Sparc Foundry secures €17.2M public funding for photonic chip plant
Sparc Foundry, a Spanish startup focused on photonic semiconductors, has received a EUR 17.2 million capital injection from the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT). The funding has been approved by the Council of Ministers under the national PERTE Chip initiative and represents 43.9% of the company's capital expansion.
The investment will accelerate the development of Sparc’s photonic semiconductor facility in Valadares Technology Park, Vigo. The site will feature a state-of-the-art cleanroom with the aim of producing up to 20,000 wafers per year using III-V materials, including indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), and gallium nitride (GaN), a press release reads.
Sparc also plans to establish a technology transfer centre and a training facility as part of the project. The company expects to create 200 highly qualified direct jobs and 550 indirect positions.
The Vigo-based foundry, founded in 2022, will operate as a pure-play manufacturer, offering a one-stop-shop model for integrated photonic circuits. Indra Group recently became Sparc's largest shareholder, acquiring a 37% stake.
According to the press release, the photonic chips Sparc plans to produce are intended for use in sectors such as telecommunications, automotive, quantum computing, medicine, consumer electronics, and defence.
