Tell us more about yourself and your role.
In my current role as SVP in Corporate Development, I am responsible for evaluating new growth and investment opportunities, as well as technology trends for Heraeus – in this respect, we investigated lab-grown diamonds as a promising advanced material for semiconductor and electronics applications.
It’s very uncommon to see women leaders in the STEM space. Can you share your journey with us?
Throughout my academic journey, I have been consistently fascinated by technology and science. This passion led me to delve deep into the world of STEM at school and has been the driving force behind my pursuit of a career at BASF and Heraeus. I hope to inspire others to pursue their interests in technology and science.
How long have you been with Heraeus, and how would you describe its culture?
I have been with Heraeus for over 8 years. Innovation and technology are our key corporate values, and the culture follows an open innovation approach. That means we work with external partners such as other companies, research networks and VC funds. We scout start-ups globally and invite them to collaborate in our unique, advanced materials platforms.
How did Heraeus find out about CSMH (Compound Semiconductors)?
In the last months, we screened the ecosystem of lab-grown diamonds, with a focus on high-tech applications in which a diamond material’s unique thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties can be leveraged. Our VC partner CM venture had invested into CSMH earlier on, and offered us the opportunity to co-invest.
How did Heraeus decide to invest in CSMH?
It turned out that CSMH has strong technical capabilities in growing synthetic diamond wafers. This investment reinforces Heraeus’ commitment to cutting-edge material start-ups and emphasizes its strategic focus on the semiconductor market. The combination of CSMH’s specialized expertise in diamond materials and Heraeus’ global market access promises a successful expansion into international markets.
Why use diamond for semiconductors? Where/how are they used?
Diamond possesses the highest thermal conductivity of any material, surpassing existing thermal solutions, such as copper, by several times. This allows heat to be dissipated more efficiently, to allow high-performance electronic components to endure/operate with maximum efficiency. In addition, diamond can withstand extremely high voltage, without the risk of electrical breakdowns. This is critical for advancing miniaturization, efficiency, and robustness in high-power electronics applications. As costs of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) diamond comes down, diamond is finding greater use across industries.
What value do you think CM Venture provided?
CM Venture has over a decade of strong expertise in Chinese tech investments. The founders, who are fully qualified scientists with a keen economic sense, have sound judgement in understanding how to commercialize innovation.
How else do you think CM Venture can help in the road ahead?
CM Venture’s portfolio comprises of deep tech start-ups in industries ranging from advanced materials, new energy, smart manufacturing and sustainability/carbon utilization. They offer a strong strategic overlap with Heraeus business platforms. The collaboration between Heraeus and CM Venture has been highly successful from the start, and we are excited to explore additional opportunities for partnerships in the future.
Thank you, Dr Kathrin Wissel-Stoll, for your time!
