Jingyao Xinhui raises 100M yuan to build InP optical chip fab
What's the deal? Nanjing Jingyao Xinhui Semiconductor Technology has raised more than 100 million yuan (about $14.8 million) in an early-stage round led by Zhongjin Kong Group. Changzhou Zhonglou Specialized and New Investment Partnership, a fund under the group, joined the round.
What's the endgame? Founded in Nanjing in October 2023, Jingyao Xinhui develops and produces high-end indium phosphide (InP) epitaxy and chips. Its products include high-speed EML laser chips and high-power CW light source chips for silicon photonic integration.
What's the money for? The proceeds will fund a wafer fabrication plant, giving the company independent manufacturing from epitaxy and tape-out to testing. Zhongjin Kong Group said the aim is to ensure "performance consistency and volume delivery" of high-end optical chips.
Why now? The company is targeting rising demand for optical interconnect chips in AI data centers. It also cites a global shortage of high-end optical chip talent as a competitive edge for its team.
The signal: The raise sits in the 90th percentile of early-stage deep tech rounds tracked in our database, across a sample of 8,218. For Changzhou's Zhonglou District, the deal anchors a wider push into compound semiconductors — clustering supply, technology, and talent around domestic chip production.
Read more: WeDoAny
Image credit: IBM Research
