KB News Desk
Korean materials startup aweXome Ray said Monday it has raised 7.5 billion won ($5.3 million) and opened a dedicated production line for carbon nanotube membranes used in extreme ultraviolet pellicles, taking its first step from research toward commercial supply.
The company said customer evaluations are underway, with initial deliveries and revenue expected once they are completed. It did not identify potential customers or specify when supply would begin.
The new clean room line in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, will produce samples for customer testing. Proceeds from the Series B bridge round will be used to stabilize production, strengthen quality controls and prepare for deliveries.
EUV lithography is used to create the intricate circuit patterns required for advanced chips. Pellicles are ultrathin membranes that protect the photomasks carrying those patterns from dust and other contaminants.
As EUV systems become more powerful, pellicles must withstand greater heat while allowing as much light as possible to pass through. aweXome Ray is developing membranes from carbon nanotubes, which it says offer the thinness, lightness and heat resistance needed for next-generation EUV equipment.
The company holds proprietary direct-spinning technology for the continuous production of CNT membranes and fibers.
The funding round drew both semiconductor supply-chain companies and financial investors.
S&S Investment, an affiliate of photomask and EUV pellicle manufacturer S&S Tech, and Wonik Investment Partners, part of semiconductor equipment and materials conglomerate Wonik Group, joined as strategic investors.
Wonik Investment Partners and Hanwha Investment & Securities also invested through a fund they jointly manage. Other participants included Re Investment, L&S Venture Capital, KNET Investment Partners, Union Investment Partners and Ascendo Ventures.
aweXome Ray said the participation of semiconductor-related investors reflected the technology’s commercial potential and could support its transition to mass production.
A defense-focused fund jointly managed by Wonik Investment Partners and Hanwha Investment & Securities also participated, pointing to potential aerospace and defense applications for the company’s CNT fibers and membranes.
The startup is separately conducting a 3.6 billion won pellicle development project under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Deep Tech Challenge program.
It has also secured 600 million won in support from the Korea Technology Finance Corp.’s Unicorn Bridge program and is eligible to apply for up to 20 billion won in technology guarantees.
“The production line and funding mark an important milestone in our transition from an R&D-centered company to an advanced-materials company capable of supplying customers,” CEO Gihm Se-hoon said.
“We will complete customer evaluations and accelerate the commercialization of CNT-based EUV pellicle membranes.”
The company relocated its headquarters to Jeju Science Park in March under an investment agreement with the Jeju provincial government. It has begun selecting an underwriter as it targets a technology-based listing in 2028.
