Government scheme helps UK chip start-ups raise £10 million
From new fertility treatments to improving the efficiency of AI, British semiconductor innovators are reshaping global technology.
Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips 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 £1.3 million of backing to nurture a new generation of chip designers and crowd in investment totalling nearly £20 million in commitments from private investment and grants to help drive economic growth.
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 new joiner to 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.
Minister for Science, Patrick Vallance said: "Innovation in semiconductors can underpin technological advancements in every field, from AI to consumer devices and healthtech. 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.
“As well as 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.”
Following a first round that saw participants close over £10 million of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20 million in commitments being finalised, ChipStart will continue to provide these early-stage semiconductor companies 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.
On completion, the pilot will provide the UK’s semiconductor industry with a pipeline of new startups that have an innovative product, route to market, and are a foundation for future growth, including routes to future seed funding.
Sean Redmond, Managing Partner, Silicon Catalyst UK commented: "ChipStart UK is leveraging the UK’s position as a global centre of semiconductor research to transform academic innovations into market-ready technologies.
“Nine of the eleven firms in the next group come from UK universities and are set to build on the success of the first cohort, which secured a strong position in the international semiconductor supply chain through private funding and global partnerships. After nine months of rigorous training, ChipStart has created over thirty new UK semiconductor executives, ready to scale their businesses towards global success."
