Earlier this year, SEMI member companies joined forces to seek out and partner with the world’s top startups to bring new sustainability technologies to semiconductor operations. The initiative, called Startups for Semiconductor Sustainability, covers three areas:
- Energy efficiency – at tool, manufacturing processes, and supply chain levels
- Water technologies – designed to increase manufacturing process efficiencies, reclamation, reuse and restoration in industrial treatment centers
- Materials usage – sustainable alternative chemistries for wafer processing, materials recycling and waste stream abatement
The effort attracted a large pool of applicants who were reviewed by the organizing committee and narrowed down to 18 semifinalists revealed at the SEMI Sustainability workshop on December 9 at SEMICON West 2021 Hybrid. Faran Nouri of Lam Capital announced the semifinalists, which follow, during her talk on the role of venture capital in driving semiconductor sustainability.
Materials Usage
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Atonarp delivers digital molecular profiling solutions |
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Electronic Fluorocarbons provide high-purity fluorocarbon and other specialty gases |
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Irradiant Technologies harnesses light in 3D nanofabrication |
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NuMat Technologies is a software-driven material design platform |
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Purity ReSource develops technology to maximize the point-of-use recovery of chemical resources |
Energy Efficiency
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AlixLabs makes atomic layer etching for nano device fabrication |
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Electric Hydrogen builds efficient and low-cost electrolyzers |
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Tignis is a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for improving process reliability and control |
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Turntide provides an efficient smart motor system for buildings and solutions for electrification of transport |
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Verdigris Technologies uses energy intelligence to eliminate electricity waste |
Water Technologies
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2S Water protects water with real-time data using single and multielement sensors |
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Aquammodate offers a technology to produce highly pure water at a minimum cost |
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Exergy offers patented advanced separation technologies in hardware products |
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Infinite Cooling offers technology to reduce water consumption in evaporative cooling tower systems |
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Membrion makes ion exchange membranes for industrial wastewater |
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NSS Water provides Nanopure water revolution |
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OXbyEL is solving water contamination in one clean, affordable step |
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UET Natural technology for treating water |
The semifinalists will participate in a speed pitch event the first week of January 2022, presenting to representatives of companies in the event’s organizing committee as well as select venture capital firms. The pitch event will give potential investors a close look at technologies the semiconductor industry cares about today. Each pitch will be followed by a five-minute Q&A.
After the pitches, three companies from each segment (energy efficiency, materials usage, water technologies) will be selected as finalists. All participants will receive feedback. The organizing committee expects to announce finalists Tuesday, January 11.
The semiconductor industry is going through its sustainability transition now,” said Andrew Byrnes of Micron Ventures, a key organizer of the event. “It’s exciting to be a part of this in real time and find new, creative ways to help startups drive near-term change in a truly global industry.
“The quality of teams applying to our Startups for Semiconductor Sustainability pitch event has been very high, and we’ve identified real opportunities that can move the needle in our in-house sustainability efforts. But we also appreciate the challenge ahead – we intend to make this an annual effort to drive continuous sustainability innovation as we all collaborate to decarbonize semiconductor manufacturing over the next decade.”
James Amano is senior director of Standards, EHS, and Sustainability at SEMI.