NextGO Epi Secures €2 Million in Pre-Seed Funding to Lead Europe’s Gallium Oxide Epiwafer Production

NextGO Epi is a DeepTech startup based in Berlin that specializes in developing Gallium Oxide epitaxial wafers for advanced power semiconductor devices. Recently, the company successfully raised €2 million in a pre-Seed funding round.

Leading the funding round was Vireo Ventures, with contributions from Ultratech Capital Partners, IBB Ventures, and angel investor Boris Habets. NextGO Epi claims to be the sole producer of Gallium Oxide epiwafers in Europe, making this funding round its first institutional support.

In a statement, Dr. Ta-Shun Chou, the CEO and co-founder of NextGO Epi, expressed, “Gallium oxide is to power electronics what silicon was to compute, and Europe should own that value chain. We’re building the material layer that makes the next energy revolution possible, and we’re building it in Europe.”

Founded in 2025 by Dr. Ta-Shun Chou, Dr. Andreas Popp, and Dr. Andreas Fiedler, NextGO Epi has developed a process for producing a semiconductor material that could potentially reduce EV charging times from 60 to just 10 minutes, while cutting power semiconductor manufacturing costs by up to 75%.

As a spin-off of the Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), NextGO Epi asserts itself as the only European company capable of producing Gallium Oxide epitaxial wafers at industrial quality up to 4 inches. This semiconductor material is essential for the electrically active layer of the next generation of power semiconductor devices.

Gallium Oxide-based electrical devices offer higher voltage tolerance and greater efficiency compared to Silicon Carbide or Gallium Nitride. NextGO Epi highlights that Gallium Oxide is 10 times more power-efficient, can handle up to 6 times higher voltage density, and can be manufactured at a cost savings of up to 75%.

The technology developed by NextGO Epi finds applications in EV charging stations, renewable energy inverters, AI data centers, and missile tracking systems. Dr. Jochen Linck, former COO of Aixtron, is providing support to the company as an Operating Partner to aid in its growth and commercial expansion.

NextGO Epi has already commenced production, generated revenue, and served customers across three continents. Their product involves growing epitaxial Gallium Oxide, known as the “epi layer,” on a wafer substrate to create the electrically active component of high-power semiconductor devices.

The company emphasizes that the immediate application of its technology is in EV charging, where a station equipped with NextGO Epi’s product can fully charge a vehicle in 10 minutes, a significant improvement over the standard 60 minutes, even in challenging winter conditions.

Addressing the importance of the company’s role in the semiconductor industry, NextGO Epi aligns with Brussels’ new Chips Act 2.0, aimed at reducing Europe’s reliance on Asian and US suppliers for semiconductor materials. The company’s contribution is vital for Europe to lead the upcoming energy and mobility transition.

With the new funding, NextGO Epi plans to expedite product development, expand its team, and enhance its commercial presence in Europe and global markets.