NextGO raises €2M to build Europe’s gallium-oxide supply chain

NextGO Epi has raised a €2M pre-seed round to develop one of the least visible but most important layers of the semiconductor supply chain: the specialised wafer material on which power devices are built.

What happened

The Berlin-based company’s round was led by Vireo Ventures, with participation from Ultratech Capital Partners, IBB Ventures and angel investor Boris Habets. NextGO produces gallium-oxide epitaxial wafers intended for power-semiconductor devices.

Epitaxy is the process of growing a carefully controlled crystalline layer on a wafer. The quality of that layer affects how reliably the final chip can handle high voltages and temperatures. NextGO describes itself as Europe’s only producer of industrial-quality gallium-oxide epiwafers.

Gallium oxide is an ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductor material. In theory, it can support devices that operate at higher electric fields than conventional silicon and potentially improve efficiency in applications such as grid equipment, industrial power conversion and electric mobility.

Why it matters

Most semiconductor discussions focus on processor design and fabrication, but advanced chips depend on upstream materials that are difficult to produce consistently. Without local wafer suppliers, European device companies remain dependent on external supply chains even if final chip manufacturing takes place in Europe.

The round is small relative to the capital required for full industrial production. It is therefore best understood as funding for technical validation, customer qualification and the transition from laboratory processes toward repeatable manufacturing.

The bigger picture

Power electronics will become more important as electricity replaces fossil fuels across transport, buildings and industry. Better semiconductor materials can reduce energy lost during conversion, but commercial adoption requires reliability, manufacturing yield and competitive cost—not only strong laboratory performance.

NextGO represents the kind of upstream deeptech investment Europe says it wants: technically difficult, strategically relevant and connected to industrial sovereignty. Its next challenge is proving that gallium oxide can move from promising material science into dependable customer products.