Black Semiconductor develops a novel approach to link chips using graphene-enabled optical connections that enable chips to communicate almost as if they were one. The company says its technology speeds data communication, improves energy efficiency, and cuts manufacturing complexity by around 60% through fewer production steps. It is building hardware and processes for optical chip-to-chip connections and plans pilot 300 mm wafer manufacturing in Aachen. With funding in hand, the company will accelerate R&D and establish pilot-line production, targeting a pilot facility opening by 2026 and mass-production readiness by 2031. Black Semiconductor plans to expand headcount from about 30 today to roughly 120 by 2026, adding 90 high-tech roles. The company was founded in 2020 by Dr. Daniel Schall and Sebastian Schall and is based in Aachen, Germany. Black Semiconductor GmbH is a hi‑tech startup based in Aachen focused on developing and manufacturing extremely high-performance microchips that incorporate photonic switching circuits. The company's core product line centers on photonics-based microchips designed for high performance. The founders completed a seed financing round described as being in the millions, involving multiple international investors. Named participants in the round include Vsquared Ventures, Cambium Capital Partners and Project A, alongside other international investors. AULINGER (led by Axel Staudt) advised the founders on the transaction. No operating metrics, founding year or prior rounds were disclosed in the article.

Total raised

$273M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Grant

Latest activity

Jun 2024