POLLEN Metrology Raises $2.4 Million to Support Smart Factories Globally

The Start-Up Receives Equity Financing from XAnge and KREAXI to Accelerate the Company’s Roadmap, Add New Capabilities, and Address Different Nanomaterial Applications

PLATYPUS™ software doing smart image processing of self-assembly materials for organic electronic (Photo: Business Wire)

GRENOBLE, France--()--French start-up POLLEN Metrology, the first “smart process-control” software company to accelerate the manufacturing of high-performing materials, today announced that it has received its first round of funding from investment management firms XAnge and KREAXI, as well as from private and public funds. POLLEN will use the money raised to accelerate the roadmap of its software, PLATYPUSTM, and add new capabilities for different high-performing materials applications in industries such as semiconductor, energy, powder metallurgy, and pharmaceutical. PLATYPUSTM improves manufacturing yields, drastically reduces research and development (R&D) costs, hastens the development of new processes, and tracks defects from the early R&D stages to high-volume manufacturing.

POLLEN Metrology’s CEO, Johann Foucher, said: “This investment will help us expand our foothold in Asia and in the U.S. where PLATYPUSTM is already used by major semiconductor companies. Semiconductor industry feedback to our innovative technology has been very positive and as a result we have identified new growth opportunities in several advanced materials fields.”

POLLEN aims to become the leading supplier of Smart Process-Control Software to meet the need for first-class data analytics in advanced materials manufacturing.

“Johann succeeded in assembling a first-class team. They are well organized, and we are impressed by their execution skills. The commercial traction of the company, that we have been able to confirm during the due diligence phase, naturally led us to invest in Pollen,” said Guilhem de VREGILLE, principal at XAnge.

“The PLATYPUSTM software platform impressed us with its technological lead in data fusion applied to advanced characterization of nanomaterials. The development and production of nanomaterials is developing in all industrial sectors and is facing an essential challenge of qualitative and quantitative characterization. The contribution of artificial intelligence technologies multiplies the range of possibilities, both in the R & D and production phases. We are very pleased to accompany the POLLEN team in its development on a theme of the industry of the future at the heart of our investment strategy,” said Rémi Berthier, senior associate, at KREAXI.

About POLLEN Metrology

POLLEN Metrology is the first smart process-control software company to accelerate the manufacturing of high-performing materials for Industry 4.0. PLATYPUSTM technology improves manufacturing yields, drastically reduces research and development (R&D) costs, hastens the development of new processes, and tracks defects from the early R&D stages to high-volume manufacturing. Founded in 2014 and backed by well-established investors, POLLEN Metrology’s office is located on the outskirts of Grenoble, France. For more information, www.pollen-metrology.com. Contact: Johann FOUCHER, johann@pollen-metrology.com

About XAnge

XAnge is a Franco-German Venture Capital team with €400m under management, investing in Software, Internet, Hard tech and Impact entrepreneurs. XAnge is part of Siparex, a leading French private equity group. For more information, www.xange.fr. Contact: Guilhem de VREGILLE, guilhem.devregille@xange.fr

About KREAXI

Formed by the merger of Rhône-Alpes Création and Banexi Ventures Partners, KREAXI is one of the French leaders in venture capital, totaling over €500 million ($540M) in funding raised from public and private investors. Launched in 1989, KREAXI’s regional activity has accompanied over 280 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes companies – with recent successes such as Erytech Pharma, Nanobiotix, Amoeba, PX Therapeutics or Docea Power – taking a stake at an early stage to finance their initial development phases. With €69 million ($74.5M) in funds under management thanks to the support of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Bpifrance, regional banks and industrial groups, KREAXI plays a key role in financing seed and creation phases. It manages a portfolio of around fifty shareholdings through its three funds (RAC I, RAC II and R2V), with an active staff of nine. For more information, www.kreaxi.com. Contact: Remi Berthier, r.berthier@kreaxi.com

Contacts

POLLEN Metrology
Johann Foucher, +33-66-253-7789
johann@pollen-metrology.com
or
Press inquiries:
Barbara Rizzatti, +1-971-998-9404

Contacts

POLLEN Metrology
Johann Foucher, +33-66-253-7789
johann@pollen-metrology.com
or
Press inquiries:
Barbara Rizzatti, +1-971-998-9404