Black Semiconductor

The firm's technology facilitates optical chip-to-chip connections, allowing multiple chips to interact as if they were a single, more powerful unit. By using graphene as a translator to convert electronic signals into optical ones and vice versa, Black Semiconductor addresses critical bottlenecks in data-intensive applications. This has significant implications for sectors such as high-performance computing, generative AI, data centers, and autonomous driving. The company states its method can reduce manufacturing costs by requiring 60% fewer production steps.

Black Semiconductor has secured significant financial backing to realize its vision. In June 2024, the company announced one of Europe's largest funding rounds for a deep-tech chip manufacturer, totaling €254.4 million. This includes €228.7 million in public funding from the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, committed over seven years under the IPCEI ME/CT program. This was supplemented by an additional €25.7 million in equity funding led by Porsche Ventures and Project A Ventures, with participation from Scania Growth Capital, Vsquared Ventures, and others. This capital is being used to advance product development and establish a 300mm wafer pilot production facility, FabONE, in Aachen. The company aims to begin pilot production by 2027 and transition to mass production by 2031.