cycle life. Funds will be used to expand production capacity, build test lines, and hire. Founded in 2022, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Qi Na New Energy received tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel financing led by Flyfot Ventures. The startup produces polyanion cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries. Funds will be used for construction of mass production lines. Founded in 2022, it is based in Wuhan, China.

Youyuan New Energy received tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in angel financing from Oriental Fortune Capital. The company manufactures lithium iron phosphate and lithium iron manganese phosphate cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. It uses a liquid phase method that works under normal temperature and pressure. Founded in 2016, it is based in Mianyang, China.

Yu Ling New Energy drew tens of millions of yuan (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.5M) in Series A financing. The startup makes silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, including silicon-oxygen-carbon materials and porous silicon-carbon materials. It also produces artificial graphite. Founded in 2019, it is based in Bengbu, China.

Redivivus drew over $1.0M in pre-seed funding from Eneos Innovation Partners and others. The startup is focused on safely transporting hazardous end-of-life batteries prior to recovering critical elements. The three-part passivation system includes cryogenics to slow the thermal kinetics of batteries in any state of charge or health, customized shredding equipment and conveyance, and a neutralizing bath to render material ready for transport. It plans to develop a mobile system for specific use cases. Founded in 2020, it is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

Sonocharge Energy received a $0.5M grant from CalSEED. The startup’s technology integrates a surface acoustic wave (SAW) into lithium metal batteries. Generating acoustic streaming in the electrolyte with a SAW device reduces the thickness of the depletion layer and generates homogeneous mixing across the battery, preventing dendrites, adverse heating, and electrolyte breakdown, according to the company. “Sonocharge’s platform solution improves battery performance with acoustic wave induced electrolyte motion to overcome charging performance and improve safety in lithium batteries,” said An Huang, CEO of Sonocharge. It targets a range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics. Founded in 2021, it is based in San Diego, California, USA.

Lithos Energy received a strategic investment from heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar. Lithos specializes in shock resistant and high-performance custom lithium-ion battery packs for applications such as off-road, marine, aerospace, automotive, stationary storage, telecom, and data center. Funds will be used to accelerate technology development and expand manufacturing capacity. Founded in 2015, it is based in San Rafael, California, USA.

Ni-Cat Battery Materials received funding from KT Portfolio. The startup develops custom high nickel cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries and NiMH, NiZn, and NiCd cells. Founded in 2020, it is based in Izmir, Turkey.

Relectrify closed a round of growth funding led by Toyota Ventures and joined by Creative Ventures, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Energy Innovation Capital, GS Futures, and EDP Ventures. Relectrify integrates a battery management system and inverter as a single electronic system that controls individual cells to generate grid-compliant AC directly from a battery pack. The company claims its system increases battery lifetime by as much as a third and reduces power electronic costs compared to traditional battery systems. It targets stationary energy storage, including those using repurposed EV batteries. Founded in 2015, it is based in Melbourne, Australia.

DOE battery grants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $42.0M in grant funding for 12 projects focused on developing batteries for electric vehicles. Battery lifetime, fast charging, range retention, and performance in freezing temperatures are key aspects of the projects. Among those awarded were several startups:

Zeta Energy received a $4.0M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Zeta Energy has developed a lithium sulfur battery using a proprietary cathode and anode. The company says its cathodes based on a sulfurized carbon material have high stability, capacity, and are inexpensive without using cobalt, nickel, or manganese, while its lithium metal and carbon nanotube anodes have higher energy density without dendrite issues. The grant will be used to create a new anode with a high Li content that enables high charge rates and long-term stability while also minimizing performance losses at low temperatures. Founded in 2014, it is based in Houston, Texas, USA.

24M Technologies received a $3.2M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. 24M has developed a lithium-ion battery manufacturing process for grid storage and electric vehicle applications. The process involves creating electrodes that use no binder, mixing electrolyte with active materials to form a clay-like slurry with unique attributes. The grant will be used to develop low-cost and fast-charging sodium metal batteries with good low-temperature performance for EVs. The cell design will incorporate a cobalt-free, nickel-free sodium cathode, a wide-temperature, fast charging electrolyte, and a solid electrolyte-based separator to enable a high-energy density anode-free configuration. Founded in 2010, it is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

South 8 Technologies received a $3.2M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. South 8 develops a Liquefied Gas Electrolyte (LiGas) technology for lithium-ion batteries. The electrolyte uses non-toxic and non-corrosive gases that are liquefied under moderate pressures and can be contained in standard cylindrical cell cans. South 8 says the electrolyte improves safety, increases energy density, achieves all-weather performance, and enables fast-charge capability and while also being compatible with existing lithium-ion cell production. The grant will be used to develop a high-power, rapid-charge Li-ion battery cells for EVs using its LiGas electrolyte and a cobalt-free lithium nickel manganese oxide cathode. The startup targets high-performance batteries for electric vehicle, industrial, grid storage, marine, and defense applications. Founded in 2016 as a spin out of UC San Diego, it is based in San Diego, California, USA.

Tyfast Energy received a $2.8M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Tyfast develops ultra-fast charging batteries using a lithium vanadium oxide anode and high conductivity electrolyte. The startup says its battery works in all climate applications with high cycle life. It targets applications ranging from small consumer electronics to EVs. Founded in 2020, it is based in San Diego, California, USA.

Ampcera received a $2.1M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Ampcera produces sulfide-based solid electrolyte materials, which it says can enable solid-state batteries with higher energy density, better safety, and faster-charging rates than conventional lithium-ion batteries. The grant will be used to develop a thermally modulated solid-state battery with a high-capacity silicon anode and a high-voltage, nickel-rich lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide cathode enabling an energy density of ≥400 Wh/kg. It will use a thermally modulated cell technology developed by EC Power to enable rapid charging at ambient conditions and cold startup times of less than a minute. Founded in 2017, it is based in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Table

Funds & investors

SEMI launched the second year of its Startups for Sustainability program, which matches startups, academics, and others with ideas for advancing semiconductor industry sustainability with industry and/or corporate venture capital mentors over six weeks for coaching on how to apply their technologies to the semiconductor industry and pitch to investors. It is particularly focused on emissions, energy efficiency, and circularity (water and waste) technologies.

The Government of Canada plans to spend CAD $169.0M (~$126.1M) to spur commercialization of quantum hardware, software, sensors, and communications research and support small and medium-sized companies. The effort is part of a CAD $360.0M ($268.6M USD) effort that will also focus on basic research and talent development.

The French government, through Bpifrance and the French National Research Agency, will create a €100.0M (~$107.0M) fund dedicated to providing equity support to deeptech startups. The fund comes alongside €500.0M (~$534.8M) in new spending slated to encourage more startups to form from research labs and universities, with the goal of creating 500 new deeptech startups and 100 unicorns per year by 2030.

Australia’s NSW Government created an AUD $7.0M (~$4.6M) fund to support commercialization of quantum hardware and software.

AI applications

Funding to companies using AI in products and services was dominated by one massive round in January.

• OpenAI received a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment from Microsoft. The company develops the ChatGPT text generator, DALL-E image generator, and other generative AI engines. Microsoft Azure is OpenAI’s exclusive cloud provider, and Microsoft also plans to develop specialized supercomputing systems for the company’s AI technology.
• DeepL raised over $100.0M for its language translation AI. It is also expanding to other natural language processing applications like writing assistance.
• Metagenomi raised $100.0M in Series B for its platform that uses machine learning and metagenomics to discover new gene editing tools for new medicines and therapeutics.
• Vannevar Labs raised $75.0M in Series B for its AI-powered platform that aims to improve national security by collecting and processing global information used to make military and foreign policy decisions.

Related Reading
2022 Chip Industry Startup Funding Annual Report and Analysis
More than 1,000 chip industry-related companies raised $32.7B across 1,200 funding rounds in 2022.