No matter how we approach the future, one fact remains indisputable: global demand for semiconductors is surging. At the heart of this growth is the accelerating adoption of AI, which is still in its early stages. From training complex large language models to deploying real-time inferencing on devices, AI workloads are scaling exponentially—and each new model demands more powerful and efficient chips.
But AI is only one part of a much broader tectonic shift. Edge computing, the proliferation of IoT devices, the expansion of hyperscale data centers, and the increased adoption of electric vehicles are all contributing to the unprecedented strain on the global semiconductor supply chain. Coupling this with the slowing of Moore’s Law, the semiconductor industry is facing pressures to adopt innovative technologies throughout the chip production process to manufacture more advanced chips, lower manufacturing cost and hasten time to market.
The semiconductor supply chain is dominated by major incumbents, leaving only limited areas for startups to capture value. Manufacturing analytics is one such opportunity, semiconductor manufacturing equipment is another. iGlobe Partners is excited to be a part of this wave of innovation through our investment in Applied Angstrom Technology (AAT).
The core of the chip production process is enabled by photolithography machines, etching systems, and deposition tools. These manufacturing equipment are essential for the patterning and layering of semiconductor materials on wafers, transforming chip designs into physical chips ready for use.
While each step in the highly complex fabrication process is critical, etching—the process of removing unwanted material from the wafer, transferring and shaping the patterns defined by the lithographic mask applied during patterning—has emerged as a major bottleneck. It limits how quickly and effectively manufacturers can produce the chips that fuel next-generation AI and computing systems.
AAT, headquartered in Singapore, is pioneering advanced manufacturing technologies that allow chipmakers to precisely control material removal at the atomic level—enabling the production of high-performance 3D logic and memory chips, as well as silicon photonics chips.
Its technology is designed to overcome current etching limitations, increase yield, and thus lower the cost of manufacturing chips. This innovation not only unlocks capacity across the value chain, but it is also the basic infrastructure to support data processing, storage, and transmission for AI.
We look forward to supporting AAT in the road ahead. to lay the foundation to power the next decade of innovation.