Seoul National University holding fund backs AFM startup Multiscale Instruments
What's the deal? Seoul National University Technology Holdings has led a new investment in Multiscale Instruments, a Korean startup building nanoscale measurement tools for next-generation semiconductors. Korea Investment PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, ID VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Korea Technology Finance CorporationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → joined the round. The amount was not disclosed.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2023 by Seoul National University physics professor Jay Won-ho — who serves as chief executive officer — the company develops atomic-force microscopes (AFM) for chip inspection. As chips grow more three-dimensional through designs such as GAA and HBM, light- and electron-based microscopes struggle to detect tiny 3D defects, making AFM essential.
What makes it different? Multiscale Instruments built a quartz-resonator-based AFM — its "QTF" method — that needs no laser or complex optics. That lets it shrink the measurement head and fit several onto a single machine for simultaneous imaging. The company says this improves measurement speed by tens of times while keeping precision and stability.
The funds will go toward prototype production and products built into semiconductor process equipment. "We will accelerate prototype production and the development of products embedded in semiconductor process equipment," said Jay (translated from Korean), adding that the company aims to become core metrology for next-generation chip lines after validation with major manufacturers.
What could go wrong? Multiscale Instruments is entering a field dominated by a few established suppliers, such as Park SystemsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which already sell automated wafer AFM systems. Earlier reporting described the company as pre-production and pursuing customer trials — meaning commercial validation, not funding, is the real test.
The deal appears to build on a seed syndicate reported in May 2025 that included Korea Investment AcceleratorDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Bluepoint PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Samik Materials Ventures. The company has also been selected for the Deep Tech TIPS and "Super Gap Startup 1000+" programmes.
The signal: Korea's push to localise advanced chip tooling is drawing capital toward deep-tech metrology, where fabs need ever-finer measurement. The bet here is on a novel sensor design that could challenge entrenched suppliers — if it clears the jump from lab to fab.
Read more: wowtale.net
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
