News Release

JX Advanced Metals Corporation (President: Hayashi Yoichi; "the Company") hereby announces that it has acquired an additional JPY 700 million of shares issued in the first Series C funding round (the "Round") conducted by Gaianixx Inc. (President & CEO: Nakao Kento), a startup originating from the University of Tokyo.

　

Gaianixx develops and manufactures high-quality single-crystal thin films using a variety of materials--including lead zirconate titanate (PZT), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN)--by leveraging its proprietary technology, the Multi-functional® interlayer.1 This technology is expected to deliver breakthroughs in addressing a wide range of challenges--such as enhancing performance, reducing size and weight, reducing defects, and optimizing costs--in rapidly growing markets including MEMS, power semiconductors, lasers, 6G filters, and optoelectronic integrated devices. As such, it holds the potential to become a game changer in the semiconductor industry.
To date, Gaianixx has raised a cumulative total of JPY 1.85 billion and is currently advancing its business with a view to scaling its products from the laboratory level to mass production. The funds raised in this Round will be strategically allocated to establish a mass production system and accelerate global expansion in order to meet rapidly growing customer demand and establish a de facto standard. Specifically, Gaianixx plans to make focused investments in the full-scale operation of its new base, global business development and talent acquisition, and the strengthening of its intellectual property strategy.

　

Since its initial investment in June 2023,2 the Company has been working closely with Gaianixx to jointly develop sputtering targets and processes for the formation of single-crystal thin films on the Multi-functional® interlayer. Through this collaboration, the two companies have successfully manufactured single-crystal thin films using multiple types of materials, and progress has also been made in securing related patents. In addition, the two companies are actively working toward commercialization through customer evaluations and joint participation in exhibitions. As a result of these achievements, real-world deployment of the Multi-functional® interlayer is steadily progressing across a wide range of fields.

　

The Company will continue to proactively develop products and technologies through co-creation with its partners, and contribute to the creation of a sustainable society by proposing and supplying cutting-edge materials essential to innovative electronic devices.

　

　

Reference
Note 1: Multi-functional® interlayer: Regardless of the combination of single-crystal substrate and functional thin-film materials used, deformation can be resolved through repeated intentional modification, enabling lamination of higher-quality functional thin films.
Note 2: News release dated June 30, 2023: "JX Metals and Gaianixx Begin Collaboration for Social Implementation of Innovative Semiconductor Formation Technology"

　

Overview of Gaianixx Inc.

Company name	Gaianixx Inc.
Location	Entrepreneur Labo, South Clinical Research building, the University of Tokyo
Representative	President & CEO: Nakao Kento
Establishment	October 29, 2021
Business activities	R&D, production, and sales of Multi-functional® interlayer and epitaxial growth technologies
Website	https://gaianixx.com/en/