QubeDot’s journey from lab demonstrator to microLED scale up and EIC backing

Brussels, May 6th 2024

Summary

›QubeDot evolved from academic projects into a semiconductor scale up focused on CMOS-integrated microLEDs and chip-based microscopes.
›Their iSMILE project is the first EIC-funded effort to have received Pathfinder and Transition support and to reach the Accelerator via the Fast Track route.
›QubeDot plans an initial capacity of about 1 000 wafers per year and aims to automate production to serve EU and US customers across AR, industrial measurement and microscopy.
›The company is pursuing blended finance from the EIC and private investors to fund capital intensive cleanroom expansion and to convert demand into sustained manufacturing.
›The EIC relationship, project officers and leadership programmes played a practical role in preparing the company for commercialization but long lead times and heavy capital needs remain key risks.

QubeDot’s journey from idea to scale up

QubeDot is a European deep tech company that develops and manufactures micro light emitting diodes and CMOS integrated microLED displays for demanding high tech applications. A complementary business unit builds compact digital microscopes aimed at portable and multifunctional use. The company began as an academic project and over roughly a decade moved through successive European Innovation Council funding instruments to reach the EIC Accelerator with blended support.

A notable EIC trajectory

QubeDot’s iSMILE project was highlighted by the EIC as the first funded project to secure both EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition funding and then move to the EIC Accelerator via the Fast Track scheme. The team traces its roots to an earlier ChipScope application and the SMILE project which produced the early microLED demonstrators and a chip based microscope. Those projects were critical for moving from lab research to early customer testing and for attracting further EIC and private support.

Project	EIC Instrument or Route	Role in QubeDot story
ChipScope	EIC Pathfinder application early stage	Initial attempt in 2016 that helped cover first demonstrator costs
SMILE	EIC funded project	Delivered microLEDs and a chip based microscope and enabled early customer tests
iSMILE	EIC Transition and EIC Accelerator via Fast Track	Selected for full blended Accelerator support to scale manufacturing

Founding team, customers and early commercialization

Founders and academic links:The founding team includes cofounder Heiko Brüning, cofounder Jan Gülink who brings semiconductor technology expertise, and a semiconductor professor who stays connected to the company. The start up benefitted from sustained collaboration with the University of Barcelona and TU Braunschweig in the early years.

Customers and end uses:QubeDot reports a diverse customer base across the EU and the United States. Customers include small innovative SMEs and larger listed companies. End applications span augmented reality glasses at the mass market end and industrial machine builders who use microLEDs in sophisticated measurement systems. The company also pursues a separate business line for digital high tech microscopes.

Technology explained and production plans

What are microLEDs:MicroLEDs are very small light emitting diodes measured in micrometers. They offer high brightness, high efficiency and fast response times compared with many other display technologies. Those properties make microLEDs attractive for augmented reality displays, high performance microdisplays and precision illumination in imaging equipment.

CMOS integrated microLED displays:Integrating microLEDs with CMOS backplanes means combining the light emitting elements directly with control circuitry. That approach can yield denser pixel arrays, lower power consumption and better performance for tiny displays used in AR headsets or chip based microscopes. CMOS integration raises manufacturing complexity because it requires alignment of semiconductor processes and often bespoke fabrication flows.

Manufacturing scale metrics reported by QubeDot:QubeDot says an initial production start under the EIC Accelerator will allow around 1 000 wafers per year. The company estimates roughly 80 to 100 million microLEDs per wafer. Those figures can produce meaningful volumes for niche high tech markets but are modest compared with large scale consumer semiconductor fabs. QubeDot plans to roll out automation over the next five years to raise throughput and reduce per unit costs.

Cleanroom facilities and capital intensity:To meet customer demand and avoid capacity bottlenecks from shared foundry use, QubeDot is investing in its own cleanroom and semiconductor toolset. Semiconductor machinery lead times can exceed 24 months. Building and equipping a cleanroom is capital intensive and typically requires both grant and equity finance to bridge the long time to volume production.

Funding, EIC role and fundraising plans

QubeDot describes its financing path as bootstrapped to date. The company secured EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition funding and has been selected for full blended EIC Accelerator support. Blended support means a combination of grant and equity provided by the EIC Fund. The equity portion from the EIC requires matching private investor capital. QubeDot expects the EIC investment together with private money to constitute its series A round. The company is actively fundraising to match the EIC equity component.

Fast Track and project officer support:QubeDot’s move to the Accelerator was enabled by a Fast Track process where projects from other EIC instruments or eligible programmes can access the full Accelerator application stage after a project review. The company credits its project officers for helping to shorten timelines and for facilitating entry into the Fast Track. Heiko Brüning named project officers Ivica Cubichas and Cristina Boto-Juarez as having provided practical support.

Practical benefits and limits of EIC backing

The EIC’s blended Accelerator support is among the largest funding instruments in the EU for early stage deep tech companies. For capital heavy technologies such as microLED manufacturing the scale of funding matters. QubeDot highlights that the EIC programmes also provide business development support such as leadership training. For example a team member, Malina, participated in the EIC Women Leadership programme which the company says helped with pitching and business preparedness.

At the same time, substantial challenges remain. Semiconductor tools have long lead times. Building volumes and lowering costs require automation and process maturity. Winning initial customers does not guarantee long term profitability if the costs of production remain high. Relying on a single or few funding sources also brings execution risk if private investors are slow to match equity commitments.

Geopolitics, European competitiveness and digital sovereignty

QubeDot argues that keeping key proprietary technology and manufacturing in the EU supports European digital sovereignty by shortening external dependencies for chips and LED components. That is consistent with broader EU policy to build resilient semiconductor and photonics supply chains. However sovereignty at a regional level depends on scale, diversification and a supporting supply chain of equipment, materials and talent. A single factory helps but a broader industrial ecosystem and sustained investment are needed to displace large incumbent manufacturing hubs outside Europe.

Advice to entrepreneurs and outlook

Heiko Brüning’s advice for deep tech founders:Heiko recommends three practical steps. First build academic ties to get access to expensive test equipment and early development environments. Second engage potential customers early to validate market requirements. Third seek top academic partners and pursue competitive funding such as EIC grants which can open doors to expert advice and networks.

QubeDot aims to become a recognised European microLED supplier serving mainly EU SMEs and larger customers but also US firms. The plan is to increase automation over the next five years to improve throughput. The company faces the familiar deep tech trade off between capturing early market pull and executing a capital intensive scale up under long lead times. The EIC backing reduces some financial hurdles but matching private investment and delivering manufacturing economics remain the decisive challenges.

QubeDot’s journey from lab demonstrator to microLED scale up and EIC backing

QubeDot’s journey from idea to scale up

A notable EIC trajectory

Founding team, customers and early commercialization

Technology explained and production plans

Funding, EIC role and fundraising plans

Practical benefits and limits of EIC backing

Geopolitics, European competitiveness and digital sovereignty

Advice to entrepreneurs and outlook

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