A venture capital fund known as imec.xpand, situated in Leuven, Belgium, made a significant announcement on Wednesday regarding the initiation of a new €300M fund. This substantial financial resource is dedicated to expediting the development of pioneering semiconductor and nanotechnology innovations.
Imec.xpand operates in conjunction with imec, a preeminent research and development hub specializing in nanoelectronics, which stands at the forefront of innovation.
Focusing on breakthrough technologies
By capitalizing on imec’s vast expertise, the fund aims to invest in groundbreaking technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), and photonics.
Within the realm of life sciences, the venture capital firm is actively seeking opportunities that could potentially transform medical diagnostics and treatments, such as advancements in cell therapy, sequencing, neuromodulation, among others.
“Imec.xpand isn’t merely a financial contributor to startups; it’s about nurturing companies poised to dominate the next technological revolution,” remarks Tom Vanhoutte, a partner at imec.xpand.
“With this fund, we’re committed to propelling the semiconductor sector forward, enabling startups to bring cutting-edge technologies to market with greater speed. Our venture capital assistance coupled with our international network positions unicorns for success in the highly competitive semiconductor race,” Vanhoutte elaborates.
Startups within the VC’s portfolio gain immense benefits from the ecosystem, gaining access to a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility valued at over €2B, a broad network, leading-edge multi-disciplinary expertise, and options for low-volume production.
Among the notable companies in the portfolio are:
- Celestial AI, based in Palo Alto, recently secured $175M to enhance its optical computing and memory fabric solutions tailored for AI infrastructure.
- PsiQuantum, a company at the forefront of building the world’s first viable quantum computer.
- Swave Photonics, known for its innovative holographic extended reality chip technology, which is set to revolutionize 3D holographic imaging and spatial computing.
imec.xpand: VC dedicated to early-stage semiconductor innovation
As a global independent venture capitalist, imec.xpand specializes in the early stages of semiconductor innovation. The company’s funds are strategically directed towards ambitious deep tech startups, where imec’s knowledge, expertise, and infrastructure are instrumental to their growth trajectory.
As of now, the VC has made investments in 23 companies, which collectively have raised nearly €1.5B in financing, including two entities that have achieved unicorn status.
