Singaporean startup Nexstrom has raised $12 million in a seed funding round to develop manufacturing equipment and processes that enable the production of 2D semiconductor materials directly on the silicon wafers used in chip fabs. The round brings the company’s total funding raised to $15 million.
Nexstrom is working on materials known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which are materials no more than a few atomic layers thick. The term “two-dimensional” does not mean they are completely flat; rather, it refers to their extreme thinness, which makes them of interest to researchers seeking ways to continue shrinking transistors.
A Bet on the Gap Between the Lab and the Factory
Nexstrom says its product, called North Star, is designed to grow TMD materials directly on wafers with a diameter of 300 mm, or 12 inches, the sizes used in commercial chip manufacturing. Part of its technology is based on research by Lance Li, the co-founder and chief scientist, who previously led post-silicon electronics research at TSMC and has been working on 2D materials since 2012.
The problem the company is trying to address is not proving that the material can be produced in the laboratory, but transferring the process to a larger area while maintaining quality and consistency. According to Li, researchers can produce small, high-quality materials in the lab, but only on a limited scale; Nexstrom’s task is to bridge this industrial gap.
What Is Changing in Practice?
The company says it has demonstrated material results on wafers using its new 12-inch system, and has also systematically expanded its work from two-inch wafers to six-inch wafers. It aims to complete work on eight-inch wafers by the end of October, while samples of its wafers and materials are being tested by undisclosed companies in the sector.
Nexstrom will use the funding to improve its technology and move its equipment toward commercial production, in addition to developing process control and measurement capabilities, expanding its team, and supporting technology-qualification programs for potential customers.
Competition and Constraints
The company is not operating in a vacuum; TSMC, Intel, and IMEC are developing methods for integrating 2D materials into transistors, while companies such as AIXTRON and CDimension, along with other startups, are working on different stages of the manufacturing chain. TSMC, ASML, and IMEC recently demonstrated how transistors made from these materials can be used in an integration process on 300 mm wafers.
However, the central challenge remains growing TMD materials uniformly and repeatably across an entire wafer. Nexstrom aims to sell its technology to, or collaborate with, major chip manufacturers rather than compete with them directly. According to the company, its equipment will not be ready for commercial production before the period between 2030 and 2035.
certi.news analysis: The importance of the round lies not in launching an immediate commercial product, but in attempting to address an industrial bottleneck that could determine whether 2D materials can be used outside the laboratory. Nevertheless, larger-wafer results, customer qualification, and the ability to maintain quality across 300 mm areas all remain unresolved stages. Nexstrom’s future impact therefore remains tied to its ability to turn current material demonstrations into a stable, repeatable manufacturing process.