11 chip start-ups working on semiconductors that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.
Semiconductor chips are fundamental to the technology that we interact with daily, underpinning everything from smartphones to AI and advanced medical devices.
The companies will be the second group to go through ChipStart, an incubator programme launched in October 2023 with £1.3m of backing to nurture a new generation of chip start-ups.
It will also stimulate investment, totalling nearly £20m in commitments from private investors and grants, to help drive economic growth.
The chip start-ups pioneering the next generation of innovation
POM Health is among the companies joining the second round of the programme. It is pioneering the use of semiconductors to create a wearable patch for continuous hormone monitoring.
This technology could transform healthcare by enhancing fertility treatments, offering women precise, real-time insights into their hormonal health.
HeronIC, another chip start-up joining the programme, has developed a software design tool that quickly creates custom chips for AI applications, boosting their energy efficiency and increasing performance for complex tasks.
After receiving this support over the last year, Vaire Computing raised £4.5m to develop revolutionary chips that use virtually no power. This innovation in energy efficiency has the potential to significantly extend smartphone battery life.
With Vaire’s semiconductors, smartphones could soon only need charging once a month.
Another cohort member, Wave Photonics, closed an early funding round at £4.5m for their tool, which simplifies the design of highly complex photonic chips, chips that use light instead of electricity, meaning they operate at much faster speeds and use much less power.
Leading a semiconductor revolution in the UK
Following a first round that saw participants close over £10m of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20m in commitments being finalised, ChipStart will continue to provide chip start-ups with:
- Access to commercial design capability: Including the full Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, design tools, IP, and prototyping capability.
- Commercial expertise and mentorship: Startups receive guidance from experienced semiconductor industry executives and connections to Silicon Catalyst’s global network.
- Exposure to private capital: Access to over 270 Silicon Catalyst advisors, Strategic Partners, and an extensive network of investment groups.
Minister for Science Patrick Vallance said: “Innovation in semiconductors can underpin technological advancements in every field, from AI to consumer devices and health tech.
“British researchers across the country are leading in R&D in this essential field, and the support we are delivering through ChipStart is helping their ideas become reality.”
He added: “In addition to the commercial success of the first cohort, the innovations ChipStart is supporting could help to change lives, from helping to develop new fertility treatments to optimising AI and extending the battery life of devices we use every day.
“We are making sure British science leadership converts to help address critical global challenges and drive economic growth.”
On completion, the pilot will provide the UK’s semiconductor industry with a pipeline of new startups with innovative products and routes to market that are a foundation for future growth, including routes to future seed funding.
