Arctic Sand Technologies of Cambridge, Massachusetts USA, a producer of power conversion ICs, has reported the completion of a Series B financing round of $19 million. Murata Manufacturing Company, Ltd. led the financing round. Co-investors GE Ventures, Arsenal Venture Partners and Northwater Capital also contributed.
The company’s technology targets major segments of the $5 billion DC/DC power conversion market. Arctic Sand says its ICs enable significantly more runtime, smaller batteries, and thinner profile smartphones, tablets and Ultrabooks. Arctic contends that its Sand’s Data Center products increase server and storage platform power efficiency in up to 50% less space.
The company is an MIT spin-out that was initially funded in January 2013. The company currently holds 15 issued patents and includes three exclusively-licensed MIT patents that Arctic Sand’s founder and Chief Scientist David Guiliano co-authored.
Arctic Sand Technologies’ CEO Gary Davison commented, “Arctic Sand’s first commercial product, an LED backlight driver IC for mobile computing platforms, increases power conversion efficiency by about 10% - in a 33% thinner form factor, and with no increase in circuit board footprint. Think of it as a no cost way to add an hour or two of operation for your tablet or smartphone.“
“Murata‘s long history of successful product innovation demonstrates that disruptive technologies are essential to enable market revolutions. This is why Murata is very excited to be working closely with the Arctic Sand team to develop market leading high efficiency power conversion products and technologies for our common customers,” Norio Nakajima, member of the board of directors and executive vice president communication at the Sensor Business Unit and Energy Business Group at Murata said.
