Process-control in high tech factory isn’t what you think anymore.
By: Guilhem de Vregille
Today, Pollen Metrology announces a seed investment of 2 million euros. Within one single meeting, they proved that the future of smart factory was happening. And Pollen Metrology is writing it. This is why we are delighted to lead this first round with Kreaxi and business angels.
Making traditional process-control obsolete
Launched in 2014, Pollen Metrology aims at revolutionizing process-control to accelerate the manufacturing of high-performing materials (semiconductor & nanopowder). They have developed a software based on Machine Learning and Data Fusion which improves manufacturing yields, drastically reduces research and development costs, hastens the development of new processes, and tracks defects from the early R&D stages to high-volume manufacturing.
Today, a huge amount of data are already generated with SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) or TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) technology, but the industry are poorly equipped to analysed this data and generally did it manually or with in-house algorithm. A perfect playground for an Artificial Intelligence platform… As we have seen in due diligence phase the semiconductor industry loved it !
They quickly signed commercial contracts with some US big names. But it’s a discreet market so we will not disclose name today…
A first class team
Let say that semiconductor is not a friendly market, you generally have brilliant competitors. So you need to go fast… very fast!
Johann Foucher built a high profile team with experts in mathematics and machine learning in Grenoble. They show us strong capacity to execute quickly with agile processes and 15-day sprints. The Pollen organisation is inspired by the Spotify engineering culture :
We are very sensitive to enterprise culture and we find this type of organization in many of our start-ups.
At XAnge, we already successfully invest in this sector
Xange has a longue experienced in this sector with EVE, Docea Power and Eldim.
Few weeks ago, Tim cook himself choose to visit Eldim :
Eldim is the worldwide leader of viewing angle evaluation of materials for R&D or production lines. They developed a patented technology that “make Iphone possible” as say Tim Cook. We are very proud to say that it’s one of our start-ups portfolio !
With this investment, we proved to build a large company on a market not addressed by traditional VCs.
We wish the same to Pollen Metrology !
