AlixLabs Closes €15M Series A to Commercialize Atomic Etching Technology
April 17, 2026 – 8:56 am
AlixLabs, a deep-tech semiconductor startup based in Lund, Sweden, has secured €15 million in Series A funding following a strategic investment from Stephen Industries, a Finnish investment company. The round closed in two stages: a €14.1 million initial close in November 2025, and a final top-up from Stephen Industries in Q1 2026.
The startup is developing proprietary Atomic Layer Etching (ALD) technology through its Atomic Pitch Splitting (APS™) platform, aiming to enable more precise and cost-effective advanced chip manufacturing.
Key Takeaways:
- Strategic Investment: Stephen Industries’ chairman and president, Kustaa Poutiainen, brings valuable experience in scaling ALD processes, crucial for AlixLabs as they transition from development to commercialization.
- Solution to a Problem: APS™ addresses the high cost and energy consumption associated with multi-patterning and EUV lithography used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
- Series A Investors: The round was led by returning investors Navigare Ventures, Industrifonden, and FORWARD.one, alongside new investors STOAF, Global Brain (extending reach into Japan), LU Holding, Almi Invest, Polynom Invest, and the Nylander family.
ALD and ALE: Related but Different:
ALD deposits material one atomic layer at a time, while ALE removes it with equal precision.