The round was led by Entrada Ventures, with additional investments from Foothill Ventures and Uncork Capital.
The investment will enable the company to accelerate the development and commercialisation of hybrid semiconductor products which integrate compound semiconductor chiplets into silicon wafers, with the aim of transforming both the technical performance and the economics of the RF and millimetre-wave communication industry.
Silicon, the workhorse of the semiconductor industry, offers uniform processing, high manufacturing efficiency and low cost. Compound semiconductors, however, are constructed with specialised processing, and while they offer enhanced performance, particularly at higher frequencies, these materials are fabricated on smaller wafers and are more expensive to produce.
The PseudolithIC chip offers the high performance of a monolithic microwave IC (MMIC), but at a much lower cost. The company’s proprietary technology integrates high-performance compound semiconductor chiplets with low-cost 300mm silicon wafers, offering an enhanced blend of performance, power efficiency, and scalability for RF applications.
This next-generation approach addresses key challenges in wireless communications, particularly for fast-growing and critical industries such as terrestrial and satellite communications, aerospace, and IoT (Internet of Things) applications.
“Our team is excited to push the boundaries of what is possible in RF technology,” said Jim Buckwalter, CTO of PseudolithIC and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Santa Barbara. “The hybrid approach of combining silicon and compound semiconductor chiplets unlocks new potential for RF systems, enabling faster data rates, lower latencies, and better reliability. We believe our innovations will be game-changing for customers requiring high-performance wireless solutions.”
PseudolithIC is based in Santa Barbara, CA, and currently has a team of more than 15 employees and the newly raised capital will enable the company to expand its team and accelerate research and development to bring its products to market.
Florian Herrault, CEO of PseudolithIC, said, “Our goal is to lead the charge in providing cost-effective, high-performance silicon RFIC solutions augmented with compound semiconductors, that meet the ever-growing demands of next-generation wireless systems.”
