Rayton

Technology for "Next-Gen" Electronics

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Company Information

Website:

https://www.rayton.co/

Sector:

Electronic Equipment & Components

Location:

Irvine, CA

Rayton uses patented, particle accelerator-based technology to produce semiconductor wafers…

Ones designed to serve as the basis for the next-generation of electronics, and impact industries including automotive, aerospace, and energy.

Right now, nearly everything you interact with — from cars to smartphones to computers — houses a semiconductor. These are tiny chips that help conduct and transfer electricity to power various devices.

Historically, the chemical element silicon has played an essential role in creating these semiconductors. But we’re entering an age where certain applications require more expensive materials.

Semiconductors made with gallium nitride and silicon carbide, for example, have better electronic properties than those made with silicon. And they’re currently used in the manufacturing of high-speed, high-power electronics. The problem is that the cost of these materials is significantly higher than silicon.

Rayton has developed unique technology that can reduce the price point of these new-age semis by up to twenty-five percent. Because of this, this company can play a vital role in expediting the growth of sectors like 5G infrastructure, advanced-automotive electronics, cellular technology, solar cells, and more.

Simply put, Rayton plans to use its technology to create lower-cost gallium arsenide wafers — thin slices of semiconductors — for the semiconductor industry, which can be used in automotive, aerospace, and energy markets. The material the company creates will serve as the foundation for all high-tech devices used in these markets.

Rayton has completed the Research & Development stage where it’s identified the implantation conditions and the recipe needed to make its wafers. It’s also successfully created a prototype wafer in its lab.

Most recently, the company has reached the “beta” phase of its production process. This means it’s received a world-class particle accelerator needed to move into a high-volume manufacturing phase. This accelerator is on site at Rayton’s facility in Irvine, California, and is a significant step in terms of production and revenue.

Rayton uses this accelerator to slice its semiconductor wafers, reducing waste by as much as fifty percent. Its accelerator costs less and operates with less energy compared to competing particle-accelerator methods. And because of this, its device is capable of making up to 100 times as many wafers with the same amount of semiconductor material as its competitors use to make just one wafer.

Where does Rayton fit into the semiconductor market process? Essentially, this company buys wafers in bulk from various producers, then uses its proprietary process to lower the cost of the wafers. It then sells its engineered wafers to companies that grow devices on the wafers. Finally, these companies sell the devices to chipmakers who implement them into products we know and use.

With funds raised, Rayton will advance its beta-phase production. It will produce engineered wafers in-house to sample out to epitaxy and water foundries for high-speed, high-power electronic components. From there, the company aims to move into single-line production and begin generating revenue.

Rayton has been awarded two patents for its technology and manufacturing process. And it was recently accepted into the Nvidia Inception Program, an accelerator aimed at helping startups grow their ideas and businesses.

Team Background

Dr. James Rosenzweig - Director

James is a UCLA professor, and formerly served as the university’s Physics and Astronomy Department Chair.

James is a notable researcher in particle beam technology, and his work has been published in more than 500 outlets.

In addition to his duties with UCLA and Rayton, he is Chairman of RadiaBeam Technologies, a technology company focused on particle accelerator research. He has held this position for eighteen years.

James earned a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin.

Andrew Yakub - Founder & CEO

In 2016, while heading operations at Rayton, Andrew was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.

Prior to starting Rayton, Andrew founded ReGen America, a company dedicated to making solar energy accessible to homeowners and businesses. He oversaw this company from 2009 to 2013, serving as its CEO.

At the same time he worked for ReGen, he was a design engineer at the UCLA Particle Beam Physics Lab, where he developed radio frequency photoinjector guns using 3D radiation simulation software. He began his career in 2006 as an intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Andrew earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Co-Investors

Raising
$4.7 million
Committed
$528.588K (11%)
Current Valuation
$57.9 million
Min. Investment
$500
Deal Type
Title III
(For all investors)
Offering Type
Equity
Finance History
  • $5.5 million
    2018-01-19
    Unknown
  • $2.8 million
    2016-04-21
    Unknown
  • $1 million
    2015-06-16
    Unknown
Notable Investors
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