The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) is investing $10.1 million in Syenta, an early-stage Australian semiconductor company that is accelerating AI computing by developing next-generation technologies that increase data transmission speed and lead to improved semiconductor performance.

Syenta is a deep technology company headquartered in Sydney with a presence in the United States and Europe. Its proprietary Localised Electrochemical Manufacturing (LEM) technology enables more semiconductor chiplets – smaller, specialised chips – to be ‘packaged’ onto a single chip and creates denser connections between chips.

Syenta’s LEM technology addresses critical bottlenecks in the data transmission speeds of semiconductor chip systems. This improves the performance and scalability of chip systems, which in turn enables next generation AI and quantum computing.

Syenta’s highly innovative method of manufacturing is faster and more efficient, cutting the number of steps required for semiconductor manufacturing by 40 per cent. The technology has the potential to be licensed to global semiconductor fabrication and packaging companies.

NRFC CIO Dr. Mary Manning said, “Syenta’s world-leading technology is designed to unlock the next generation of AI and quantum computing, and we are proud to be investing in this early-stage Australian technology and manufacturing company.”

“Semiconductor chips are strategic assets and investing in Syenta will commercialise doctoral research that came out of the Australian National University, keep Syenta’s valuable intellectual property in Australia and help establish sovereign advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in Australia.”

“Syenta’s technology also has the potential to generate less waste and use significantly less energy than conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes, and NRFC investment will enable Syenta to embed low-carbon and circular practices in its technology as it scales.”

The NRFC’s preferred equity investment is part of a US$26 million Series A funding round led by U.S. deep tech investor Playground Ventures. Existing investors in Syenta include Blackbird VC, Investible, In-Q-Tel, SGInnovate, Jelix VC, OIF and Salus VC.

NRFC funding will be used to expand Syenta’s patent portfolio, procure specialised machinery, and establish early production capacity in Australia. It will also be used to create customer proof-of-concept programs and establish a U.S. based customer engagement and technology extension team.

Syenta currently employs 33 people in Australia and NRFC funding is expected to create an additional 25 new jobs in Australia in fabrication, operations, and engineering.

Syenta Founder & CEO Dr. Jekaterina Viktorova said, “Syenta was founded at the Australian National University and our partnership with the NRFC ensures that all first-of-a-kind research and development will stay in Australia.”

“Our mission is to enable higher performance and more scalable AI systems through our innovative technology for advanced chip packaging that improves the performance of semiconductor chip systems. Having the National Reconstruction Fund on board as an investor means that we will be able to grow the company globally while keeping our roots in Australia.”

“Our vision is for Syenta to grow into a pillar of the local manufacturing industry, and we anticipate that our partnership with the NRFC will help us to open the doors we need to help anchor an advanced semiconductor manufacturing sector in Australia.”

For semiconductor companies like top tier chip designer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Syenta’s next-level chip packaging and manufacturing efficiency has come at a critical time, enabling AMD to better meet surging demand for AI and the complex hardware systems behind it.

AMD Senior Fellow Dr. Deepak Kulkarni said, “These systems – often composed of hundreds of chiplets – require continued innovation in packaging architectures to increase interconnect bandwidth while improving energy efficiency.”

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About the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC)

The NRFC is Australia’s sovereign investor in manufacturing capability. It has $15 billion to invest through direct loans, equity investments and loan guarantees across seven priority areas: renewables and low emissions technologies; enabling capabilities; defence capability; transport; value-add in resources; value-add in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and medical science.

The NRFC’s role is to invest in Australian businesses and projects that design, refine and make to transform capability, grow jobs and a skilled workforce, and diversify our economy. The NRFC is a corporate Commonwealth entity, established by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Act 2023 (NRFC Act) in September 2023.

For more information, visit nrf.gov.au

Media contact: media@nrf.gov.au

About Syenta

Syenta is a next-generation semiconductor company with a mission to accelerate AI computing through advanced packaging technology. Born from pioneering research at the Australian National University, the company has developed a breakthrough approach to chip-to-chip connectivity, pushing the boundaries of advanced packaging capabilities and enabling higher-performance, more scalable systems. Headquartered in Australia, Syenta operates globally with teams across Australia, Europe and the United States. Learn more at syenta.com(Opens in a new tab/window)

Media contact: info@syenta.com