Hummink raises EUR €15 million to boost microchip defect repairs

Paris-based technology company Hummink has secured EUR €15 million in new funding to help manufacturers address micro-level defects in semiconductors and display screens. The company's High-Precision Capillary Printing (HPCaP) technology is designed to enable real-time repair of flaws at a scale that has become critical for high-yield production in the electronics sector.

Funding details

The investment round was co-led by KBC Focus Fund, Cap Horn, and Bpifrance, with participation from Elaia Partners, Sensinnovat, Beeyond, the French Tech Seed fund managed by Bpifrance, and the European Innovation Council Fund. Hummink plans to use the capital to accelerate the development of its industrial printing modules and expand its technology's application in semiconductor and display fabrication plants.

Manufacturing challenge

Semiconductor and high-performance display manufacturing increasingly relies on precise production methods. Small defects at the sub-micron level can cause the failure of entire chip batches or screens, leading to significant financial losses. Hummink's technology, developed as a spin-off from the École Normale Supérieure - PSL and the CNRS, introduces an approach which allows the printing of metals and other materials with high accuracy and the repair of defects in real time.

The technology works by depositing material with a fine-tuned flow, similar to a miniature fountain pen at nanoscopic scale. This method allows for direct correction and construction of circuits, supporting applications in semiconductor packaging, memory technologies, and advanced displays.

Industry application

Traditional lithography remains fundamental in electronics production but does not prevent yield loss caused by defects. Hummink's HPCaP system is positioned as a tool to complement existing processes by pinpointing and correcting flaws, which can result in higher production output, reduced material scrap, and lower environmental impact.

"Our mission is to bring precision where it has never been possible before. Microelectronics is at the heart of the AI revolution, and every micron matters," said Amin M'Barki, Co-Founder and CEO, Hummink.

The company's initial market focus is on OLED displays for smartphones and laptops, an industry where as much as 30 percent of annual production is discarded due to minute defects. This accounts for approximately EUR €16 billion in losses each year, according to Hummink. The technology can recover output that would otherwise be lost, with early integration efforts showing promise for improved yield rates.

Product deployment

Hummink's revenue currently comes from sales of its NAZCA demonstrator, a first-generation printing machine made for R&D labs. The system is in place at laboratories and research centres across Europe, Asia, and the United States, including Duke University, where it was recently used for research published in Nature Electronics.

The company has ongoing qualifications with display manufacturers in Asia facing substantial losses from flawed production. Early tests indicate the solution could deliver yield improvements of around 10 percent.

Expansion plans

Hummink's workforce spans the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. The firm aims to double both its staff and revenue within the coming year, supported by increasing industry demand for its precision printing systems and specially formulated conductive inks.

"With HPCaP, we give manufacturers a practical way to improve yields, cut waste, and make advanced technologies more sustainable," adds Pascal Boncenne, Co-Founder and COO, Hummink.

Investor support

Funding participants cited Hummink's blend of scientific expertise and business application. The European Innovation Council Fund's involvement highlights the strategic value attributed to technologies that can address advanced manufacturing challenges at the sub-micron level. Hummink's next step is scaling the solution for direct integration with mainstream semiconductor and display production lines globally, an objective backed by the latest injection of capital.