Delft-based chip designer raises €20 million

Delft-based chipmaker Qualinx has raised €20 million from Dutch investors. The funding will allow the company to bring its first chip to market sooner than planned. The chip enables highly accurate positioning via satellite systems such as GPS, Galileo, and China’s BeiDou. By reducing supply-chain risks, the investment strengthens European sovereignty in chip manufacturing.

Investor Invest-NL is contributing €10 million. According to Invest-NL, the technology is uniquely Dutch. The chip is highly energy-efficient—using just 10 milliwatts while tracking a location—and supports multiple satellite systems. Switching to another system only requires a software update.

Earlier production start

The chip will enter production earlier because the testing phase was completed faster than expected. Production was originally scheduled for later this year. The chip is compact (5 by 5 millimeters) and energy-efficient, designed for applications such as drones, smartwatches, smart glasses, and pet trackers.

The chip processes radio signals in an efficient way, reducing power consumption while handling multiple satellite signals simultaneously. Location calculations are performed directly on the chip rather than via the internet, making the system more secure against hacking.

Production in Germany

Manufacturing will take place at GlobalFoundries in Dresden, Germany. This makes Qualinx less dependent on Asian chip fabs. According to Invest-NL, this strengthens Europe’s position in the semiconductor industry and reduces the risk of supply disruptions.

Founded ten years ago

Qualinx was founded ten years ago as a spin-off from TU Delft. The company previously raised €20 million to develop its chip technology.

In addition to Invest-NL, investors include Forward.One, Waterman Ventures, and InnovationQuarter Capital. Later this year, Qualinx plans to raise additional funding to support further growth.