Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), founded by serial entrepreneurs Florin Udrea and Georgia Longobardi, was spun out of the High Voltage Microelectronics and Sensors group in the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University in 2016 to develop Gallium-Nitride on Silicon substrate semiconductors. GaN semiconductors are faster, more efficient and smaller than traditional MOSFET devices.
The technology can be applied to almost anything that requires power and operates in the rich 650V market segment, providing power faster, more efficiently and via smaller chargers, or even wirelessly. The company offers a solution to not only lower emissions but satisfy the consumer demand for faster and more economical charging devices.
The investment will be used to realise the company’s new growth strategy designing and developing power devices for applications including wireless charging, data centres and solar power.
Zickie Lim said: “We were delighted to work with this group of investors who are some of the most active in the early stage and growth tech investment scene in the UK. It’s also fantastic to be able to support another cutting edge spin-out from the University of Cambridge which has the potential to shape the future of power electronics.”
Giorgia Longobardi, CEO and founder of CGD, commented: “This latest round of investment is a great recognition of our success to date, with new and existing investors confirming the strength of our technology. Since 2016, CGD has grown significantly and we are thrilled to be in a position to deliver several products to market, following decades of industry-leading research in reliability of power devices. This investment will allow us to supplement our experienced team with additional experts and expand our markets globally, creating more sustainable electronics worldwide.”
Eric Stodel, CEO at Neways, a leading EMS System Innovator and Lifecycle Partner in the GaNext project, commented: “Our close collaboration with CGD has been an incredibly rewarding win-win experience. It enables us to develop an extremely compact solar inverter based on the GaN technology. The team’s enthusiasm is inspiring and contagious, and the shared expertise within our companies has been instrumental in making our combined project a great success with much more future potential”.
Ed Stacey, Managing Partner at IQ Capital, commented: “We are proud to support the CGD team as they build on their core technology, from a strong base of academic research and IP, to create the world’s best GaN power devices for a wide range of applications. This highly experienced team has incredible potential to disrupt the electronics industry with new devices that will unlock commercial and environmental gains for suppliers and customers.”
John Pearson, Investment Director at Parkwalk Advisors, commented: “Parkwalk are delighted to have completed this investment into CGD, with their ambitious and experienced team, we are excited to continue supporting them on their journey to commercialise their innovative and highly disruptive technology.”
Tim Rea, investor at BGF, commented: “Clean tech and sustainable investments are at the heart of BGF’s growth strategy for 2021 and beyond. CGD’s technology has the power to make a significant impact on power consumption. Its founders are second-to-none and we look forward to working with them, and a cohort of brilliant co-investors, to bring this product to market.”
Nick Mettyear, Investment Manager at Foresight Williams, commented: “The team are designing market-leading products with a huge range of practical uses. Their devices will ultimately improve performance, reduce cost and lead to reduced emissions. It is a perfect fit with Foresight Williams, and we are excited to support the team.”
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