Swedish deep tech company AlixLabs has secured €14.1 million in Series A funding to push its semiconductor manufacturing technology toward industrial adoption. The Lund-based startup is developing Atomic Layer Etching Pitch Splitting, or APS, a process designed to cut the cost and energy intensity of leading-edge chip production. With this round, the company is preparing to move from lab validation to customer pilots and ultimately full manufacturing by 2027.
Series A Round Brings in New and Existing Backers
The €14.1 million Series A was led by returning investors Navigare Ventures, Industrifonden, and FORWARD.one, signaling continued confidence in AlixLabs’ trajectory. They were joined by STOAF from Sweden and Japan’s Global Brain, a venture capital firm known for backing semiconductor and deep tech startups, which broadens AlixLabs’ investor base in Asia. The round, equivalent to about SEK 155.2 million, cements a long-term capital base for the company’s next phase of growth.
Strategy to Scale APS Toward Manufacturing
AlixLabs plans to use the proceeds to expand R&D and production capacity in Lund and the Netherlands, where it is building out its tool and process capabilities. A key objective is to deepen collaborations with foundry partners and integrate APS into real-world manufacturing flows, rather than keeping the technology confined to demonstration environments. The company expects APS beta testing with key customers to start in 2026, aiming for early manufacturing use in 2027 if milestones are met.
From Validation to Industrial Adoption
Chief executive Jonas Sundqvist said the Series A round marks a clear shift from technology validation toward industrial roll-out. He emphasized that the focus now is on beta tools and real customer wafers, which will determine how APS performs in production-like settings and where integration challenges may arise. Sundqvist also highlighted that successful deployment could significantly lower cost per wafer and energy use, which is increasingly critical for advanced nodes.
Investor Perspective on Market Impact
Investors point to APS as a potential answer to some of the toughest economics in advanced chip fabrication. Navigare Ventures’ chief investment officer, Alex Basu, said the technology addresses a key bottleneck in scaling, since fabs are struggling with rising complexity and escalating capital intensity at the latest nodes. Industrifonden’s senior investment director, Tobias Elmquist, added that AlixLabs illustrates how Sweden’s deep tech ecosystem can produce solutions that alter both the cost structure and sustainability profile of semiconductor manufacturing.
How APS Aims to Reshape Chipmaking
The APS platform uses atomic-scale precision etching to split features and achieve ultra-fine pitches without relying on expensive multi-patterning steps or exclusive use of EUV lithography. By simplifying patterning flows, the process aims to reduce the number of masks and steps required, which in turn can cut tool time, power consumption, and defect opportunities. AlixLabs argues that this combination creates both an economic and environmental advantage at a time when fabs are under pressure to decarbonize.
Strengthening Global Footprint and Ecosystem Ties
Beyond the funding, the new investor mix extends AlixLabs’ reach in key semiconductor regions, particularly in Europe and Asia. The company is already working with partners in the Dutch semiconductor supply chain and has been recognized in programs such as the IC Taiwan Grand Challenge and the EE Times Silicon 100, which has raised its profile among industry stakeholders. With fresh capital and growing recognition, AlixLabs is positioning APS as an enabling technology for multiple foundries rather than a captive in-house toolset.
By closing its €14.1 million Series A, AlixLabs has secured the resources it needs to move APS from an innovative lab process to a candidate for mainstream chip manufacturing. The next two years, centered on beta testing and integration with leading customers, will determine whether APS can deliver on its promise of lower cost and lower energy at advanced nodes. If successful, the technology could offer chipmakers a new route to scaling that aligns economic pressures with the industry’s sustainability goals.