The NanoLund spin-out company, AlixLabs AB, has grown into a Swedish deep-tech company building a new generation of semiconductor manufacturing solutions. The company recently announced the successful closing of a €14.1 million (SEK 155.2 million) Series A funding round. The investment will enable AlixLabs to accelerate the development and scaling of its proprietary Atomic Layer Etching Pitch Splitting (APS™) technology. This disruptive process enables more cost-effective, leading-edge chip manufacturing.
First of all, our warmest congratulations on your successful funding round! How did the result match your expectations?
“Thank you. We are very pleased with the outcome. In terms of the numbers, the round met our expectations, but what mattered even more was the quality of the investors and the shared understanding of what we are building. APS™ is still a young and demanding field, and having investors who appreciate the long-term industrial relevance, the technical depth, and the patience required is critical. In that sense, the result exceeded our expectations. It gives us confidence not only to accelerate development, but to do so in a disciplined way that stays true to the technology,” says Jonas Sundqvist, CEO and Co-Founder of AlixLabs.
It’s been more than ten years since the first atomic layer etch experiments at the Lund Nano Lab. With what intention did you start this very first experiment, and what were your reactions when it succeeded?
“At that point, the intention was not to start a company or create a new industrial platform. It was curiosity-driven and very fundamental: to understand whether etching could be made as precise and self-limiting as atomic layer deposition and used to shrink Nanowires grown in the Lund Nano Lab cleanroom. When the results showed that we could surprisingly split nanowires into two smaller ones, the reaction was a mix of excitement and disbelief. You repeat the experiment because the implication is large. Lund Nano Lab was essential in enabling this kind of deep, exploratory work.”
How would you describe the discovery of Atomic Layer Etch Pitch Splitting? What makes it unique?
“Atomic Layer Etch Pitch Splitting was a single eureka moment, followed by a gradual realization that atomic-scale control in etching could be used to multiply patterns on actual silicon wafers, not just transfer them. What makes it unique is that it combines atomic precision with practical manufacturability, using chemistry and surface physics as the scaling mechanism rather than relying solely on increasingly complex and expensive lithography.”
What can be said about trial and error, failures along the way, and the importance of patience and persistence?
“Trial and error is the method, not a side effect. Many experiments fail, and others produce ambiguous results. The key is to treat failures as data. Patience and persistence are essential when the final goal is not fully defined. Institutions like Lund Nano Lab make this possible by supporting long-term, fundamental work with a fantastic infrastructure for research and innovation at the nano scale.”
Would you like to tell us a little about the decision behind forming the company?
“The company was formed when it became clear that the technology had matured beyond academic research, but could not reach industrial impact without a dedicated commercial structure. AlixLabs was created to translate fundamental research into manufacturable, reliable technology by going Lab to Fab, while staying closely connected to its scientific roots.”
What success factors are needed to run a business based on technology that is barely understood by the consumer?
“Credibility, full transparency, and deep technical understanding are critical, as is the ability to explain complex ideas clearly. Trust-building takes time, and close collaboration with research and industrial partners is essential. Finally, the business must respect the underlying science while remaining pragmatic about manufacturing and cost.”
Finally, what has Lund Nano Lab meant for your company, both technologically and commercially?
“Lund Nano Lab has been foundational. AlixLabs would not exist without it. The lab provided the infrastructure, expertise, and long-term perspective needed to develop atomic layer etch and pitch splitting. It shaped both the technology and the mindset behind the company and remains a critical success factor today.”
“AlixLabs Attracts €14,1 Million Series A, Adding Global Brain and Key Institutional Investors to Fuel International Growth” (AlixLabs’ website)