Hummink raises €15 million to bring micronic precision printing to advanced manufacturing

Paris based start up Hummink announced on 17 November 2025 that it has raised €15 million to accelerate deployment of a sub-micron printing technology aimed at repairing microscopic defects in semiconductors and next generation displays. Founded in 2020 as a spin off from the École Normale Supérieure and the CNRS, the company is positioning its High Precision Capillary Printing technology as a complementary tool to traditional lithography to increase yields, reduce scrap and cut material waste.

What the technology is and how it differs from lithography

Funding round, investors and stated objectives

The €15 million round was co led by KBC Focus Fund and Bpifrance Deeptech Ventures and includes participation from historical investors Elaia Partners and Sensinnovat. The European Innovation Council Fund is listed as a backer, and the company says the new capital will accelerate development of an industrial printing module and prepare HPCaP for full integration into semiconductor and display fabs.

Claims, evidence and independent validation

Hummink makes several quantifiable claims. The company says that up to 30 percent of some OLED display production is discarded yearly because of microscopic defects. It converts that figure into a monetised loss estimate of about €16 billion and an environmental measure comparing wasted material to an area equivalent to 6,000 football fields. Hummink also reports early tests with display manufacturers that suggest its solution could boost yields by around 10 percent. The company states that NAZCA systems are already installed in labs and research centres across Europe, Asia and the United States, and highlights a Duke University publication in Nature Electronics that used the technology to produce fully recyclable sub micrometer printed electronics.

These claims have supporting signals, including academic use cases and multiple demo installs. At the same time they should be treated with caution. The display waste and monetary loss figures are large scale extrapolations from industry averages and may not reflect variation between fabs and product generations. The stated 10 percent yield improvement comes from early tests and is not the same as qualification which is required before high volume fabs will accept a new process. Qualification involves rigorous testing of throughput, contamination control, reliability and integration with existing inspection and automation systems.

Market fit, technical hurdles and scaling risks

Hummink targets segments under intense pressure from yield issues, such as OLED displays, advanced packaging, next generation memory and specialty chips used in artificial intelligence and high performance computing. These markets are attractive because marginal yield improvements translate into large revenue gains for manufacturers, and because manufacturing tolerances continue to shrink as features approach sub micron sizes.

Converting an R and D demonstrator into an inline production tool is technically demanding. Key challenges include meeting fab clean room standards, achieving cycle times compatible with production throughput, ensuring long term stability of deposited materials, avoiding cross contamination between different inks or processes, and integrating with optical or electron beam inspection systems that detect defects. Each of these aspects is typically covered by multi year qualification campaigns with tier one suppliers and equipment vendors.

The company also forecasts operational growth, saying it expects to double its workforce by 2026 and to double revenue by year end. Such forecasts are common in start up announcements but often depend on achieving successful customer qualifications and on-scale manufacturing of hardware modules.

Strategic context in the EU innovation and industrial landscape

Hummink sits at the intersection of European deep tech research and industrial policy priorities around semiconductor resilience, digital competitiveness and sustainability. The involvement of Bpifrance Deeptech Ventures and the European Innovation Council Fund signals a public and quasi public interest in building capabilities along the semiconductor value chain. Europe has sought to increase domestic capacity in chips and related equipment, and tools that can improve yield and reduce waste address both competitiveness and environmental angles.

However, turning a lab scale innovation into a component of high volume fabs requires collaboration with foundries, equipment OEMs and materials suppliers. The presence of investors with semiconductor know how is helpful. Still, integration timelines are typically measured in multiple years, and widespread adoption depends on demonstrating return on investment under production conditions.

Installed base and research collaborations

What to watch next

Key milestones that will determine whether Hummink moves from promising deep tech to industrial supplier include delivery of an industrial printing module, documented qualification milestones with tier one display and semiconductor fabs, metrics demonstrating production throughput and contamination control, further independent publications or third party validation, and concrete commercial contracts that link payments to production scale. Watch for updates on customer pilot outcomes, revenue bookings tied to module sales or consumables, and any partnerships with equipment OEMs or materials suppliers.

Founders and organisational snapshot

Hummink was founded in 2020 by materials scientist Amin M Barki and hardware operator Pascal Boncenne as a spin off from the École Normale Supérieure and the CNRS. The founders position the company as a way to 'bring precision where it has never been possible before' and to provide manufacturers with 'a practical way to improve yields, cut waste, and make advanced technologies more sustainable.' The company reports teams across the United States, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea and says it will hire to grow its workforce in 2026.

About this article and source note

This article restructures and expands on information provided in Hummink's press release of 17 November 2025. It adds context about technical challenges, market dynamics and EU innovation policy. The original announcement is the primary source for the funding figures and the company quotes. Independent verification of commercial claims, yield improvement figures and qualification status is not provided here and should be sought in follow up reporting.

Learn more about Hummink via the Horizon Europe database and the company's official website for technical papers and product details.