Cambridge-based advanced semiconductor company Silicon Microgravity (SMG) has secured £6m in a funding round to scale its specialised sensors for the defence and space sectors.
The fresh capital injection will be used to scale up SMG’s UK manufacturing capability, expand its engineering team, and accelerate commercial partnerships across Europe and the US.
Spun out from the University of Cambridge, SMG develops next-generation microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies.
Its proprietary sensors are built for extreme operating environments where conventional GPS navigation fails, providing accurate sensing for launch vehicles, satellite communications, and tactical military hardware.
The startup’s technology has already gained traction with global partners, including recent commercial deployments of its MEMS accelerometers in advanced space exploration and planetary missions.
“The future of defence, autonomous systems and space exploration depends on navigation and sensing technologies that are smaller, more accurate and capable of operating where GPS cannot,” said Francis Neill, chief executive of SMG.
“This investment allows us to accelerate commercial deployment of technologies that are already attracting significant interest from global customers and partners, while continuing to build sovereign sensing capability here in the UK.”
The investment was led by West Hill Capital. It also saw participation from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) managed by Future Planet Capital.
“SMG represents exactly the kind of strategically important dual-use technology business the UK needs to scale,” said Alexander Leigh, investment director, defence and security at UKI2S.
“Semiconductors, sensing and advanced manufacturing are increasingly critical to both national security and the future competitiveness of the UK space sector. What makes SMG particularly compelling is the combination of deep technical differentiation and growing commercial validation from globally recognised customers.”
