Strained silicon maker AmberWave Systems squeezes $21M in D round
Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology - May 31, 2004

AmberWave Systems Corp., a maker of strained silicon for semiconductors in Salem, N.H., has raised $21 million in a Series D round of financing.

The lead investor was 3i, joined by previous investors Adams Capital Management, Arch Ventures, Telesoft Partners and The Hillman Companies. To date, AmberWave has raised $66 million in venture funding.

AmberWave says it is planning to use the funds to bring its strained silicon technology to market. Strained silicon enables semiconductor devices to perform more quickly and with less power consumption.

According to the company, its strained silicon technology has demonstrated the ability to increase chip speed of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) circuits by 17 percent at the same power consumption level and reduce power consumption by 34 percent at the same speed as circuits fabricated on traditional silicon.

Marko Maschek, a partner of 3i, will join AmberWave's board of directors.

"We are delighted by the support shown for AmberWave and our technology by 3i and our existing investors," said Robert Faubert, CEO of AmberWave, in a statement. "The semiconductor's biggest players - IBM, Texas Instruments, Intel, Motorola, Toshiba, TSMC to name a few - are announcing their interest in strained silicon. Our intellectual property portfolio and world-class engineers, coupled with this strong financial backing from 3i and others, will enhance our ability to bring strained silicon to the semiconductor wafer and device marketplaces."

About AmberWave Systems
Founded in 1998, AmberWave Systems has become a leader in the research, development and licensing of advanced technologies for semiconductor manufacturing. By funding and guiding university research, AmberWave Systems is bringing new technology developments to fruition through patents and technology licensing. In conjunction with its university research projects, AmberWave Systems conducts its own research, development and limited manufacturing in its semiconductor fabrication facility in Salem, New Hampshire. In addition, AmberWave Systems collaborates with other technology focused companies to further expand and develop its research. For more information about the company, please visit its Web site at www.amberwave.com.