Crossing Automation raises $6 million for wafer-handling tool business
Crossing Automation has raised $6 million in a first round of capital to expand its wafer-automation equipment business for chip factories.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company makes automated wafer-transfer systems. Backers include Intel Capital and Tallwood Venture Capital.
Crossing Automation was founded in 2003 to build a system that can handle large silicon wafers and move them from one piece of equipment to another inside a chip factory. The company argues that its system can save $24 million a year in comparison to past systems.
Jed Keller, CEO, says that the company’s goal is to hit $20 million in revenues by 2010. To date, the company’s tool is available in a beta-test version and the launch is expected in July. The company has a dozen employees and it plans to outsource the manufacturing of its product.
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About the Author, Dean Takahashi
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.