Hymite wins VC funding to support silicon packaging
Danish-German technology company Hymite A/S, a supplier of silicon-based wafer level packaging products for electronics, micromechanical and optoelectronics components, has closed its Series Preferred B financing round totaling Euro 9.0 million ($11.6 million). Funding came from a European consortium of VCs consisting of TVM Capital (Germany), InnovationsKapital (Sweden), Dansk Kapitalanlæg, Vaekstfonden, and IVS (all Denmark).
Hymite says that the new investment will be used to strengthen its sales organization, increase its customer base and build up its manufacturing infrastructure using external foundries.
Hymite’s silicon-based wafer level packaging products are low-cost solutions that enable new and better ways to package ultra-compact, high-brightness LEDs, as well as MEMS components and RF devices for mobile phones. With its current product portfolio Hymite is addressing high-growth volume markets including handheld devices, consumer electronics, and automotive products.
"High-brightness LEDs have become one of our sweet spots," said Jochen Kuhmann, CTO and founder. For LEDs to penetrate into markets where today traditional incandescent light bulbs dominate, Kuhmann believes that efficacy needs to increase to 70-80 lumens/watt.
"We help to achieve that by providing a package that efficiently removes the heat from the chip so it can operate at higher currents and lower junction temperatures, thus increasing output and extending lifetime," says Kuhmann. "Our packaging technology platform is based on standard manufacturing processes. With this platform we can significantly enhance performance of the packaged components while maintaining very competitive prices for our products."
"With key customer wins in both high-brightness LED and MEMS, our wafer level packaging solutions have proven their potential in high volume, high growth markets," said Claus Jørgen Nielsen, Hymite's CEO. "New requirements from the markets such as smaller footprint and higher performance are bringing business in our direction. Wafer level packaging is a clear industry trend and we are supporting this with a low-cost, reliable solution that adds value to the customers."
"Miniaturization and integration possibilities using silicon wafer level packaging goes far beyond the limits set by traditional packaging technologies" said Hans-Guenther Schreck, general partner with TVM Capital. “We are convinced that silicon-based wafer level packaging is the solution for MEMS, electronics and optoelectronics products, since simplicity, size reduction and integration equals cost reduction."