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Dublin-based Impedans hopes to increase its headcount by 40pc this year as demand for chips continues to grow.
Irish deep-tech company Impedans has raised €3.5m in funding for its sensor technology that is used in areas such as chip making.
Impedans develops intelligent sensing platforms for radio-frequency (RF) and plasma process monitoring.
Use cases of the technology include process development, tool design, process control, fault detection and classification, primarily in the semiconductor industry. The technology can also be used in the vacuum coating, medical device, hard disk and aerospace sectors.
Impedans was founded in 2004 by Mike Hopkins and is based in Dublin.
The Series B funding round was backed by several new and existing investors, including SOSV and Enterprise Ireland.
“SOSV is proud to back such a global and strategically significant technology in the chip-making space,” said SOSV general partner Bill Liao.
“This round backs a real Irish deep-tech win and is a shining example of team Ireland punching well above its weight. Great team, great market, great technology and great timing.”
Leading the Impedans team is CEO Dr David Gahan, who was previously a postdoctoral researcher at Dublin City University studying RF plasma properties.
“This is a significant milestone for our company as we grow to meet the demands of the global semiconductor market, forecasted to reach $1trn by 2030,” he said of the latest funding round.
Despite the prevailing economic conditions, Impedans expects the semiconductor market to achieve low double-digit growth in 2022 as demand for chips continues.
“Our patented technology enables companies to both reduce scrappage and increase process repeatability, critical factors for this burgeoning industry,” Gahan said.
He added that the funding will be “key for driving a strategy of continuous innovation and will help to consolidate our position as leaders in the field”. Impedans also plans to increase its headcount by 40pc this year.
“Enterprise Ireland is proud to continue its support for this Irish-owned global leader,” said Gillian Baker, a senior development adviser at Enterprise Ireland.
“Their key markets offer tremendous potential for growth, and we are confident that they are positioned to capitalise on this.”
Disclosure: SOSV is an investor in Silicon Republic
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