GaN Systems Inc of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – a fabless developer of gallium nitride (GaN)-based power switching semiconductors for power conversion and control – has closed an investment round led by BMW’s investment arm BMW i Ventures (which joins existing investors BDC Capital, Chrysalix Venture Capital, Cycle Capital Management, RockPort Capital and Tsing Capital).
Consistent with its investment strategy, BMW i Ventures recognizes that GaN Systems’ products maximize the efficiency of electronic systems while dramatically reducing size, weight and overall system cost. The investment will be used to expand global sales and accelerate new product development.
“GaN Systems’ power transistors have created new possibilities for engineers to build the power electronics demanded by today’s systems. Gallium nitride-based transistors have become, in my opinion, the next big stepping stone in miniaturization,” comments BMW i Ventures’ managing director Uwe Higgen. “We have seen systems a quarter of the size while providing better efficiency than traditional silicon-based alternatives. With GaN, any system that needs power can become smaller, lighter and more efficient. These capabilities are particularly relevant in the automotive sector,” he adds.
“From computer/phone chargers and data-center servers to factory motors and electric cars, our customers have validated the GaN value proposition of small, efficient, low-cost power electronics,” reckons GaN Systems’ CEO Jim Witham. “These benefits are widely recognized by the world’s biggest companies across all industries,” he adds.
“There are many examples of how GaN benefits power systems,” says Higgen. “With autonomous cars, there will be the need to massively scale the data-center infrastructure,” he adds. “Data-center power consumption is one of the biggest cost drivers, and increasing the efficiency of power conversion will account for billions of dollars in cost savings and enable a more sustainable infrastructure around the globe.”
