Singapore’s Nexstrom wants to bring 2D semiconductors to chip fabs
Singapore-based Nexstrom, a semiconductor startup, has secured a $12 million seed round. This funding brings its total raised to $15 million. The company is developing equipment to enable chipmakers to manufacture 2D semiconductor materials, specifically transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), at scale. Nexstrom aims to integrate these materials directly onto 300mm wafers, addressing challenges in shrinking silicon transistors. The startup expects its equipment to be ready for commercial production between 2030 and 2035.
Nexstrom’s $12 million seed round is not about a new material but about scaling a known one. TSMC, Intel, and IMEC are already exploring 2D materials. The real challenge is consistent, high-volume production on 300mm wafers. Nexstrom’s North Star product aims to fill this gap, a critical step for next-generation chip manufacturing.
For Asia’s chip foundries, Nexstrom offers a potential solution to a looming problem. Silicon’s limits are becoming clearer, impacting efficiency and heat. If Nexstrom succeeds, it could provide Asian giants like TSMC and Samsung a new path to smaller, more powerful chips. This would maintain their competitive edge in a demanding global market.
The thing to watch is Nexstrom’s progress on its 8-inch wafer system by October. CEO Phoebe Tan’s timeline for commercial production between 2030 and 2035 is ambitious. Consistent material quality across full-size wafers is the key hurdle for Nexstrom to clear before industry adoption.
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