News: Suppliers
15 April 2026
AlixLabs closes €15m Series A with strategic investment from Stephen Industries
In first-quarter 2026, Sweden-based semiconductor equipment maker AlixLabs AB (which was spun off from Lund University in 2019, specializing in atomic layer epitaxy) closed its Series A funding round following a strategic investment from Stephen Industries, a Finnish investment company with a track record in scaling advanced technology ventures.
The investment marks a strategic milestone for AlixLabs as it continues to develop its proprietary atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) solutions with especially its flagship APS (Atomic Pitch Splitting) technology aimed at enabling more precise, efficient and cost-effective semiconductor fabrication.
A key dimension of the partnership is the involvement of Kustaa Poutiainen of Stephen Industries, whose experience in building and scaling deep-tech companies brings strategic value, it is rec koned. Poutiainen previously played a central role in the growth of Picosun, a Nordic atomic layer deposition (ALD) company that became a global leader in its field. Given the close technological relationship between ALD and ALE, this track record is particularly relevant to AlixLabs’ mission, the firm reckons.
“Stephen Industries brings deep industrial expertise and a proven ability to scale companies in adjacent technology domains,” says AlixLabs’ CEO Jonas Sundqvist. “Kustaa’s experience with Picosun is especially valuable as we move from development toward broader commercialization of our APS platform.”
Atomic layer etching is widely seen as a critical enabler for future semiconductor nodes, complementing ALD processes by allowing atomic-scale precision in material removal, says AlixLabs. As device architectures become increasingly complex, ALE is expected to play a central role in manufacturing.
“AlixLabs operates in a highly promising space within semiconductor process technology,” comments Stephen Industries’ chairman & president Kustaa Poutiainen. “Having seen first-hand how ALD evolved from a niche innovation to a critical industry standard, I see strong parallels with ALE. AlixLabs has the potential to follow a similar trajectory.”
The new funding will be used to accelerate product development, expand technical capabilities, and strengthen partnerships with semiconductor manufacturers.
AlixLabs appoints Arthur van der Poel to advisory board
AlixLabs raises €15m in Series A funding round to accelerate APS beta testing
