aPSI3D raises €1.5 Million seed to produce Electronic Low Inductance High Power modules
aPSI3D (agile Power Switch 3D-Integration), a start-up specialized in Electronic Low Inductance High Power Modules which enables compacter, lighter and more efficient electrical power inverters, announced that it has raised €1.5 million in first-round financing that will be used to develop, industrialize and manufacture its highly integrated, high-speed power switching modules, whose key differentiation is evidenced at high voltage (>300V) and high power (>10kVA).
The investors are two leading French venture funds with a track record of identifying and fostering promising, fast-growth, early-stage technology companies:
- IRDInov, a regional seed investor in emerging, fast-growth companies
- CEA investissement, a fund manager focused on technology companies, which invested via the CEA strategic fund.
Bpifrance also provided continuous financial support to aPSI3D, starting prior to this first round of venture-fund backing.
Thanks to technology partnerships with CEA Tech and IRT Saint Exupéry, and as a member of PRIMES innovation platform in Tarbes, aPSI3D has access to a complete array of state-of-the-art power electronics talents and tools. European aeronautics has a long legacy in Toulouse, and automotive power electronics was launched there. aPSI3D‘s solution derives from fifteen years of research and development. 3D-stacking, double side cooling, and wire-bondless technology are the key levers to fourfold better compactness and lightness. The transition to industrial manufacturing is kept because its embedded paradigm shift requires processes out of current back-end players’ know-how.
Eco-mobility drives new keywords: autonomy, weight and volume. « Wide bandgap semiconductor dies (SiC and GaN), which promise highly reduced heat dissipations, let users dream of simplified applications. Nevertheless, usual power modules have too much inductance for a relevant utilisation of such new generation dies at large power levels. This is where our innovative modules become necessary. » Jacques FAVRE, aPSI3D‘s CEO and co-founder, explains. «Our products are developed in close cooperation with die manufacturers selected for their advanced and proven technology; with our solution, they can multiply their die value over a wide range of higher value, cost competitive products. »
Once its customers confirm qualification,aPSI3D will be able to ramp-up production.
About aPSI3D
aPSI3D was created in 2013. It received the award for the Innovative Companies category of the 2013 national OSEO competition, a prize presented by French Research Minister, Madame Geneviève Fioraso. In 2014, it was the laureate of NETVA, awarded by the French Embassy in the USA. aPSI3D received early support from Bpifrance, which branded it with its Innovative Company label. aPSI3D‘s charter is to design and deliver higher-performance, higher-reliability products through a highly differentiated wire-bondless and double side cooled technology. aPSI3D targets swift international development, providing an immediate benefit to EV and HEV electronic inverters, rendering them more compact and lighter. aPSI3D is based in Tarbes, in Southwest France, with a branch office in Toulouse. www.apsi3d.com
About IRDInov
IRDInov is a seed fund managed by IRDI, a Toulouse-based private equity group. Launched in late 2012 with the support of FNA (National Seed Fund) and managed by BPI France, IRDI, the Midi- Pyrénées and Aquitaine Regions, regional banks and industrials, the fund’s investment strategy is focused on spin-off projects from public and private research labs. IRDInov invests up to 3 million euros per company in Southwest France. www.irdi.fr
About CEA investissement
CEA dedicated to financing high-tech companies. Since its creation, CEA investissement has financed over 50 startups across all business sectors related to CEA’s technology expertise: microelectronics, life sciences, energy and environment as well as materials, instrumentation, and embedded systems. The CEA investissement team is located in Grenoble and Paris. www.cea-investissement.com
Source : www.apsi3d.com