Singaporean chip startup Nexstrom has raised $12 million in a seed funding round to commercialize its wafer-scale 2D semiconductor platform.

The round was led by Xora Innovation, with participation from Foothill Ventures and SEEDS. It brings the total raised by the startup to $15m, including $3m in non-dilutive funds.

Nexstrom was founded in 2024 on the belief that the semiconductor industry is approaching the physical limits of silicon, with AI workloads requiring hardware that has “unprecedented transistor density without compromising energy efficiency.”

To bypass this bottleneck, the startup has developed a platform for growing 12-inch single-crystal 2D semiconductor materials, which support “precise electron control, reduce energy loss at the transistor level, and improve efficiency,” while remaining compatible with existing advanced foundry manufacturing capabilities.

According to Nexstrom, its full-stack platform integrates proprietary chemical vapor deposition (CVD) hardware, process technology, and wafer-scale 2D material growth into existing foundry workflows, with the technology promising “single-crystal 2D material growth across industry-standard 12-inch wafers” that provides a “clear path” to commercial adoption.

The funding will support the commercialization of Nexstrom's wafer-scale 2D semiconductor platform, alongside ongoing platform development and the expansion of both its engineering and leadership teams, the company said.

Nexstrom said it is already working closely with “prominent industry partners” to validate its technology within existing chip manufacturing workflows.

"Silicon has fueled decades of computing innovation, but the industry now needs a new materials platform to continue scaling performance," said Dr. Lance Li, co-founder and chief scientist. "For years, the challenge has not been demonstrating the promise of 2D materials, but manufacturing them at the scale and quality advanced foundries require."