Pixel-Flo, a University of Sheffield spin-out developing
manufacturing technology for MicroLED displays, has raised £5.25 million in
seed funding. The round was led by Northern Gritstone, with participation from
SCVC, the Parkwalk Northern Universities Venture Fund and German investment
firm HTGF.
Founded by Dr Rick Smith, Dr Suneal Ghataora and Simon Jones, Pixel-Flo is commercialising research from the University of Sheffield’s
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. By
combining semiconductor photonics research with extensive display industry
expertise, the company is developing manufacturing technology designed to
address one of the key barriers to wider adoption of MicroLED displays.
MicroLED technology offers advantages in brightness and
energy efficiency compared with conventional display technologies, but its
broader adoption has been limited by the cost and scalability of existing
manufacturing methods.
Pixel-Flo’s Continuous-Flow Mass Transfer
process, based on fluidic self-assembly, is intended to support
higher-throughput production while reducing processing costs and material
use across a range of MicroLED display applications.
The funding will support Pixel-Flo’s transition from
laboratory development to industrial scale-up, including team expansion, new
laboratory and office facilities, and continued product development. It will
also support the company’s international growth strategy.