Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), the largest pure-play MEMS manufacturer in the United States, announced this week the signing of a partner agreement with Silicon Catalyst, reportedly the world's only startup incubator focused exclusively on semiconductor solutions. The partnership with Silicon Catalyst offers a unique opportunity for IMT to provide MEMS related technical consulting, manufacturing expertise, and prototype development services to the portfolio startup companies that are considering MEMS sensors and solutions.
"MEMS technology provides the sensing interface to advanced semiconductor devices that are the core of the Internet of Things. We believe the infrastructure Silicon Catalyst is establishing to enable the incubation of semiconductor devices provides numerous links with MEMS devices for the sensing of personal health, environment, energy consumption, agriculture and medical treatment. Additional applications for MEMS technologies also improve cellular phone performance, GPS navigation and smart phone battery consumption. We are pleased to partner with Silicon Catalyst to provide these fundamental sensing technologies to their portfolio companies," said Craig Ensley, CEO of IMT.
The two organizations plan to work together to provide startup companies that are focused on solutions that require MEMS technology with design and process expertise, prototyping, shuttle wafers and office facilities. IMT has a broad range of expertise in the area of MEMS technology. For more than 15 years, IMT has worked with hundreds of companies to assist them with early stage planning, process integration and volume manufacturing. More than 450 MEMS designs have been implemented and run in the IMT manufacturing facilities. Portfolio companies can benefit from the IMT manufacturing experience and participate in various wafer shuttle opportunities for quick turn prototypes and accelerated market introduction of new MEMS devices.
"As we move into the era of IoT, sensors and other innovative MEMS devices become critical for new applications," said Dan Armbrust, CEO OF Silicon Catalyst. "IMT's impressive MEMS development capability is the ideal resource for our portfolio companies as they innovate in IoT. We look forward to a long and exciting partnership with IMT."
About Innovative Micro Technology IMT is one of the world's leading MEMS foundries with a diversified range of customers and products. IMT was formed in 2000, specifically to produce MEMS devices. IMT's 130,000 sq.ft. facility contains a 30,000 sq.ft. Class 100 clean room/fab, making it one of the largest and best-equipped independent MEMS fabs in the world. The company was built for volume manufacturing, and provides complete manufacturing services from design through production.
IMT currently has more than 50 customers in diverse applications, including relays and relay arrays, drug discovery, drug delivery, biomedical implants and cell purifiers, microfluidics, displays, inertial navigation, optical telecommunications, printing, various sensors, night vision, IR emitters, telephone/DSL switching, RF devices, power management, and others. IMT's overriding goal is to partner with companies to develop and manufacture products based on MEMS technology.
Silicon Catalyst claims to be the world's premier incubator for semiconductor solution startups. The 2015 UBM ACE Startup of The Year, Silicon Catalyst and its industry partners are establishing the ecosystem that enables silicon solution startup success by addressing the challenges faced by startups including funding and access to key industry resources for startups driving novel innovation and growth. Based in Silicon Valley, Silicon Catalyst enables entrepreneurs globally. Silicon Catalyst partners include TSMC, Synopsys, AdvanTest, AutoDesk, IMEC, IMT, Keysight, PDF Solutions, GUC, and Open Silicon.
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