TriMagnetix raises $1M to build ultra-efficient chips for space
What's the deal? TriMagnetixDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a two-person Seattle startup, has raised $1 million in seed funding to develop a semiconductor chip that early lab testing shows uses 800 times less energy than a traditional chip to process the same amount of data. Acequia Capital led the round, with participation from Athenaeum Ventures and Actuate VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? The startup uses nanomagnetic technology that needs only electrical pulses rather than the constant power stream traditional chips require, cutting electricity use and heat. The design is also resistant to radiation and built to integrate with existing computing infrastructure.
Why satellites? While data centers are hunting for more sustainable chips, TriMagnetix is targeting space. The Pacific Northwest, home to Starcloud and SpaceXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, is the "satellite capital of the world," said co-founder and chief strategic officer Lucas Hahn.
Satellite companies have told Hahn they want semiconductors that are energy efficient and radiation-resistant, making TriMagnetix's devices "a no-brainer."
Why now? The money follows a run of momentum. TriMagnetix has joined the Plug and Play Semiconductor Accelerator, been accepted into the Nvidia Inception program, and is partnering with WaveWorks TechnologiesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → on its first paid pilot. Last year it raised $200,000 from climate fund SNØCAPDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the catch? The chips are neither GPUs nor CPUs. "It's replacing specific compute in certain devices at a very low level," Hahn said. "So not quite CPU yet, but it is at the core level doing similar things." The startup contracts with the Washington Nanofabrication FacilityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → at the University of WashingtonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and aims to reach commercial sales within a year.
The signal: As AI drives power and cooling costs higher on Earth and off it, low-energy, radiation-hardened silicon is drawing early capital — even for a company of two chasing a market still a year from first sale.
Read more: geekwire.com
Image credit: geerlingguy
