Zurich-based Chiral (Chiral Nano AG) closed a $12 million seed funding round led by Crane Venture Partners, with participation from Quantonation, HCVC, and Founderful.
Led by CEO Seoho Jung, Chiral is commercializing the industry’s first robotic system for the automated integration of nanomaterials—such as carbon nanotubes and graphene—into silicon wafers. By utilizing AI-guided, contamination-free placement, the platform achieves the precision required for high-performance nanotransistors and quantum devices. This push for hardware-level innovation in advanced computing follows the strategic investment seen in Cognichip’s AI-native silicon design.
Market Signal
- The Post-Silicon Alpha: Chiral addresses the “Manufacturing Chasm” of next-gen electronics. While industry roadmaps (TSMC, Intel) have long highlighted the potential of 2D materials, mass production has been impossible due to a lack of precise integration. Chiral’s robotic solution is 100x faster than traditional lab methods, effectively serving as the “ASML of nanomaterials” for the post-Moore era.
- Strategic Versatility: The platform is designed for cross-sector impact, serving both the classical semiconductor market (low-power transistors) and the nascent quantum technology sector. With first commercial systems deploying in 2026, Chiral is moving from a research spin-off to a core equipment supplier for the world’s leading chipmakers.
- The Yield Friction: A primary execution hurdle is “Contamination Control”; for Chiral to meet the extreme reliability standards of industrial fabrication, its robotic systems must maintain sub-nanometer precision across thousands of wafers without introducing microscopic defects that could compromise the electrical integrity of the nanomaterial interface.
Key Details
- Funding: $12M
- Lead Investor: Crane Venture Partners
- CEO: Seoho Jung
- Use Case: Robotic nanomaterial integration for advanced semiconductors and quantum chips
