
Embedded RFID startup raises €15m for industrial deployment
The €15m backing for Primo1D in Gernoble from major French capital funds means the company can move to industrial scale and accelerate the development of the mebedded RFID technology in high-volume markets including fast fashion and professional clothing as well as industrial markets such as tires and electrical cables.
Primo1D was founded in 2013 with UHF RFID technology developed at the CEA-Leti research centre and had so far raised $3m.
The E-Thread tag provides a highly durable plastic-free RFID solution for product identification, authentication, and traceability. E-Thread is integrated by customers into products during the manufacturing processes so that it is inseparable and functional throughout a product’s lifecycle. This ensures a genuine electronic identification and a durable link between the tagged item and the cloud, where RFID-based data can be stored, managed and shared via the Internet of Things (IoT).
“With this latest funding round, we are entering a phase of strong industrial growth to meet booming customer demand,” said Emmanuel Arène, CEO and Founder of Primo1D. “By providing a non-intrusive digital ID in a miniaturized, unique form factor, our disruptive E-Thread technology transforms products into smart objects. As such it enables new use cases in multiple industry sectors and supports corporate social responsibility initiatives.”
The global UHF segment of the RFID chip market is seeing growth of 30 percent a year with more than 20 billion components consumed each year according to the RAIN Alliance market research. While large-scale textile distribution is the biggest contributor to this growth, many other industries such as automotive, transport and healthcare are joining in.
Primo1D says it aims to be the leader in embedded electronics for the textile industry and in connected objects for industrial use.
Related articles
- Omni-ID to be acquired by HID Global
- Plastic-free RFID tags designed to be recycled
- RFID market to see steady growth through to 2028
Other articles on eeNews Europe
- ARM details virtual model use for the IoT
- UK signs quantum technology deal with US
- Rohde & Schwarz re-structures as turnover drops
- European tech combines LoRa and cellular for smart farming
- Analog Devices shows digital energy tech in Europe
- Europe to build independent SiC value chain
