Nearfield Instruments Raises $380 Million Amid AI Chipmaking Boom
Nearfield Instruments Secures Major Funding to Expand AI Chipmaking Capabilities
By Stephen Nellis
Funding Details and Company Valuation
SAN FRANCISCO, June 22 (Reuters) - Nearfield Instruments, a Netherlands-based firm whose machines help measure the features on advanced semiconductors, said on Monday it raised $380 million in new funding, bringing its valuation to $1.6 billion.
Technology Behind Nearfield Instruments
Atomic Force Microscopes Explained
Nearfield makes devices called atomic force microscopes, which can take direct measurements of features of chips that are only a few atoms tall by dragging a probe across their surface, similar to how a needle moves across a vinyl record.
Role in Semiconductor Metrology
Those measurements are taken periodically during the hundreds of steps to make a chip to ensure that the manufacturing process is on track, a field called semiconductor metrology, which is dominated by KLA Corp.
Expansion Plans Amid AI Chipmaking Boom
Use of Funds and Growth Strategy
Nearfield Co-founder and CEO Hamed Sadeghian said the funding will go toward expanding manufacturing and customer support operations amid a boom in AI chipmaking.
Customer Base and Market Demand
He declined to name specific customers but said Nearfield's tools are already in use by advanced chipmakers.
Meeting Increased Demand
"We have significant demand for our systems from our customers in front of us, and we want to deliver on that demand," Sadeghian said. "That means increasing the productivity of our production line, increasing the capacity of production, reducing the lead times."
Investors and Funding Round Participants
Lead Investors
Fidelity Management & Research Company led the funding round, along with Temasek, Innovation Industries, M&G, Invest-NL and Walden Catalyst Ventures, the venture capital firm where Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is a founding managing partner.
New and Existing Investors
Nearfield Instruments said Qatar Investment Authority participated in the round as a new investor, with existing investors TNO Ventures and ING also taking part.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Varun H K)
