Semiconductor industry leader takes the helm to accelerate Beneq’s next phase of growth in atomic layer deposition

Espoo, Finland, 8 May, 2026 – Beneq Oy, the home of atomic layer deposition (ALD), today announced the appointment of Dr. Jason Harrison as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Harrison succeeds Dr. Tommi Vainio and will lead Beneq into its next phase of growth across semiconductor, optical, and emerging technology markets.

A Strategic Leadership Transition
Beneq enters its next phase of growth from a position of strong commercial momentum. Recent milestones include the qualification of the Beneq Transform® cluster tool for volume production of GaN power and RF filter devices; the introduction of Beneq Transmute™ and Beneq Transform® XP, both engineered for high-volume manufacturing (HVM) of specialty semiconductors; growing adoption of the P-Series for coating critical chamber parts in advanced node devices; and selection of the C2R™ for AR waveguide production in next-generation XR optics.

Against this backdrop, the Board of Directors has determined that the time is right to align executive leadership with the company's evolving strategic priorities. As part of this transition, Dr. Tommi Vainio has decided to step down as CEO to pursue other opportunities. The Board of Directors extends its sincere thanks to Tommi, whose leadership advanced Beneq's technology platform, strengthened its market position in thin film deposition, and guided the company through important stages of its development.

A Proven Leader for a Scaling ALD Business
Dr. Harrison brings extensive global experience across the semiconductor and advanced technology sectors. He holds a Ph.D. in Quantum Chemistry and has built a distinguished career spanning device manufacturing, process development, and equipment solutions, with senior leadership roles at Intel, Lam Research, Veeco, and Applied Materials covering research and development, new product introduction, global account management, and business unit leadership. This combination of technical depth and commercial acumen positions him to scale Beneq’s commercial execution and growth across its global customer base.

Looking Ahead
Under Jason’s leadership, Beneq will accelerate strategic execution across its expanding portfolio, deepen customer engagement across North America, Asia, and Europe, and continue investing in innovative ALD solutions from R&D to HVM to deliver long-term value to customers, employees, and stakeholders.

Dr. Patrick Rabinzohn, Member of the Board of Directors, Beneq, said: “Jason brings the technical depth, the business and account management experience, and the global perspective Beneq needs at this stage of its growth. His academic background and compelling track record across the semiconductor industry positions Jason to build on the momentum the company generated especially.”

Dr. Jason Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Beneq, added: “Beneq has a strong technology foundation, a talented team, and a growing pipeline of customers in some of the most important markets in semiconductors and optics. I look forward to working with the team to accelerate execution and deliver on the trust our customers place in us.”

About Beneq
Beneq pioneered industrial production of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) with the introduction of the first commercial ALD equipment in 1984. Today, Beneq advances ALD adoption and validation with a portfolio that includes the Beneq Transform®, Transform XP, Transform 300, and Transmute™ for specialty semiconductor device fabrication; TFS 200 and TFS 500 for R&D; the P400A, P800, and P1500 batch systems for coating critical semiconductor chamber components and complex part geometries; and spatial ALD platforms such as the C2R™ and roll-to-roll processing equipment. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Beneq enables ALD integration from lab to fab for semiconductors, optics, and functional coatings.

Press Contacts
Lie Luo
Head of Marketing
[email protected]

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ROSENHEIM, Germany / KUALA LUMPUR, 5 May 2026 — esmo group (esmo), a leading global full-service systems integrator, developer, and supplier of advanced automation solutions for the semiconductor test industry, today announces the debut of its X-change Cart. A dedicated, semi-automated Device Interface Board (DIB) exchange system that enables a complete load board changeover by a single operator in under one minute, the X-change Cart addresses the safety, efficiency, and reliability challenges associated with manual board handling on the semiconductor test floor.

In high-mix semiconductor test environments, load board changeovers are a frequent and operationally significant activity. The reliance on manual handling has long presented challenges around changeover time, operator safety, and the risk of damage to high-value boards.

“Across test floors, we kept seeing the same pattern,” said Josef Weinberger, Head of Business Unit, esmo semicon. “Board changeovers were slow, physically demanding, and too dependent on individual technique. In tight spaces, that's where mistakes happen and time is lost. That observation drove us to build a dedicated solution that makes changeovers fast, repeatable, and manageable by a single operator in under a minute.”

Engineered for the Modern Test Floor

The X-change Cart removes the physical demands and variability of manual board handling from the equation entirely. Through a structured, HMI-controlled process, a single operator can lock, rotate, and transfer a board to the tester within a minute. The ability to carry two boards in a single trip makes that timescale achievable in practice. Thoughtful design details, including a ±180° rotation at the locking mechanism and a ±90° tower swivel, address the real-world constraints of a busy test floor.

Broad compatibility with leading ATE platforms (e.g. Teradyne, Advantest, SPEA and more) facilitates integration into existing multi-vendor environments without reconfiguration, allowing OSATs and IDMs to realise multiple benefits without disruption to their current setup.

For facilities with longer-term automation objectives, an optional configuration allows the interface tower to be mounted onto a customized AGV or AMR, providing a practical upgrade path toward autonomous test floor operations. The modular design further allows additional features to be incorporated as operational requirements evolve.

Weinberger added, “Reliability in production comes down to the details. The gripper head is engineered to perform consistently under real production conditions, with ESD-safe construction ensuring the board is protected at every point of contact. That level of engineering discipline is what makes the difference on a real production floor.”

X-change Cart Key Features

• Modular DIB exchange system for reliable, error-free board loading and unloading
• One-person operation — complete board change in under one minute
• Transports two load boards simultaneously for rapid exchange
• Full multi-axis rotation: ±180° at locking mechanism | ±180° Y-axis | ±90° Z-axis
• Compatible with leading ATE platforms — Teradyne, Advantest, SPEA and more
• Interfaces with test head, prober, DIB-loader, storage rack, and maintenance workbench
• Tower swivels ±90° for use in narrow corridors and constrained test floor layouts
• Integrated Human-Machine Interface (HMI), sensor detection, safety hand-brake, and modular battery
• Optional: fully automated configuration mountable on AGV or AMR

The X-change Cart will be available for live demonstration at the esmo booth throughout SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026. Visit esmo at Booth 2145, Hall 8, Level 2, MITEC Kuala Lumpur from 5–7 May 2026, or contact [email protected] to arrange a meeting or request further information.

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 29 April 2026 – DAS Environmental Experts presents its latest sustainable technologies at SEMICON SEA 2026 (May 5–7, MITEC, Booth 1174). The focus is on closing resource loops in semiconductor manufacturing through integrated waste gas and water treatment.

Integrated environmental technologies for next-generation fabs

Governor Abbott joined leadership from The Texas A&M University System and Texas Representative Paul Dyson on April 9 to break ground for the nearly 80,000-square-foot facility for the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute (TSI).

"Texas and America must be microchip independent," said Governor Abbott. "We must ensure we lead the way forward. This groundbreaking is a giant step toward achieving that independence. Texas A&M is accelerating in innovation, and cementing Texas' position as the global leader for semiconductors."

The A&M System Board of Regents approved the establishment of TSI in May 2023 in response to federal and state-level CHIPS and Science Act legislation. By June 2023, Gov. Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act that appropriated $1.4 billion for semiconductor research, development and manufacturing in Texas, with $226.4 million directly allocated to the A&M System.

“At the A&M System, our job is to see where the state and country are going — and build ahead of it,” said Jay Graham, vice chairman of the Board of Regents. “This project does exactly that. It strengthens Texas. It strengthens our workforce. And it strengthens the country.”

“This is a facility designed for semiconductor research and workforce training,” said Glenn Hegar, chancellor for the A&M System. “It includes advanced cleanrooms, fabrication space and flexible labs to mirror real-world production environments. That is how you build a workforce and strengthen an industry.”

The A&M System named Dr. E. Steve Putna the inaugural director of TSI in July 2024. Putna came to TSI with more than 25 years of extensive experience in the semiconductor industry, particularly in manufacturing and supply chain management at Intel Corporation.

“This groundbreaking marks a significant step forward for TSI,” said Putna. “We are celebrating more than a new building; we are celebrating our collective mission to drive economic growth in Texas through workforce development; disruptive, next-generation research; and impactful collaborations in support of national security and the semiconductor resurgence in the United States.”

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Rogue Valley Microdevices (RVM), a U.S.-based pure-play MEMS foundry, today announced the launch of its foundry-flexible MEMS Design Services, expanding its ability to support customers from early concept through production-ready device design.

This new capability allows customers to work with RVM as a design partner independent of fabrication location. Customers can develop manufacturable MEMS devices with RVM and then choose to fabricate at the foundry that best aligns with their technical requirements, capacity needs, and supply chain strategy.

RVM offers three flexible engagement models:
• Design – MEMS device design, modeling, and layout development
• Design & Technology Transfer – Design with structured transfer to a customer-selected foundry
• Design & Fabricate – Integrated design-to-manufacturing within RVM’s MEMS foundry

This approach gives customers greater control over development risk, cost, and supply chain resilience while ensuring designs are grounded in real fabrication processes from the start.

To lead this initiative, Rogue Valley Microdevices has appointed Scott Rauscher, PhD, a MEMS engineering leader with nearly two decades of experience spanning U.S. government research, defense programs, and commercial technology development.

MEMS Design Services at Rogue Valley Microdevices

The addition of design services reflects growing demand for deeper collaboration during device development and increased flexibility in selecting manufacturing partners.

“Many of our customers are pushing the boundaries of MEMS performance and integration, and that requires close collaboration between design and manufacturing,” said Jessica Gomez, CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices. “By adding design services alongside our fabrication capabilities, we help customers accelerate development, optimize device performance, and move more efficiently from concept to commercialization. Scott Rauscher’s experience across design, modeling, and microfabrication makes him the ideal leader to build this capability.”

RVM’s Design Services support customers across key areas of MEMS development, including:
• MEMS device design and layout development
• Implementation of design rule checks and layout standards
• Design-of-experiment (DOE) array creation
• Integration of process monitors for lithography, etch, and thin film validation
• Process flow development and refinement for manufacturability

RVM’s engineering team works closely with customers to align device design with proven fabrication methods, reducing iteration cycles and improving first-pass success.
In parallel, Rogue Valley Microdevices is developing more automated design workflows using industry tools such as L-Edit and K-Layout, while advancing toward a formal Process Design Kit (PDK) to further streamline collaboration and accelerate development timelines.

Scott Rauscher Joins Rogue Valley Microdevices Team

Scott Rauscher brings extensive experience in MEMS design and technology development across both government and industry. Most recently at L3Harris Technologies, he led process architecture and technology strategy while managing a microfabrication and design engineering team. In that role, he developed critical device technology and helped grow it into a portfolio exceeding $80 million.

His career also includes leadership roles at the Naval Surface Warfare Center and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, where he served as a MEMS device inventor and microfabrication lead. Rauscher holds more than ten patents issued and pending and has been active in industry and research organizations, including the Florida Semiconductor Institute, the MMEC consortium’s Quantum Working Group, and national semiconductor infrastructure initiatives.

“Rogue Valley Microdevices is uniquely positioned to help customers bridge the gap between innovative device concepts and manufacturable products,” said Dr. Scott Rauscher, Chief Innovation Officer, Rogue Valley Microdevices. “With the new Palm Bay facility coming online and the addition of integrated design services, we have an opportunity to build a collaborative environment where device engineers can work closely with the fab to accelerate development and scale promising technologies into production.”

The launch of Design Services marks another step forward for Rogue Valley Microdevices as it prepares to open its Palm Bay facility and expand its U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities. Together with the company’s established operations in Medford, Oregon, the new fab will strengthen domestic MEMS production capacity while providing customers with greater supply chain resilience and advanced wafer services.

To learn more about RVM’s Design Services, please contact: [email protected]

About Rogue Valley Microdevices

Rogue Valley Microdevices (RVM) is a U.S.-based pure-play MEMS foundry providing integrated design services, MEMS manufacturing, and wafer services, enabling customers to move efficiently from concept to scalable manufacturing. RVM supports the full MEMS development lifecycle, from device design and process development to volume manufacturing. By aligning design with proven fabrication processes from the outset, RVM helps reduce development risk and accelerate time to market.
With operations in Medford, Oregon, and a new 300 mm MEMS-capable facility in Palm Bay, Florida, RVM supports applications across MEMS, sensors, photonics, and specialty post-CMOS technologies. The company serves customers in industries including healthcare and biotech, industrial sensing, aerospace and defense, communications, and advanced electronics. By combining collaborative design expertise, flexible process development, and domestic manufacturing capability, RVM delivers a transparent, customer-focused approach that strengthens supply chain resilience and provides a clear path from innovation to volume manufacturing.
For more information, visit www.roguevalleymicro.com

Media Contact:
Maria Doyle
Doyle Strategic Communications (for Rogue Valley Microdevices)
781-964-3536
[email protected]

• Read more about Rogue Valley Microdevices Launches MEMS Design Services; Names Industry Veteran Scott Rauscher as Chief Innovation Officer to Lead the Initiative

Strong AI and Advanced Node Demand to Propel Semiconductor Equipment Investments Beyond $150 Billion for the First Time

MILPITAS, Calif. – April 1, 2026 – Worldwide 300mm fab equipment spending is expected to increase 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and 14% to $151 billion in 2027, SEMI reported today in its latest 300mm Fab Outlook. This strong growth reflects surging AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices, as well as the growing commitment to semiconductor self-sufficiency across key regions through localized industrial ecosystems and supply chain restructuring.

Looking further out, the report projects investment will continue to increase 3% to $155 billion in 2028 and another 11% to $172 billion in 2029, respectively.

“AI is resetting the scale of semiconductor manufacturing investment,” said Ajit Manocha, President and CEO of SEMI. “With global 300mm fab equipment spending projected to exceed $150 billion in 2027 for the first time, the industry is making historic, sustained commitments to the advanced capacity and resilient supply chains needed to power the AI era.”

Segment Growth

The Logic & Micro segment is expected to spearhead equipment expansion with $228 billion in total investments from 2027 to 2029 mainly due to strong foundry sector demand, driven by sub-2nm cutting-edge capacity investments. Advanced node technology is essential to enhance chip performance and power efficiency to meet rigorous chip design requirements for various AI applications. More advanced node technology is expected to enter volume production from 2027 to 2029. Additionally, AI performance improvements are anticipated to drive massive growth in various edge AI devices. Beyond advanced nodes, demand across all nodes and various electronics devices is anticipated to grow moderately, supporting investment in mature nodes as well.

The memory segment is projected to rank second in equipment spending, totaling $175 billion from 2027 to 2029. This period marks the start of a new growth cycle for the segment. Within the memory category, DRAM equipment spending is expected to reach $111 billion cumulatively from 2027 to 2029, while 3D NAND equipment spending is estimated to be $62 billion during the same time frame. 

The demand for memory has significantly increased due to AI training and inference. AI training has notably driven up the demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), while model inference has created substantial demand for storage capacity, thus boosting the growth of NAND Flash applications in data centers. This strong demand has led to sustained high levels of investment in the memory supply chain over the near and long term, helping to cushion potential downturns from traditional memory cycle fluctuations.

Regional Investment Trends

Global 300mm fab equipment investment is expected to remain broadly distributed across the major semiconductor manufacturing regions from 2027 to 2029, reflecting a mix of advanced-node expansion, memory capacity additions, and policy-supported supply chain localization. China, Taiwan, Korea, and the Americas are each expected to see substantial levels of spending during the period, while Japan, Europe & Middle East, and Southeast Asia also continue to expand investment from a smaller base. 

In China, investment is expected to remain supported by ongoing domestic capacity expansion and national initiatives aimed at strengthening semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. In the Taiwan region, spending is projected to be driven primarily by continued expansion of leading-edge foundry capacity, including 2nm and sub-2nm technologies. Korea’s investment outlook remains closely tied to the memory sector, where AI-related demand is supporting another cycle of capacity and technology upgrades. In the Americas, spending is expected to be underpinned by advanced process expansion and broader efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing ecosystems. 

Japan, Europe & Middle East, and Southeast Asia are also expected to post meaningful growth through 2029. In these regions, equipment investment is supported by a combination of government incentives, supply chain resilience strategies, and targeted efforts to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity.

Part of the SEMI Fab Forecast database, the SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook lists 404 facilities and lines globally. The report reflects 198 updates and 9 new fabs/lines projects since its last publication in December 2025. 

For more information on the report or to subscribe, please contact the SEMI Market Intelligence Team at [email protected]. Details on SEMI market data are available at SEMI Market Intelligence.  

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About SEMI

SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 3,000 member companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members’ business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit www.semi.org, contact a regional office, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and X to learn more

• Read more about SEMI Projects Double-Digit Growth in Global 300mm Fab Equipment Spending for 2026 and 2027

High-performance connectivity software delivers structured, high-volume equipment data required by tier-one fabs and advanced packaging facilities ahead of the expected mid-2026 SEMI standards update

POITIERS, March 25, 2026 – Agileo Automation, a leading provider of control and connectivity solutions for global semiconductor manufacturing, today unveils Agil'EDA, a new software solution implementing Equipment Data Acquisition (EDA), a set of SEMI standards also known as Interface A, to enable semiconductor equipment manufacturers to meet the evolving high-performance connectivity requirements of tier-one fabs and advanced packaging facilities.

As semiconductor manufacturing moves towards higher levels of automation and data-driven optimization, fab owners increasingly require EDA alongside traditional SECS/GEM connectivity from semiconductor OEMs for their production tools. Agil'EDA addresses this by separating the control flow from the data flow, ensuring that structured, high-frequency data collection does not interfere with critical equipment operations.
Designed for long-term deployment, Agil'EDA fully supports the widely used EDA Freeze 2 (SOAP/XML) and is architected for the transition to Freeze 3 (gRPC/protocol buffers). This next-generation standard offers significantly higher data throughput and reduced latency. Agileo has already successfully tested and validated its EDA Freeze 3 implementation at SEMI’s North America Standards Fall Meetings in November 2024 in Milpitas, California. SEMI’s EDA Freeze 3 standards suite is expected to be released mid-2026.

Complementing the SECS/GEM standards used to control equipment behavior, Agil’EDA incorporates robust cybersecurity features such as authentication and encrypted communications. The product is available as a stand-alone solution for any existing equipment software using a platform-independent gRPC application programming interface (API) to communicate with it or as a pre-integrated component within Agileo’s A²ECF-SEMI framework. When used with Agil'GEM and Agil'GEM300, it provides a comprehensive connectivity solution that significantly reduces time to market for OEMs.

"With the growing demand for data to improve yield in tier-one fabs, as well as in Advanced Packaging and 3D integration, EDA is no longer optional. It is becoming a mandatory requirement for equipment entering the world's most advanced fabs," explains Marc Engel, chief executive officer of Agileo Automation. "The key value we deliver for OEMs is a fast and easy adoption path for a seamless EDA architecture that delivers compliant production machines to global fab customers. By providing a future-proof architecture ready for Freeze 3, which will significantly increase performance, we address OEMs’ current needs while preparing them for the evolving requirements of semiconductor manufacturing, including AI-driven process control."

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About Agileo Automation
Agileo Automation is a trusted partner for equipment manufacturers, helping them build smarter, automated, and more connected machines that integrate seamlessly into advanced semiconductor fabs. Founded in 2010 in Poitiers, France, Agileo helps OEMs with control, communication, data acquisition, and testing across their tools through proven software and expert support. Its flagship A²ECF-SEMI framework provides a solid foundation for developing equipment controllers fully aligned with SEMI SECS/GEM, GEM300, and EDA standards. As an active member of SEMI and the OPC Foundation, Agileo Automation contributes directly to shaping the standards that drive manufacturing. For more information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

• Read more about Agileo Automation Launches Agil'EDA to Accelerate SEMI EDA Adoption for Semiconductor Equipment OEMs

Dresden, Germany, March 24, 2026 – As semiconductor manufacturing continues to expand in China, reliable and efficient environmental technologies are becoming increasingly important for stable and sustainable fab operation. DAS Environmental Experts presents its SALIX wet scrubber product family, a series of high-efficiency point-of-use systems designed for the treatment of waste gases from wet chemical processes in semiconductor manufacturing.

SALIX systems are engineered to ensure high removal efficiency and stable operation in demanding semiconductor production environments. SALIX reliably removes substances such as IPA, ammonia and hydrofluoric acid (HF) from waste gas streams of modern single wafer clean systems – a key contribution to safe and sustainable semiconductor manufacturing. In addition, the technology removes particles, salts and droplets from the processed gas stream. The robust system design supports high uptime and long maintenance intervals, contributing to reliable fab operation.

A key advantage of the SALIX product family is its flexible portfolio. SALIX products are among the smallest and most compact systems on the market and are suitable for both new fabs and retrofit applications in existing fabs. DAS Environmental Experts offers the technology in four different products, providing semiconductor manufacturers with a wide range of configuration options:

• NEW: SALIX – the latest release with improved performance and optimized system operation
• SALIX MINI – a compact two-stage system for space-constrained installations
• NEW: SALIX MICRO [SR1.1]– a highly compact configuration with pre-scrubber section for flexible integration

This structured product portfolio enables customers to select the most suitable system according to process requirements, fab layout and integration needs. The availability of multiple system variants within one technology platform provides semiconductor manufacturers with excellent flexibility in system selection and plant design.

SALIX systems are designed for compatibility with all common process tools and can be adapted to a wide range of wet chemical applications. Their compact design and flexible configuration support efficient integration into modern fabs, helping manufacturers optimize both environmental performance and operational efficiency.

The SALIX product family will be presented during SEMICON China 2026 (March 25–27, Shanghai New International Expo Centre). Interested visitors can learn more about the technology and its applications at the DAS Environmental Experts booth (Booth N2 | 2619).

With more than three decades of experience in environmental technology for the semiconductor industry, DAS Environmental Experts continues to support chip manufacturers worldwide with solutions that combine high process reliability, efficient emission treatment and long-term operational stability.

About the Company
DAS Environmental Experts Group (DAS Group), headquartered in Dresden, Germany, was founded in 1991 and is now a global organization with subsidiaries on three continents and more than 950 employees worldwide. Over the past three decades, DAS Group has become one of the leading technology and equipment providers for waste gas abatement solutions with a focus on semiconductor industry.
In addition, DAS Group develops advanced process and system solutions for industrial water treatment, with extensive expertise in the recycling and reuse of wastewater from the semiconductor industry.
DAS solutions are engineered to meet the stringent purity requirements of semiconductor manufacturing, helping clients comply with global environmental standards.

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Location: Richardson, Texas

Modus Test, a leader in advanced test socket testing solutions and performance validation, and yieldWerx, a semiconductor data and yield analytics platform, today announced a strategic partnership to help close the gap between test hardware and yield intelligence. The collaboration combines Modus Test’s high-performance socket test technology with yieldWerx’s enterprise-scale yield management platform to provide manufacturers with direct visibility into the relationship between socket health and device performance.

The partnership addresses a long-standing disconnect between test execution and data analytics in high- volume manufacturing. Degraded, misaligned, or worn sockets can introduce false failures or escapes without clear root-cause identification. By integrating hardware performance data with yield analytics, manufacturers can better distinguish contact-related artifacts from true silicon failures.
Through this partnership, customers can now:
• Monitor and trend socket performance across testers, sites, and handlers
• Correlate device failures to specific sockets, test cells, or contact events
• Identify unnecessary device rejects caused by socket degradation
• Detect potential escapes where devices pass due to intermittent contact issues
• Optimize preventive maintenance cycles using data-driven insights

By integrating Modus Test equipment data with yieldWerx’s wafer-, lot-, and device-level analytics, manufacturers gain the ability to separate true device behavior from test interface variability, improving confidence in test outcomes and accelerating root-cause resolution.

About yieldWerx
yieldWerx provides a semiconductor yield management platform that enables manufacturers to collect, analyze, and act on production data across the manufacturing lifecycle. The platform consolidates data from wafer fabrication through final test, delivering visibility into product quality, process performance, and yield improvement opportunities.

About ModusTest
Modus Test, LLC was founded on the idea that there are creative ways to improve results by combining innovation with the best-known methods in test design and manufacturing. Providing innovative test solutions includes the MPT series of parametric tests, systems, and accessories. Modus Test has a global presence and the capability to support customers in all the IC development centers and high-volume manufacturing sites around the world. See for yourself how combining innovation with best-known methods can improve your results.

Statements from Leadership
“yieldWerx was built to unify disparate manufacturing data into actionable yield intelligence,” said Aftkhar Aslam, CEO of yieldWerx. “Valuable data exists across testers, handlers, sockets, MES systems, and inspection tools, but it often remains siloed. Our platform connects these domains into a unified analytical framework that enables faster, data-driven decisions that reduce costs.”

“This partnership represents an important step forward in bringing greater transparency and intelligence to semiconductor test,” said Jesse Ko, COO of Modus Test. “Modus Test’s high-performance socket validation solutions, combined with yieldWerx’s powerful analytics platform, create a closed-loop ecosystem where hardware performance and yield outcomes are fully correlated. Together, we are enabling a smarter, more adaptive test environment.”

For further information, please visit https://www.yieldWerx.com or https://www.ModusTest.org.

• Read more about Modus Test Partners with yieldWerx to Deliver Closed-Loop Socket to Silicon Correlation

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 28, 2026) – EMASS, a Nanoveu subsidiary specializing in next-generation semiconductor technology, today announced the successful tape-out of its 16nm ECS-DoT system-on-chip (SoC). The device has entered fabrication at TSMC, marking the transition of EMASS’s next-generation ultra-low-power edge AI architecture from final design into production silicon.

The 16nm ECS-DoT represents a process-node and architectural scaling of EMASS’s proven 22nm ECS-DoT platform, increasing compute density, memory bandwidth and system integration while preserving the ultra-low-power design principles that define the ECS-DoT family. The move to 16nm enables higher logic density and tighter subsystem integration, supporting more complex always-on workloads within the same constrained power envelopes required at the extreme edge.

The current 22nm ECS-DoT SoC is EMASS’s commercially available platform and is actively being designed into customer products today, including applications across wearables, industrial sensors, asset tracking, smart infrastructure and other always-on edge use cases. This in-market traction provides a production-proven foundation for the 16nm ECS-DoT, enabling customers to scale existing designs to higher performance and integration without changing software workflows or system architecture.

By transitioning to 16nm, EMASS is able to expand on-chip SRAM capacity, integrate additional system-level functions and enhance AI and DSP acceleration without altering the underlying programming model or software toolchain. Wireless connectivity, dedicated AI accelerators and fine-grained power-management blocks are tightly coupled within a single SoC, reducing reliance on external components and enabling continuous, low-latency operation in battery-powered and energy-harvesting edge devices.

“Reaching tape-out confirms that our ultra-low-power edge AI approach scales cleanly to more advanced nodes,” shared Mark Goranson, CEO of EMASS. “The 16nm ECS-DoT is not just a faster or smaller device. It's proof that always-on intelligence can move into more demanding applications without breaking power, cost or system constraints.”

The 16nm ECS-DoT increases system capability while reducing external component dependency, allowing developers to build more intelligent edge devices with fewer tradeoffs. Key capabilities include:

Fully integrated BLE subsystem — Eliminates the need for external wireless ICs, reducing board area, bill-of-materials cost and design complexity.
Expanded on-chip memory — Supports larger AI models and higher-throughput workloads while minimizing off-chip memory access for improved efficiency.

Adaptive fine-grained power-management architecture — Optimizes energy use for always-on, battery-powered and energy-harvesting applications.

Dedicated object-detection accelerator — Offloads vision workloads to increase throughput and reduce inference latency for edge vision use cases.

Integrated floating-point unit (FP16/FP32) — Accelerates DSP and mixed-precision AI workflows while simplifying developer toolchains and code migration.

Despite the move to a 16nm process node, the ECS-DoT architecture maintains full software compatibility across generations. Developers can migrate applications between the 22nm and 16nm devices with minimal changes, preserving existing investments while unlocking additional performance and system headroom. This continuity allows customers to scale functionality and intelligence over time without redesigning platforms or toolchains, accelerating time-to-market for next-generation edge products.

The tape-out of the 16nm ECS-DoT further strengthens EMASS’s “Atoms-to-Apps” development philosophy, aligning application needs, algorithm design and silicon implementation into a cohesive system-level approach.

“Tape-out validates years of architectural decisions,” said Dr. Mohamed Sabry, founder and CTO of EMASS. “With the 16nm ECS-DoT now in fabrication, we’ve demonstrated that our architecture can deliver higher integration and capability without sacrificing energy efficiency. This milestone positions EMASS to support a broader range of always-on edge AI applications while staying true to the fundamentals that define our platform.”

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About EMASS
EMASS – a subsidiary of Nanoveu Ltd (ASX: NVU) – is an advanced semiconductor company specializing in ultra-low-power AI system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for edge computing. The company's flagship ECS-DoT chip delivers high-performance AI processing for vision, audio, and sensor data directly on-device, maximizing energy efficiency through its RISC-V architecture and non-volatile memory technologies. This always-on intelligence solution is optimized for power- and space-constrained applications including drones, wearables, healthcare devices and industrial IoT systems. For more information, visit nanoveu.com/emass.

About Nanoveu
Nanoveu is a listed company advancing human–machine experiences at the edge through a portfolio that spans ultra-low-power AI and glasses-free 3D technologies. Its subsidiary EMASS designs advanced system-on-chip (SoC) solutions that deliver efficient, scalable on-device AI for smart devices, IoT applications and 3D content transformation – enhancing Nanoveu’s reach across rapidly growing AI, edge computing and 3D content markets. EyeFly3D™ is Nanoveu’s end-to-end platform for glasses-free 3D, uniting proprietary screen technology with sophisticated content processing software and, now, EMASS’s ultra-low-power SoC to bring immersive 3D to a wide range of devices and industries. The Company also develops and markets an advanced range of self-disinfecting and hydrophobic films and coatings under the Nanoshield™ brand, designed for applications including large-scale CSP and photovoltaic solar installations. Together, Nanoveu’s businesses deliver practical innovation that makes devices smarter, environments safer and experiences more immersive.

Media Contact
Zach Hynoski
[email protected]
+1 (732) 581-6237

• Read more about EMASS Tapes Out 16nm ECS-DoT, Advancing Always-On Edge AI