BMW Invests In GaN Systems

GaN Systems, a maker of GaN power transistors, has announced the closing of an investment round led by BMW’s investment arm, BMW i Ventures. BMW i Ventures joins the existing investors: BDC Capital, Chrysalix Venture Capital, Cycle Capital Management, RockPort Capital and Tsing Capital.

Consistent with its investment strategy, BMW i Ventures recognises that GaN Systems’ products maximise the efficiency of electronic systems while reducing size, weight and overall system cost. The investment will be used to expand global sales and accelerate new product development.

“GaN Systems’ power transistors have created new possibilities for engineers to build the power electronics demanded by today’s systems. GaN-based transistors have become, in my opinion, the next big stepping stone in miniaturisation. We have seen systems half of the size while providing better efficiency than traditional silicon-based alternatives. With GaN, any system that needs power can become smaller, lighter and more efficient. These capabilities are particularly relevant in the automotive sector,” stated Uwe Higgen, managing director, BMW i Ventures.

GaN Systems’ CEO, Jim Witham, commented on the landmark investment: “From computer/phone chargers and datacentre servers to factory motors and electric cars, our customers have validated the GaN value proposition of small, efficient, low-cost power electronics. These benefits are widely recognised by the world’s biggest companies across all industries.”“There are many examples of how GaN benefits power systems,” continued Higgen.

“With autonomous cars, there will be the need to massively scale the datacentre infrastructure. Datacentre power consumption is one of the biggest cost drivers, and increasing the efficiency of power conversion will account for billions of dollars in cost savings and enable a more sustainable infrastructure around the globe.”