Dutch Chip Metrology Pioneer Secures €135 Million in Record-Breaking Funding

2024-07-25 community

Rotterdam, Thursday, 25 July 2024.
Nearfield Instruments, a Rotterdam-based semiconductor metrology startup, has raised €135 million in a landmark Series C funding round. This investment, led by Walden Catalyst and Temasek, marks the largest deep-tech funding in Dutch history, positioning Nearfield to revolutionize chip manufacturing quality control.

Historic Funding Round

On July 18, 2024, Nearfield Instruments announced the successful closure of its €135 million Series C funding round. This historic investment was spearheaded by Walden Catalyst and Temasek, with notable participation from M&G Investments, Innovation Industries, Invest-NL, and ING. This funding marks the largest capital infusion into a Dutch deep-tech company and the second-largest capital raise in the semiconductor fabrication equipment sector in Europe and the US over the past five years[1][2].

Innovative Metrology Solutions

Nearfield Instruments specializes in state-of-the-art Metrology & Inspection (M&I) solutions that are crucial for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. The company’s flagship product, the QUADRA 3D metrology system, offers non-destructive, high-throughput, and high-resolution capabilities. This system is designed to address the complexities and demands of modern semiconductor production, thereby ensuring higher yields and better quality control[3][4].

Expansion Plans and Industry Impact

The recent funding will enable Nearfield Instruments to scale its operations, expand its product portfolio, and strengthen its position as a leader in the semiconductor equipment industry. The company plans to ramp up production capacity and enhance customer support, focusing on its existing QUADRA system and the new AUDIRA for subsurface metrology. This expansion is expected to significantly impact the global semiconductor industry, which is projected to reach USD 1 trillion in revenue by 2029[5][6].

Strategic Leadership and Global Presence

Nearfield Instruments, a spin-off from the Dutch research institute TNO, operates its headquarters in Rotterdam with additional offices in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and Pyeongtaek, South Korea. The company’s leadership, under the guidance of CEO Dr. Hamed Sadeghian and CFO Mark Lamers, is committed to advancing the semiconductor metrology sector. The recent integration of the QUADRA 3D system into a major semiconductor manufacturing lab underscores Nearfield’s pioneering role in the industry[7][8].

Insights from Industry Leaders

Industry leaders have praised Nearfield Instruments’ innovative approach. Young Sohn, Founding Managing Partner at Walden Catalyst, emphasized the critical role of advanced semiconductors in global innovation and growth, highlighting the necessity for new process control tools to achieve higher yields and throughput. Eric Meurice, Chairman of Nearfield Instruments Supervisory Board, noted that the funding would accelerate the company’s efforts to meet the industry’s metrology and inspection needs for the most advanced nodes[9][10].

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