SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pakal Technologies, Inc., an innovator in high-voltage power conversion semiconductor technology, has raised $25 million in Series B funding led by New Science Ventures, with participation from Series A lead Translink Capital and Arborview Capital. With this funding, the company is launching its revolutionary IGTO(t) silicon power switch—a breakthrough in energy conversion efficiency vital for critical industries such as electric and hybrid-electric vehicles (EV), data centers, solar and wind energy, battery/energy storage, induction heating and many others.
Pakal Technologies’ breakthrough IGTO(t) is a vital tool in the global “electrification of everything” transformation. Electric power conversion is already mandatory and ubiquitous. Today, over 80% of global electricity use flows through high-voltage (>600 V) power conversion. With the global electrification transformation that is underway, improved electrical power conversion efficiency becomes even more significant. The incumbent silicon IGBT power semiconductor is an essential work-horse in >95% of these systems globally. Pakal’s IGTO(t) incorporates a novel trench structure and differentiated operational physics to achieve dramatic efficiency gains compared to the IGBT. These efficiency gains at the semiconductor level enable significant electric power conversion efficiency improvements at the system level everywhere the IGBT is in use today. With improved power conversion efficiency, everything electric uses less energy, performs better and costs less.
Redefining Silicon Energy Efficiency in Power Conversion
“As we electrify everything, we will need more and better power conversion technology everywhere. To be truly useful, any new offering must be rapidly and globally scalable, cost-effective, a direct drop-in upgrade, and offer real efficiency gains,” said Ben Quiñones, CEO & Co-Founder of Pakal Technologies. “Our IGTO(t) is the first high-voltage power semiconductor to check all these boxes since the IGBT itself was introduced over forty years ago.”
The IGTO(t) addresses a critical need for high-performance, cost-effective silicon-based power switches. Within the 2032 >$36 billion overall market for high-voltage switches, there is a multi-billion-dollar annual solution gap between emerging more expensive Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices and the incumbent silicon IGBT. From EVs to solar inverters to induction cookers to AI data centers, all hyper-growth applications benefit from – and want – efficiency beyond what the incumbent IGBT can offer. Yet, for most of these applications, SiC will be prohibitively expensive. For others, SiC will not be available at all. Pakal Technologies’ drop-in IGTO(t) fills this High-Voltage Gap.
Fueling Growth and Global Expansion
With this new round of funding, Pakal Technologies aims to expand its operations, fast-track development of its next generations of devices and broaden its customer base globally. The company’s IGTO(t) technology provides a scalable, high-performance solution for a power-hungry world.
“The IGTO(t) core cell is a powerful platform. Our existing 650 V devices are already best in class and we have a clear roadmap to continuously improve and extend our silicon performance advantage for years,” said Dr. Richard Blanchard, Co-founder and Executive Chair. “Shortly we will also extend our product lines into 1200, 1700 and then much higher voltage ranges which are required for important industrial uses and for essential updates to global electric power grids.” Pakal Technologies’s investors are confident that the company is uniquely positioned to shape the future of global electrification. Somu Subramaniam, Managing Partner of New Science Ventures, stated, “Pakal’s technology is ahead of the curve. History shows that in the semiconductor industry silicon is always the dominant player. We expect Pakal to have the best silicon for all high-voltage power uses. We are excited to support Pakal as they pursue the ambitious goal of replacing every IGBT on the planet.”
The 650 V IGTO(t) power switch is available for industry sampling now, and Pakal Technologies will begin mass production in Q1 2025.
For more information or product inquiries, visit http://www.pakal-tech.com.
About Pakal Technologies
Pakal Technologies is a fabless semiconductor company pioneering next-generation power semiconductors to drive the Electrification of Everything. Our patented IGTO(t) technology serves as a direct drop-in upgrade for traditional IGBTs, offering superior efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and global scalability. By enhancing power conversion across applications such as electric vehicles, solar energy, and induction heating, we aim to accelerate the transition to a more electrified and sustainable world.
Media contact:
Amy Cunha, Big Picture PR for Pakal Technologies
amy@bigpicpr.com
415-350-3154
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pakal-technologies/
