Dutch start-up FononTech raises EUR 2.3m to push ahead with microelectronics printing tech
Eindhoven-based FononTech is set to scale up its development of its Impulse Printing technology, which it claims can reduce the ecological impact of micro-electronics manufacturing by x1000.
The company has just completed a seed investment of EUR 2.3 million from five investors: TTT Smart Industries Fund, SHIFT Invest, Brabantse Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij, the Brabant Startup Fonds and Sake Bosch. Rabobank also granted a loan.
FononTech was founded in 2022 to focus on the challenge of printing very small electronic circuits for electronic devices. The challenge is that, as microelectronics components have become smaller and denser, it becomes harder to make electrical connections between them.
To address this, manufacturers use techniques such as lithography or metering systems to print the parts. But FononTech says lithography-based processes produce carbon emission rates that are difficult to reduce.
Its Impulse Printing technique takes a different approach. It is an additive process, copying a pattern thousands of times at very high speed, while only depositing material in required places. FononTech claims it can reduce the ecological impact of micro-electronics manufacturing by a factor of 1000.
Rob Hendriks, FononTech CEO, said: “The industry is trying to make chips smaller and more powerful and build more and more of them on smaller and smaller surfaces. Our technology makes that possible. It’s really designed for scalability. You’ll soon see it in phones, VR headsets and smartwatches. Our ambition is to become the global market leader in sustainable assembly and manufacturing of micro-electronics. This means scaling up as quickly as possible, with this investment being a big help on our journey.”
