Cambridge spin-out leads €10.3M GaN project
European GANEXT project will focus on producing prototypes for low and high power applications such as lighting, motor drives, converter blocks for renewable energies and on-board EV chargers
Cambridge GaN Devices Ltd (CGD), a spin-out from the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering, will lead a €10.3 million project dedicated to the design and development of the most energy-efficient next-generation GaN power modules.
Working alongside a consortium of 13 European partners with expertise across all aspects of power conversion, the GANEXT project, under the PENTA programme, will focus on producing prototypes for low and high power applications such as lighting, motor drives, converter blocks for renewable energies and on-board chargers for electric vehicles.
CGD develops highly efficient power electronics offering major energy savings in applications ranging from power supplies for consumer electronics to LED drives, data centres and wireless chargers. The company was spun out of the Department of Engineering’s High Voltage Microelectronics and Sensors Group in 2016, in order to develop GaN silicon substrate power semiconductors.
Giorgia Longobardi, CGD’s founder and CEO, and Research Fellow in Electronic Engineering at Gonville & Caius College, said: “The PENTA project creates a tremendous opportunity for CGD to engage with leading-edge companies in the area of power electronics. Not only will the project advance the knowledge in GaN technology and provide insights into its complex facets, but it will aim at delivering fully-working prototypes in lighting, motor drives, converter blocks for renewable energies and on-board chargers for automotive with record specifications and outstanding performance.”
Florin Udrea, CGD’s CTO and founder, said: “The quality of the PENTA consortium is remarkable and I have no doubt that we will deliver on the promises to make GaN technology a great success in the market. There is also a broader impact in adding our contribution to our ultimate quest for better use of energy resources and a cleaner environment.”
