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SEMICONDUCTORS SEMICONDUCTORS

Concurrently, for the µLED sector, Hexagem is strategy—almost impossible in a very highly
pioneering a relaxed indium gallium nitride (InGaN) competitive market. The company’s disruptive potential
technology on silicon or sapphire wafers, which has attracted early investor confidence, evidenced by
facilitates high-efficiency, sub-micron-pixel red, green, funding from institutional investors such as Almi Invest,
and blue light emission. European Innovation Council (EIC Fund), and Horizon
Europe. This strategic positioning allows Hexagem to
CORE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION target high-growth, high-value markets where silicon

The strategic importance of Hexagem’s work is has reached its physical limits, pushing the boundaries
underscored by the pivotal role GaN plays in modern of what GaN can achieve and potentially capturing a
electronics—a wide-bandgap material offering premium segment of the market.
enhanced energy efficiency, higher temperature and
voltage withstand, and faster switching speeds than WHY SWEDEN PRODUCES
traditional silicon. These characteristics make it SUCCESSFUL STARTUPS
suitable for energy-smart applications such as electric Sweden’s ability to foster cutting-edge enterprises
vehicles, 5G networks, aerospace, solar inverters, hinges on a deep culture of innovation, substantial
motor drives, and mobile fast charging. investments in R&D, supportive business-friendly
policies, and a pronounced national focus on
Hexagem’s primary innovation lies in its unique sustainable growth.
approach to growing GaN-on-Si wafers. Traditional
GaN growth on silicon often faces challenges due to The Swedish startup ecosystem actively cultivates
lattice mismatch and differences in thermal expansion emerging companies through various mechanisms.
Hexagem: Pioneering coefficients, leading to defect buildup. These include prominent innovation hubs, such as
Ideon Science Park in Lund, which provide essential
resources such as collaborative workspaces, expert
Similarly, µLEDs are poised to revolutionize display
GaN Innovation Within technology for applications such as mentorship, and invaluable networking opportunities
augmented/virtual/mixed reality, smartwatches,
crucial for early-stage startup growth.
wearables, head-up displays, and mobile phones.
Furthermore, the startup landscape offers diverse
the Nordic Ecosystem GaN MARKET POSITIONING funding opportunities, spanning from venture capital
Hexagem’s leadership draws on a competitive
and angel investors to public grants provided by
advantage derived from reducing defect densities by an agencies such as Vinnova and Tillväxtverket, the Agency
By Filippo Di Giovanni, contributing writer for Power Electronics News order of magnitude, with a target of reaching for Economic and Regional Growth controlled by the
10 million defects per square centimeter. This enables Ministry of Climate and Enterprise.
the production of thicker, crack-free GaN layers crucial
Startups have become the modern engine of HEXAGEM: A PLAYER IN for high-voltage vertical devices, all while maintaining Sweden’s ability to translate deep scientific research
innovation—lean, fast, and focused on solving problems GaN INNOVATION a cost structure comparable to existing silicon-based into commercially viable technologies is exemplified
that established companies can’t address with the Hexagem stands at the forefront of gallium nitride materials. by Norstel, a startup specializing in silicon carbide
same urgency and agility. semiconductor technology. As a spinout from Lund substrates, acquired by STMicroelectronics (ST). For ST,
University, its core mission is to develop high-quality This approach prioritizes quality and performance the deal provided a significant strategic advantage and
Sweden is renowned for nurturing global tech III-nitrides on silicon wafers, targeting two rapidly rather than engaging in a pure cost-play contributed to its success as a global leader in SiC.
leaders such as Spotify, Klarna, and Ericsson and for expanding and critical markets: advanced power
helping launch influential platforms such as Skype. electronics and revolutionary µLED displays. The
These ventures often grow out of deep collaborations company leverages its patented GaN coalescence
between universities and industry, reflecting the technology to achieve low defect densities and thick
nation’s strong investment in research and innovation. GaN layers on silicon, essential for enabling 1,200-V
Yet even in this fertile environment, the journey from vertical device designs in power applications.
groundbreaking scientific discovery to scalable product
remains a formidable challenge. The company’s technological foundation is deeply
rooted in the extensive research conducted by
One such example is Hexagem, a Swedish startup Samuelson. The key individuals who co-founded
spun out from Lund University in 2015. Built on years of Hexagem and continue to lead its strategic direction
pioneering research led by Professor Lars Samuelson, include Bart Markus (co-founder and executive
Hexagem specializes in III-nitride epitaxy and advanced chairman), Jonas Ohlsson (co-founder and CTO), and
materials characterization, a highly sophisticated niche Kristian Storm (co-founder and CPO).
with the potential to transform both power electronics
and microLED (µLED) displays. Figure 1: GaN-on-Si low-dislocation process steps (Source: Hexagem)

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