Intrinsic Semiconductor Technologies

Intrinsic Semiconductor Technologies is a UK-based startup founded in 2017 as a spinout from University College London (UCL). The company is developing innovative non-volatile memory technology using resistive random-access memory (RRAM). Intrinsic's RRAM technology is based on over a decade of research conducted at UCL and uses standard semiconductor materials, specifically silicon dioxide. The company claims its technology can read data 10 to 100 times faster and write it 1,000 times faster than existing solutions, while being fully CMOS compliant and more cost-effective for foundries to integrate within existing chip manufacturing facilities.

Intrinsic's approach aims to solve the memory bottleneck caused by current external flash memory in data-hungry applications. The technology allows for the integration of fast, cheap, and low-power memory on the same chip as processors, enabling greater artificial intelligence capabilities with reduced energy consumption. This is particularly relevant for applications that operate autonomously or remotely, such as driverless vehicles, manufacturing robots, and consumer devices.

In March 2023, Intrinsic secured GBP 7 million in funding led by Octopus Ventures, with participation from existing investors IP Group and the UCL Technology Fund, as well as GBP 1 million in grants from Innovate UK. The company plans to use this funding to expand its engineering team and bring its product to market. As of March 2023, Intrinsic had four employees and aimed to more than double its engineering team over the following two years.

Key customers and partnerships

Intrinsic Semiconductor Technologies has engaged in a partnership with imec, a leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. This collaboration, which began after Intrinsic's seed funding round in 2021, aims to develop prototypes of the company's proprietary non-volatile memory devices and transfer the technology from UCL to a 300-mm wafer platform.