Chip startup funding up 237% in February, says GSA

  
LONDON -- It may not be that the tide has turned insemiconductor startup funding but February caught a big wave of venture capitalmoney, according the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) industry organization.

Each month, GSA tallies relevant announcements on funding,IPO, and M&A investment activity in the private and public sector. InFebruary 2012 the amount of venture capital invested in fabless companies, IDMsand semiconductor suppliers was $159.8 million, a 237.1% increase compared withJanuary and a 218.3% increase year-over-year. There were 14 semiconductorcompanies that received funding in February; a 100% increase month-on-month anda 180%  increase year-on-year.

Inside Secure SA (Aix-en-Provence, France) raised about 70million euro (about $90 million) when it listed on the Euronext market onFebruary 17 at 8.20 euros.

Mergers and acquisitions were down in February, according toGSA. For these purposes it counts M&As involving entire fabless, IDM, andsemiconductor supplier companies, but not sectors/product lines or foundryfacilities. The monthly M&A activity decreased by eight sequentially and byfour year-on-year, GSA said.

This story was originally posted by EETimes.
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