Boréas Technologies

About Boréas Technologies

Boréas Technologies Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-voltage, low-power integrated circuits for piezoelectric haptic feedback and other applications. The firm was established by Simon Chaput, who serves as President and CEO. Its foundation stems from technology Chaput developed and invented while pursuing his Ph.D. in integrated circuit design at Harvard University. Recognizing the commercial potential of his new piezoelectric driver architecture, Chaput licensed the technology from the university and founded the company in 2016, basing it in Bromont, Québec.

Boréas operates in the consumer, automotive, and industrial markets, providing solutions for device manufacturers. The company’s business model is centered on designing and selling its proprietary semiconductor chips to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that want to incorporate advanced haptic feedback, force sensing, or micropump-driven functionalities into their products. Boréas has successfully raised capital to scale its operations, including a significant $12 million Series B funding round in late 2023 to accelerate the mass production of its chips. This followed a year of major design wins with global brands, leading to a substantial increase in revenue.

The core of the company's product line is its patented CapDrive® technology, a platform for piezoelectric drivers. Unlike traditional haptic solutions that rely on the vibration of a mass, Boréas' technology uses piezoelectric actuators—materials that change shape when electricity is applied. This allows for the creation of more nuanced, precise, and responsive tactile feedback. A key feature of the CapDrive® drivers is their energy efficiency, consuming up to 10 times less power than competing products while occupying a smaller physical footprint. This makes them suitable for resource-constrained and battery-powered devices such as PC trackpads, smartphones, wearables, and VR game controllers. Beyond haptics, the driver technology is versatile enough to control precision micropumps, enabling applications like active cooling systems for mobile devices and advanced fluid control in medical devices.