# Silicon Catalyst

Silicon Catalyst is a Private Equity based in Santa Clara, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Santa Clara, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Santa Clara, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 2015
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** siliconcatalyst.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/silicon-catalyst

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Silicon Catalyst is a 2014-founded incubator and accelerator based in Santa Clara, California. It partners with semiconductor startups and selects firms to incubate with its network of in-kind partners, industry companies, and potential investors. Silicon Catalyst has made 62 investments, including a September 2025 investment in Sonical, and has facilitated 2 portfolio exits, including Veevx in January 2026.

## Sectors

- Semiconductors
- AI/ML
- Photonics
- Sensors
- MEMS
- Quantum Computing
- Advanced Materials
- Mobility & Transportation
- Robotics & Automation
- Cybersecurity
- Life Science

## Questions

### How does Silicon Catalyst source its portfolio companies?

Silicon Catalyst has engaged with more than 1,500 semiconductor startups worldwide and admits companies through a selection process involving its strategic partners, which include TI, ON Semi, Bosch, and GlobalFoundries. Admitted startups enter a 24-month customized incubation program guided by an assigned Silicon Catalyst partner, with curriculum and over 40 global events per year designed to accelerate technical and commercial milestones.

### What does Silicon Catalyst's in-kind partner model actually provide to startups?

The firm has over 60 in-kind partners, including TSMC, Synopsys, Arm, ST, and MathWorks, which collectively provide each portfolio company with several million dollars' worth of goods and services. This includes EDA tools, IP blocks, process design kits, prototype fabrication, design and test services, packaging, and business solutions — reducing the upfront capital barrier that defines semiconductor development.

### How does Silicon Catalyst's international presence work?

The firm has franchised its accelerator model internationally with partners in the UK, EU, Israel, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia. Each of these subsidiaries offers a ChipStart seed-stage incubator that provides non-US semiconductor entrepreneurs direct access to Silicon Valley resources, partners, and investors.

### What kinds of semiconductor technologies does Silicon Catalyst back?

Portfolio companies span ICs, chiplets, materials, IP, and silicon-based photonics, MEMS, sensors, life science tools, and quantum devices. Publicly named portfolio companies include automotive GaN power semiconductor firm VisIC Technologies, optical metasurface AI inference startup Neurophos, and high-density embedded memory developer RAAAM Memory Technologies.

## Related profiles

- [Silicon Balls](https://altss.com/profile/silicon-balls)
- [Silicon Docks](https://altss.com/profile/silicon-docks-ventures)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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