- Menlo Microsystems recently announced it raised $150 million in Series C funding. These are the details.
Menlo Microsystems — the company responsible for reinventing the electronic switch with its Ideal Switch technology — recently announced a $150 million Series C round of funding, bringing Menlo Micro’s total cumulative funding to over $225 million. Vertical Venture Partners and Tony Fadell’s Future Shape led the funding round.
There was also participation from new investors Fidelity Management & Research Company, DBL Partners and Adage Capital Management along with existing investors, Standard Investments, Paladin Capital Group, Piva Capital, and PeopleFund. Menlo Micro plans to use the funding to expand the company’s domestic manufacturing and supply chain for the Ideal Switch.
The Ideal Switch is a device that delivers all the benefits of a mechanical relay and a semiconductor switch without compromises. And the Ideal Switch is tiny, fast, reliable, withstands extreme temperatures, is ultra-low loss and can handle 1,000s of Watts. Plus it is manufactured using conventional semiconductor equipment.
According to Adroit Market Research, the global electrification market is experiencing tremendous growth and it is projected to reach $128 billion by 2028. And the Ideal Switch is transforming the electrification of everything by increasing energy efficiency of the entire legacy electric infrastructure, upgrading 100-year-old relay technology with a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch.
The Ideal Switch enables:
1.) Increased Energy Efficiency: As just one example, there are over 1 billion ceiling fans worldwide and using efficient Ideal Switches in fan controllers would save enough energy to take 17 coal-fired power plants off the grid.
2.) Increased Reliability: A 1000x increase in reliability from electromechanical relays to the Ideal Switch means replacing all switches in the control of industrial processes and equipment can save over $7 trillion in operating costs by 2050.
3.) Smarter Controls: The small size and built-in smart features of the Ideal Switch can enable a level of automation in devices that were previously not possible. For example, there are over 20 billion outlets and switches in U.S. buildings. Using efficient Ideal Switches in buildings can save the amount of electricity produced by 11 power plants.
With its comprehensive patent portfolio, proven technology, and blue-chip customer list, Menlo Micro is well positioned for another major growth phase in 2022. And Menlo Micro is exploring domestic semiconductor manufacturing locations in California, New York, Texas, and Florida.
KEY QUOTES:
“Today’s funding milestone underscores the confidence our investors have in Menlo Micro’s transformative technology to fuel the electrification of everything and modernize the $100+ billion market for RF communications, power switching and protection devices in the 21st century, It will enable us to expand our manufacturing in the U.S. and accelerate the development of our power roadmap to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We’re positioned to enable the upgrade of the world’s aging power grids, modernize smart buildings and factories, and eliminate many of the inefficiencies in our legacy electrical infrastructure.”
— Russ Garcia, Menlo Micro CEO
“The Ideal Switch is poised to replace every switch that distributes power. It is the most ubiquitous electrical component in the world – 20B are shipped each year. It’s simple, the Ideal Switch changes fundamental math on power delivery to cities, buildings, homes, and appliances from EVs to lights. It will cost less, last longer, act smarter, and lower climate-busting emissions thanks to its energy efficiency profile. Menlo Micro is one of the biggest technology disruptors of our generation.”
— Tony Fadell, Nest founder and Principal at Future Shape
“The 21st century is being defined by the electrification movement. What began with the electrification of transportation, Menlo Micro is now pushing this disruptive trend to another level with breakthrough switching technology that will fuel the electrification of everything. The company’s massively disruptive innovation enables the transformation of industries ranging from industrial and building automation, grid infrastructure, transportation, and applications that include virtually every electronic device that impacts our lives. Mass deployment of the Ideal Switch on a global scale has the potential to save gigawatts of power, dramatically cut carbon emissions, and enable a more sustainable future for humanity.”
— Ira Ehrenpreis, Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners
