Key facts
- QuantumDiamonds, a German startup, received €76 million in non-dilutive funding from Germany and Bavaria.
- The funding will be used to establish a new facility for semiconductor testing equipment production in Munich.
- The company also secured €15 million in an equity round led by World Fund.
- QuantumDiamonds' technology uses quantum sensing to inspect chips, reducing defect detection time from weeks to two minutes.
- The technology can detect defects through all layers of a chip without destroying it.
- The startup aims to transition from lab-based sample testing to high-throughput, 100% quality control in manufacturing plants.
QuantumDiamonds, a German startup specializing in quantum sensing for chip inspection, has secured significant funding to accelerate its growth and expand its production capabilities. The company received €76 million in non-dilutive funding from Germany and Bavaria, approved by the European Commission, to establish a new facility in Munich for manufacturing semiconductor testing equipment. This public funding is part of a larger $178 million investment plan.
In addition to the government grants, QuantumDiamonds closed a €15 million equity round led by venture capital firm World Fund, with participation from Bayern Kapital and existing investors. CEO Kevin Berghoff highlighted strong customer demand, noting that the company works with a broad range of players in the chip ecosystem.
The startup's core technology significantly reduces chip defect detection time from weeks to just two minutes, without interrupting production lines. This rapid inspection capability, which analyzes electricity flow through all layers of a chip using synthetic diamonds, promises substantial cost savings for chipmakers. Berghoff indicated that the hardware investment typically pays for itself within a few months, with additional revenue generated from subscription fees for support and software.
QuantumDiamonds' approach is particularly relevant for multi-layered chips, a growing trend driven by the demand for increased computing power in areas like AI data centers. The company aims to move beyond lab-based sample testing to high-throughput systems capable of 100% quality control on manufacturing floors. While their lab tools cost in the single-digit millions, the high-throughput systems are projected to cost between $10 million and $15 million, significantly less than ASML's $400 million machines.
With a first-mover advantage in this specific technology, QuantumDiamonds is positioning itself for global expansion. The company has already established a presence in Taiwan and completed initial deployments in Taiwan and the U.S. The new funding will also support doubling its engineering team in Munich over the next year, leveraging local talent in quantum and semiconductor expertise.