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18 Feb 2025
Samsung, European Innovation Council, and Intel Capital among the backers of adaptive optics startup's series C round.
Wooptix, a startup company in Spain that has developed adaptive optics for semiconductor metrology applications, says it has raised €10 million in its latest round of venture funding.
The series C effort, led by chip giant Samsung’s venture wing, also included support from Intel Capital, the European Innovation Fund, and €4 million from the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT).
That cash will enable the firm to further improve a metrology tool based on wavefront phase imaging technology that is able to measure shape uniformity, nano-topography, and the roughness of the entire silicon wafer in a single image created from millions of high-precision data points.
Canary Islands headquarters
Still based in Tenerife, the Canary Islands location with large astronomical telescopes that offered the first application of adaptive optics, Wooptix originated as a spin-off from the local University of La Laguna.
Announcing the SETT investment last month, the company described the support as a commitment to semiconductor manufacturing equipment aiming to enhance Spain’s chip production capabilities, and to accelerate its reindustrialization and technological sovereignty.
“Wooptix has patented a unique system for wafer measurement and processing, essential for optimizing semiconductor manufacturing processes,” explains the firm.
“Factories using Wooptix’s technology can measure wafers by acquiring over 16 million data points with sub-nanometric height resolution. This allows for more precise and faster calibration of silicon wafer topography, a critical aspect of semiconductor production.”
CEO José Manuel Rodriguez Ramos, who co-founded Wooptix back in 2014, said in a statement confirming the latest round of support:
“The investment allows us to push the boundaries in resolution quality within the semiconductor technology landscape. Continued support from our investors has allowed us to introduce our semiconductor metrology tool to global markets and deliver innovative solutions to an international customer base.”
The company said that surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing has placed “unprecedented pressure” on the semiconductor manufacturing industry to produce increasingly complex and miniaturized chips.
“Traditional tools often fall short of the precision, automation, and efficiency required to meet today’s production needs,” it claims. “Wooptix is addressing this challenge head-on with innovative metrology tools that rapidly and accurately detect nano-scale defects, setting a new standard for speed and accuracy within the manufacturing processes.”
16 million data points
Derived from adaptive optics research that has long been used in astronomy to compensate for the blurring effect of Earth’s atmosphere and which was the subject of its CEO’s astrophysics PhD study, Wooptix recently launched its flagship “Phemet” metrology tool.
It is said to offer industry-leading lateral resolution and near-real-time process capability, helping to reduce production times significantly and increase supply chain efficiency.
“The Phemet capability of collecting over 16 million data points with sub-nanometer height resolution enables semiconductor manufacturers to reduce energy waste during production,” said Manuel Rodriguez Ramos.
“Already adopted by major semiconductor manufacturers, Phemet is on track for full automation and factory floor deployment for in-line testing in the coming months.”
On a visit to the startup last month Spain’s Minister of Digital Transformation Oscar López added: “This project offers the opportunity to integrate significant industrial capabilities into Spain’s semiconductor ecosystems.
“It is particularly important for the Canary Islands, as it strengthens the region’s technological sector and generates high-value employment in an advanced and strategic industry.”
Aside from helping to accelerate product development, the funding has been earmarked for expanding Wooptix’ international reach, and to scale the company’s workforce to meet growing industry demand.
It currently employs around 40 people across its headquarters in Tenerife, and offices in Madrid and San Francisco.
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