Qualinx Raises €8 Million to Bring Game-Changing Digital RF Technology to Market

Delft, The Netherlands, February 21, 2023 --Qualinx, a pioneer in ultra-low power tracking and connectivity solutions, has announced its Series A investment of €8 million by FORWARD.one, InnovationQuarter Capital and Waterman Ventures.

Founded as a spin-off from Delft University of Technology and supported by earlier investments from Delft Enterprises, the company developed and successfully tested a new radio chip that can receive geo-positioning information from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) with a 10 times lower power consumption, smaller chip size and at reduced costs compared to existing solutions. The chip is able to detect signals from all major satellite systems including GPS, to accurately determine location and time.

Qualinx’s core innovations are patent protected and originate from the founders’ PhD research in Digital Radio Frequency (DRF) technology. DRF makes it possible to transfer a significant part of the chip’s analog area to the digital domain and enables CMOS scaling for GPS-like radios, and thereby a significant reduction in the chip’s power consumption, size and cost price.

“Our next step is to launch the QLX300+, a System-on-Chip featuring the world’s smallest and most power-efficient GNSS sensor”, says Tom Trill, CEO at Qualinx. “The QLX300+ will use as much as 10 times less energy than currently available GNSS devices in the market and will be in mass production next year. As a result of the improved efficiency, the battery life of, for example, fitness trackers and smartwatches can be extended from hours to several days.”

The technology is not just limited to GNSS; it can be implemented to create any radio. For example, their second–generation product, the QLX400, will combine GNSS with an Internet-of-Things (IoT) radio on a single chip, to track and communicate a location while barely consuming any power.

Nowadays physical assets, regardless of size, have to be monitored at all times. As Trill explains, “There is global concern about the security of any asset, especially when it moves. Shipping a product from warehouse to store without breakpoints in connectivity currently requires a multi-chip solution to provide seamless connectivity between classic GNSS and ground based IoT radios. We offer a single-chip solution that can do both. It is universally applicable, affordable and has an ultra-low power budget.”

“We are proud and excited to partner with Qualinx alongside our co-investors”, says Arjan Göbel, partner at FORWARD.one. “Not often do we see such a fundamental step-change in technology development addressing a large, global and future proof market. Adding their top-tier and fast–growing team to the equation, we are convinced that Qualinx has the potential to replace all existing GNSS and radio communications technology.”

Left to right: Iman Madadi (CIO), Tom Trill (CEO), Massoud Tohidian (CTO) and Amir Reza Ahmadi Mehr (SVP Engineering)

About Qualinx

Qualinx is a high-tech fabless semiconductor company based in Delft, The Netherlands, and develops solutions to solve the high power consumption problem in radio chip technology, including GNSS and IoT sensors. The company is led by Tom Trill (CEO) and was founded by former scientists of Delft University of Technology, Massoud Tohidian (CTO), Iman Madadi (CIO) and Amir Reza Ahmadi Mehr (SVP Engineering). www.qualinx.io

About FORWARD.one

FORWARD.one is a venture capital firm focused on high-tech hardware start-ups and scale-ups with €200 million under management including investments in robotics, semiconductors, photonics, sensors, extended reality and biomanufacturing. Having a team of financial professionals and entrepreneurs, FORWARD.one actively supports their portfolio companies to achieve their goals and ambitions. www.forward.one

About InnovationQuarter Capital

InnovationQuarter is one of the most active investors in The Netherlands. IQ funds disruptive startups & scale-ups in the province of Zuid-Holland that create a cleaner, smarter and healthier world. Acting as a lifecycle investor with four funds, the IQCapital (€ 143 million) fund has a particular focus on deeptech, life sciences & high-tech. IQCapital acts as a patient investor with an extensive network of over 250 co-investors and wide-ranging in-house knowledge on international expansion and innovation. www.innovationquarter.nl

About Waterman Ventures

Waterman Ventures invests in ambitious technology companies that combine a positive impact on society with a healthy financial return. Over the last 30 years, they have been a long-term partner to many successful businesses. Their team, based in the Netherlands, shares a passion for technology and a hands-on mindset to support growth in their portfolio companies. www.watermanventures.nl