Netherlands-based Nearfield Instruments, the developer of state-of-the art metrology & inspection (M&I) solutions for the semiconductor manufacturing industry, has closed a EUR135 million ($197.9 million) Series C funding round on July 18.
The round was oversubscribed and led by two new major investors, Temasek Holdings and US venture capital (VC) firm Walden Catalyst.
Leading global asset manager, M&G Investments, through its catalyst strategy, is acting as a co-investor. Existing investors, Innovation Industries, Invest-NL and ING also took part in the latest round.
According to analytics firm Mergermarket, the amount raised makes this the second-largest capital raising exercise in the semiconductor fabrication equipment market in Europe and the US in the past five years. The funding round is the largest in the Netherlands.
In its release, Nearfield Instruments says its innovative process control solutions address the “growing complexities” in advanced semiconductor manufacturing due to demand for higher performing and lower energy-consuming chips. Its solutions include the QUADRA 3D metrology system that provides non-destructive, high-throughput, and high-resolution metrology capabilities. QUADRA is fully validated and deployed in high-volume manufacturing, it adds.
"We are thrilled that Nearfield’s' QUADRA 3D metrology system has been fully integrated into the first major high-volume semiconductor manufacturing fab. This milestone solidifies our pioneering role in advancing critical metrology for leading-edge nodes,” says Dr Hamed Sadeghian, co-founder and CEO of Nearfield Instruments.
“With significant contributions from investment leaders, we are well positioned to meet the growing demand for M&I in the coming decade. This funding will enable us to ramp up production capacity, expand our product portfolio, and strengthen our position as a key player in the semiconductor equipment industry,” he adds.
“Advanced semiconductors are the key pillars for global innovation and growth. The next generation of semiconductors will be driven by advanced lithography and 3D integration, with smaller features, deeper trenches, and tighter tolerances. The high-volume manufacturing of these next gen devices requires new process control tools to enable higher yield and throughput, and Nearfield's metrology solutions are critical for solving these process control challenges. We are excited to partner with Hamed and his world-class team to further accelerate Nearfield's growth,” says Young Sohn, founding managing partner at Walden Catalyst.
The semiconductor innovation and investments industry is expected to reach US$1 trillion ($1.34 trillion) in global revenue by 2029.
