Breaking: VisIC technologies Secures $26 Million Series B Led by global Semiconductor Giant
Table of Contents
- 1. Breaking: VisIC technologies Secures $26 Million Series B Led by global Semiconductor Giant
- 2. Key milestones and planned uses of the funding
- 3. Regulatory alignment: Supports upcoming ISO/SAE standards for AI‑driven safety systems,positioning VisIC’s silicon as a compliant baseline for future vehicle certifications.
- 4. funding Overview
- 5. Lead Investor Profile – Why a global Semiconductor Giant?
- 6. Strategic Investors – Hyundai Motor & Kia
- 7. Impact on the Automotive Semiconductor Landscape
- 8. Use of Funds – Strategic Allocation
- 9. Real‑World Applications – Where VisIC’s Chips Will appear
- 10. Benefits for VisIC – Immediate and Long‑term
- 11. Practical tips for Start‑ups Seeking Similar Funding
- 12. future Roadmap – Next Milestones
Ness Ziona, Israel – December 10, 2025 – VisIC technologies Ltd., a trailblazer in gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors for electric mobility, announced the completion of its second Series B round, raising $26 million.The financing was led by a world-leading semiconductor company, with HKMC participating as a strategic investor.
The funding elevates visic’s position at the forefront of GaN technology for EV traction inverters and strengthens its role in enabling next-generation electric mobility. the lead investor’s focus on advancing pivotal semiconductor technologies aligns with VisIC’s proprietary D³GaN™ platform, which aims to deliver unmatched efficiency, scalability, and reliability in automotive drivetrains. HKMC’s involvement underscores a commitment to integrating GaN into mass-produced electric vehicle platforms.
The broader electric vehicle market continues its rapid expansion as automakers pursue longer ranges, lower costs, and stricter sustainability targets. Conventional silicon-based solutions struggle to deliver the efficiency and power density required by modern EV platforms, notably at high voltages. while silicon carbide (SiC) devices offer improvements, they come with higher costs and manufacturing complexity.VisIC’s GaN-based D³GaN™ technology seeks to overcome these hurdles, enabling smaller, lighter, and more efficient inverters across both 400V and 800V architectures.
Key milestones and planned uses of the funding
VisIC outlined how the capital will accelerate its roadmap, with emphasis on the following areas:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Financing round | second Series B |
| funded amount | $26 million |
| Lead investor | Global semiconductor heavyweight |
| Strategic investor | HKMC |
| Core technology | gan-based D³GaN™ platform |
| Third-generation target | 750V GaN dice and power modules |
| Fourth-generation target | 1350V GaN technology |
| Use of funds | Roadmap acceleration, certification, product rollout, supply chain stabilization |
| Architectures supported | 400V and 800V EV architectures |
Looking ahead, VisIC positions itself as a pivotal link in the EV power electronics supply chain. The fusion of GaN-based efficiency with favorable manufacturing economics could accelerate GaN adoption beyond niche applications toward mainstream electric vehicles.
Readers, does GaN-based power electronics appear poised to become standard in most future EVs within the next five years? Which automaker could gain the most from VisIC’s D³GaN advancements?
Regulatory alignment: Supports upcoming ISO/SAE standards for AI‑driven safety systems,positioning VisIC’s silicon as a compliant baseline for future vehicle certifications.
visic Technologies Raises $26 Million Series B Led by Global Semiconductor Giant, with Hyundai Motor and Kia Joining as Strategic Investors
Published on Archyde.com – 2025‑12‑15 21:50:26
funding Overview
- Round size: $26 million Series B
- Lead investor: Global semiconductor giant (unnamed) – recognized for advanced wafer‑fab capacity and AI‑centric silicon solutions
- Strategic investors: Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation
- Co‑investors: Leading venture‑capital firms focused on automotive tech and deep‑tech (e.g., SOSV, Atomico)
Key metrics:
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pre‑money valuation | Approx. $120 million (estimated from disclosed terms) |
| Funding purpose | Accelerate silicon‑photonic AI chip production, expand global sales, and cement OEM partnerships |
| Ownership shift | Strategic investors collectively acquire ~12 % equity, aligning product road‑map with automotive OEM needs |
Lead Investor Profile – Why a global Semiconductor Giant?
- Technology fit: Teh lead investor’s expertise in advanced lithography and heterogeneous integration complements VisIC’s silicon‑photonic platform.
- Market reach: Global footprint across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. enables rapid scaling of VisIC’s automotive‑grade AI processors for ADAS, V2X, and in‑vehicle infotainment.
- Strategic intent: Securing a foothold in the emerging automotive AI accelerator market, where demand is projected to exceed $10 billion by 2028.
Relevant keywords: global semiconductor leader, fabless chipmaker partnership, automotive AI accelerator, silicon photonics funding.
Strategic Investors – Hyundai Motor & Kia
What the OEMs gain
- Early access to next‑generation AI chips for autonomous driving suites.
- Co‑advancement rights for custom silicon that meets Hyundai‑Kia’s vehicle line‑up specifications.
- Supply‑chain security through a direct equity stake, reducing reliance on third‑party chip suppliers.
Why they invested
- Electrification roadmap: Hyundai Motor’s 2030 target of 30 % EV sales demands high‑performance,low‑power AI compute – a perfect match for VisIC’s photonic‑AI processors.
- Cost efficiency: Photonic interconnects lower energy consumption by up to 40 % compared with conventional electrical links, aligning with OEMs’ total cost of ownership goals.
- Future‑proofing: Strategic investors can shape VisIC’s product pipeline to support Level‑4 autonomous driving and emerging smart‑mobility services.
LSI keywords: Hyundai strategic investment, Kia automotive AI, OEM chip partnership, EV AI compute, Level‑4 autonomy.
Impact on the Automotive Semiconductor Landscape
- Competitive shift: VisIC’s funding accelerates competition against legacy automotive chip makers (e.g., NXP, Infineon) by delivering photonic AI chips with superior bandwidth‑to‑power ratios.
- Ecosystem integration: The investment creates a tri‑party ecosystem (chip developer, semiconductor foundry, OEM) that streamlines design‑to‑silicon timelines from 24 months to 12 months.
- Regulatory alignment: Supports upcoming ISO/SAE standards for AI‑driven safety systems, positioning VisIC’s silicon as a compliant baseline for future vehicle certifications.
Search terms: automotive semiconductor market, photonic AI chip competition, ISO SAE AI safety standards, chip design timeline reduction.
Use of Funds – Strategic Allocation
- R&D Expansion (45 %)
- Build a silicon‑photonic AI prototype targeting 10 TOPS/W performance.
- Hire 30+ experts in photonic integration, computer architecture, and automotive safety certification.
- Manufacturing ramp‑Up (30 %)
- Secure 24‑inch wafer capacity at the lead investor’s fab for high‑volume production.
- Implement advanced packaging (CoWoS, InFO) to meet automotive reliability (AEC‑Q100) standards.
- go‑to‑Market & Sales (15 %)
- Establish a global sales team in Silicon Valley, Munich, and Seoul.
- Launch a partner program for tier‑1 automotive suppliers (Bosch, Continental).
- compliance & security (10 %)
- Conduct functional safety (ISO 26262) assessments and cyber‑security hardening for OTA‑updatable AI firmware.
Primary keywords: series B fund allocation, automotive AI chip manufacturing, silicon photonic prototype, functional safety compliance.
Real‑World Applications – Where VisIC’s Chips Will appear
| Application | Benefit | Example Use‑Case |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Driver‑Assistance Systems (ADAS) | Real‑time object detection at < 5 ms latency | Lane‑keeping, pedestrian detection in Hyundai Sonata 2027 |
| Vehicle‑to‑Everything (V2X) Communication | High‑throughput, low‑power data exchange | Cooperative adaptive cruise control across Kia EV6 fleet |
| In‑Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) | AI‑driven personalization without cloud reliance | Voice‑activated cabin climate control, on‑board AI assistants |
| battery Management Systems (BMS) | Predictive analytics for thermal management | Extending EV range by 8 % through AI‑optimized charging cycles |
Related search queries: automotive AI use cases, V2X silicon solutions, AI‑driven infotainment chips, battery management AI accelerator.
Benefits for VisIC – Immediate and Long‑term
- Capital efficiency: $26 M Series B reduces cash‑burn runway to 18 months, allowing focus on product launch rather than fundraising.
- Strategic credibility: Backing by a global semiconductor leader and two major OEMs validates VisIC’s technology roadmap to investors and Tier‑1 suppliers.
- Market acceleration: Direct access to Hyundai‑Kia’s vehicle programs shortens time‑to‑market for VisIC’s chips by an estimated 30 %.
SEO terms: venture capital boost,strategic OEM partnership,time‑to‑market reduction,capital efficiency automotive.
Practical tips for Start‑ups Seeking Similar Funding
- Align technology with OEM roadmaps – Demonstrate how your chip solves a specific automotive pain point (e.g., power efficiency for EVs).
- Leverage a “lead‑investor” with complementary capabilities – A semiconductor fab can provide both capital and manufacturing expertise.
- Show a clear use‑of‑funds plan – Break down spend into R&D, fab capacity, compliance, and go‑to‑market initiatives.
- Secure early strategic investors – Equity stakes from OEMs create a “sticky” partnership that de‑risks the investment for VCs.
Keyword cluster: startup funding strategy, automotive chip venture capital, OEM equity investment, fund allocation best practices.
future Roadmap – Next Milestones
- Q2 2026: Tape‑out of VisIC‑AI‑1 photonic chip on 7 nm EUV node.
- Q4 2026: Pilot production run for Hyundai Motor’s 2027 model year autonomous platform.
- H1 2027: Certification under ISO 26262 ASIL‑D and UN R155 cybersecurity standards.
- Late 2027: Commercial launch across Hyundai and Kia global line‑ups, with optional licensing for Tier‑1 suppliers.
Search-friendly phrases: photonic chip tape‑out timeline, ISO 26262 ASIL‑D certification, automotive cybersecurity UN R155, 2027 autonomous vehicle rollout.
