Dresden NVM startup raises funds
FMC said it would use the money to expand its team and for development of products. The company said its ferroelectric non-volatile memory will be useful as on-chip memory for microcontrollers used in IoT applications across industry sectors from consumer to automotive and aviation.
The incumbent non-volatile memory, flash, is complex to implement and is not expected to scale to leading-edge processes. In contrast FMC’s memory technology is directly derived from standard CMOS technology and is area efficient without requiring many extra mask sets.
FMC is preparing an intellectual property business model in which it offers integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and fabless chip companies the use of its patent-protected Ferroelectric Field Effect Transistor (FeFET) technology.
FeFETs use the ferroelectric properties of hafnium oxide – which is traditionally deployed in CMOS only as an insulator – to transform standard CMOS transistors into memory cells. They also can scale with Moore’s law while being low power and offering temperature stability.
FMC reckons the key to adoption of its technology is its use to enable the miniaturization of microcontrollers and artificial intelligence processors.
Next: Three orders of magnitude
“Our non-volatile memory technology addresses the industry’s current and future needs with 1,000 times higher speed and 1,000 times lower power consumption, while significantly reducing manufacturing costs. With the support of eCapital, we can hire the right talent, such as analog and mixed-signal designers and characterization engineers, to accelerate our product development and drive market penetration,” said Stefan Müller, CEO of FMC, in a statement.
“We welcome FMC in eCapital’s portfolio and look forward to contribute our experience and network to ensure the rapid and successful development of FMC,” said Paul-Josef Patt, CEO of eCapital, in the same statement. Patt was lead investor in the Dresden-based company Novaled, which was sold to Samsung at the end of 2013. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Dresden-based company Heliatek, an organic photovoltaic provider.
“The ability to convert traditional transistors into non-volatile memory devices has a rare potential for disruption. With seed funding from the HTGF, the company has now reached the next level. We have therefore increased our exposure to FMC to a total of EUR 1.6 million and are pleased to have gained a valuable partner for further growth with eCapital,” added Yann Fiebig, senior investment manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds
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