Portland headquartered semiconductor materials innovator ChEmpower has raised $18.7 million in Series A funding to accelerate the commercialization of its abrasive-free planarization technology, a process poised to reshape advanced chip manufacturing. The round was co-led by M Ventures and Rhapsody Venture Partners, with participation from both new and existing investors, including Intel Capital, Pangaea Ventures, Foothill Ventures, In-Q-Tel (IQT), and TEL Venture Capital.
Founded in 2022, ChEmpower specializes in developing polishing pads and chemical solutions used in planarization — a critical process in semiconductor fabrication. The company’s patented abrasive-free approach eliminates the need for traditional abrasives, which often cause surface defects and contribute to manufacturing inefficiencies. Instead, ChEmpower’s technology promises to deliver superior planarity with fewer defects, helping increase chip yield and performance.
“The rapid rise of AI and the demand for sustainable, high-performance semiconductors have created a critical opportunity for ChEmpower,” said Sudhanshu Misra, PhD, CEO and co-founder of ChEmpower. “With this new funding, we will accelerate our operations, extend our market reach, and enhance our product offerings.”
As the semiconductor industry shifts to support ever-shrinking chip nodes — 40% of global wafer production now occurs at nodes smaller than 10nm — the complexity of chip fabrication continues to increase. More planarization steps are required to maintain performance and reliability, creating a pressing need for more efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes. ChEmpower’s technology, which also enables water recovery — a significant environmental benefit considering that up to 40% of a fab’s water usage is tied to planarization — directly addresses this challenge.
Since its founding, ChEmpower has achieved key technical milestones, including the successful demonstration of an abrasive-free 300mm copper planarization process and the establishment of a pilot line for pad production. These achievements have led to strategic partnerships with several leading semiconductor companies and growing interest from customers developing advanced packaging and AI chips.
Industry stakeholders have expressed strong support for the company’s mission and technological promise.
“At a time when the demands of AI and sustainability are reshaping the semiconductor industry, ChEmpower’s innovative approach offers a compelling solution,” said Scott Shaw, Chief of Staff at Intel Capital. “Their scalable, high-performance technology is precisely the type of breakthrough needed to meet the evolving needs of the semiconductor market.”
M Ventures and Rhapsody Venture Partners, the round’s co-leaders, echoed this sentiment.
“ChEmpower’s novel solution exemplifies the kind of high-impact innovation M Ventures backs,” said Owen Lozman, Managing Director at M Ventures. “Their technology could redefine how advanced semiconductor chips, packaging, and quantum devices are built.”
Jessica Freyer, PhD, Partner at Rhapsody Venture Partners, added, “ChEmpower’s value proposition extends beyond cost and performance to sustainability. Their next-generation CMP will unlock new opportunities in semiconductor manufacturing.”
With its Series A capital, ChEmpower plans to expand its engineering and operations teams, scale up manufacturing capabilities, and deepen engagement with global semiconductor fabs aiming to adopt next-generation planarization methods.
