The iSMILE project in 2024 – integrated scalable microLED engines – has become the first-ever EIC funded project that has managed to secure both EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition funding (EIC Transition pilot call from 2019) in the past, moving to the EIC Accelerator via Fast track. Check out the discussion with QubeDot Cofounder Heiko Brüning on entrepreneurship, future plans and their work with EIC.
What is QubeDot? QubeDot develops and manufactures µLEDs and CMOS-integrated µLED-displays for demanding high-tech applications. A complementary business unit of QubeDot develops digital high-tech microscopes – individual, simple, portable, multifunctional.
The QubeDot story: the iSMILE project in 2024 – integrated scalable microLED engines – has become the first-ever EIC funded project that has managed to secure both EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition funding (EIC Transition pilot call from 2019) in the past, moving to the EIC Accelerator via Fast track. The project has been selected to receive EIC Accelerator full blended support (grant and equity investment) in a highly competitive process. The project has built on the success of the SMILE project. The team decided – which one could call the nucleus of the whole story - to apply for the ChipScope project as early as 2016 as part of the EIC Pathfinder programme in order to cover the financial costs for developing a first microLED demonstrator.
EIC Community: You are the co-founder of QubeDot, how did you come up with the idea, what was the growth trajectory of your company?
Heiko; we first started the project 10 years ago. Back then we had the idea to produce a chip-based microscope which would require unique micro-LEDs. That came at the time working with the University of Barcelona and TU Braunschweig (German Technical University- edit).
EIC: How large is your founding team?
Heiko: The founding team consists of two people besides my own person: a good friend of mine Jan Gülink who has outstanding knowledge in semiconductor technologies is the co-founder, as well as a semiconductor professor giving us additional expertise.
What was your story?
Heiko: We were admitted to the EIC SMILE project and we managed to produce both, micro-LEDs and a chip based microscope. As part of the SMILE project we installed an end user board to test our developments as early as possible with potential end users. As a result, we found more than 40 potential customers of the technology we had been developing during EIC SMILE project . After finishing funding period we were very lucky to turn some of the potential customer projects into real, commercial projects. We then received so much traction that there was no chance to produce all that what customers desired with the shared semiconductor fab approach. To overcome that issue, we applied for the EIC Accelerator, that gave us the momentum to set up our own semiconductor cleanroom facilities to really boost that idea that we had back in 2016 and make that visionary idea come true.
EIC: Who are your customers and what is the end use?
Heiko: The profile of the customers is very diverse, we have customers in the EU as well as in the USA. It is both, very small but innovative SMEs and on the other hand it is (stock exchange) listed entities that require our process knowledge to produce micro LEDs
Heiko: The end use applications are as diverse as our customers. It is as mass market oriented as Augmented Reality glasses, as well as machine developer companies that realise most sophisticated measuring solutions with our microLEDs to make their machines more competitive.
EIC: Would you say your technology and the fact that you are able to mass produce boosts Europe’s competitiveness and digital sovereignty?
Heiko: Definitely. Our proprietary technology stays located in the EU. It will help to support digital sovereignty of the EU to produce microchips or LED chips in total which will keep the whole process chain independent of other players.
EIC: What do you think, what is your production capacity and what are your future plans?
Heiko: With the very first start - and that is what we will do within the EIC Accelerator - we are able to produce roughly 1000 wafers per year, which does not necessarily sound a lot but on the other hand, keep in mind that we have approximately 80 to 100 million LEDs from 1 wafer.
On the long term our vision is to fully automate our micro-LED production. During the next five years we'll move to much more automation to boost our production capabilities. We want to become the renown European micro-LED producer that produces micro-LEDs most for the EU SMEs and listed entity but also for American companies and become the trusted supplier of hightech microLED technology outside of Asia.
EIC: How was your collaboration with the EIC?
Heiko: During SMILE project, one of our team members Malina took part in the Woman Leadership programme. That was a great success to on one hand empower a diverse team and on the other hand prepare necessary business presentations required for our next step developments.
I would also like to highlight the role of our project officer, who helped a lot allowing us to enter the fast track of the EIC Accelerator program. That was of great importance as lead times of semiconductor machinery is up to 24 months or even more. Having that in mind, any action to shorten the timespan between now and the initiation of our extended cleanroom facilities is of utmost importance. Besides that, the market is really pulling our products. Our project officer Ivica Cubichas passionately supported us. Currently, preparations for the realization of the EIC Accelerator project “iSMILE” are in full action. I am more than happy to now have Cristina Boto-Juarez as dedicated project officer virtually standing right beside me to guide us through this exciting phase. Another outstanding fact of the EIC Accelerator: it's of great support that the funding volume is the highest that one can get within Europe´s funding ecosystem, as far as we know, and that is extremely important for boosting cost intensive semiconductor processes.
EIC: Are you currently fundraising?
Heiko: We requested blended finance which means that there is equity contribution by the EIC – however, that specific amount is supposed to be matched by private investors. So, yes, we are fundraising Currently we are completely bootstrapped which means that the investment of the EIC Fund together with the private investor will represent our series A.
EIC: What kind of advice would you give young entrepreneurs starting in the field?
Heiko: Well, if it's a deep tech start up that you want to found,
1: it's probably very good to have academia in the background, professors from a university that will give you access to any kind of expensive machinery that you might require to test your product, or development
2: Approach any potential customer as soon as possible to understand what the market requirements would be.
3: Choose the best academic partners and try getting EIC proposals granted. This will open you any door to first class experts giving valuable advice that you might need in early days.
SMILE stands for Structured Micro Illumination Light Engine. The SMILE project made it possible to produce micro-LEDs. By founding the company of QubeDot we enabled to turn the groundbreaking scientific findings to be transferred fast to multiple market applications.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.