Delft spatial-ALD outfit Kalpana attracts €3.5M

Kalpana Systems has secured a 3.5-million-euro investment to take its “super” spatial atomic layer deposition technology to market. The tool unlocks faster production speeds, reduced cost, and efficient use of valuable raw materials, the Delft-based startup claims. Potential applications of its thin-film deposition technology are found in battery, OLED and PV manufacturing and for packaging of consumer products.

With at least four companies working on it, spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD) has become a bit of a Dutch specialty. Kalpana sets itself apart by wrapping the substrate around a central drum and transporting it in a helical fashion as it’s sequentially exposed to precursor gasses that will form the thin film. This improves throughput, uptime and process control while reducing cost, says Kalpana.

The funding was provided by Fairtree Elevant Ventures, SIG InnoVentures and the Energy Transition Fund Rotterdam.