Hunet Plus Co., Ltd. (CEO Hyukjin Cha), a company specializing in next-generation semiconductor and display materials, announced on Aug. 13th that it has secured Pre-Series B investment for entry into the U.S. market from global semiconductor-related companies, including strategic investors from Japan and Taiwan, as well as the Korean financial investor, ANDA Asia Ventures.
In particular, this investment – secured at a time when US and Korea’s tariff issues in the semiconductor sector are coming to the forefront – marks a significant milestone, as it has attracted investment from leading investors from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The deal is expected to provide strong momentum not only for securing the original technology of ML-EUV® (Molecular Layer Assembled Extreme UltraViolet Technology, Process and Materials – a multilayer molecular film vacuum process-type photoresist for extreme ultraviolet lithography), but also for obtaining international patents to support market entry into the U.S., Japan and global markets.
Furthermore, as one of the few Korean start-up companies to successfully attract foreign investment from Japan and Taiwan, Hunet Plus is expected to gain strong traction in expanding its markets while strengthening its global competitiveness.
ML-EUV® is a next-generation total solution for EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography, encompassing vertically stacked molecular structures, manufacturing processes, and materials.
Hunet Plus’ ML-EUV® has overcome the limitations of achieving ultra-high resolution (below 10 nm line width) and sub-2 nm line edge roughness (LER), which have been difficult to realize with existing methods such as:
Second-generation chemical amplification resists (wet process, Chemical Amplification Resist)
Third-generation inorganic nano-cluster-based resists (wet process, Nano Cluster Based Resist)
Fourth-generation inorganic dry-process resists (dry process, Inorganic Precursor Resist)
Hunet Plus’ ML-EUV® achieves world-class performance of ultra-high resolution below 10 nm and line edge roughness below 2 nm by using organic precursors and inorganic precursors at the molecular level, forming 10–20 nm ultra-thin multi-layered resist films through its proprietary Organic–Inorganic Molecular Layer Deposition Process® – an innovative dry molecular-layer stacking method.
Through this strategic investment, Hunet Plus has formally launched commercialization efforts for ML-EUV®. Based on the world’s highest-performing ML-EUV®, the company plans to jointly commercialize ML-EUV® equipment and processes for dry processing with leading global semiconductor equipment manufacturers, while also supplying core organic and inorganic process materials for ML-EUV®-related semiconductor processes in partnership with global materials companies. In doing so, Hunet Plus aims to position itself as a key player in the semiconductor materials, components, and equipment sector.
Hyukjin Cha, CEO of Hunet Plus, stated: “In the global semiconductor market, national borders no longer matter. In the near future, technologies and products like our ML-EUV® – innovative and market-leading – will be the basis for global companies to collaborate and build ecosystems that dominate the market and ensure sustainability. We anticipate additional USD 10 Million follow-on investments from our existing shareholders as well as other global companies, including in the U.S., and will work with local clients to build unique and sustainable ecosystem.”
Haesun Kim, Senior Executive Director of HunetPlus, who played a pivotal role in leading the successful domestic and overseas fundraising, drew on more than 25 years of professional experience in international finance and foreign capital attraction, commented: “Although the past two years have been a very challenging period for Hunet Plus – requiring not only navigating detailed and rigorous due diligence imposed by top-tier international investors but also had to lead strategic negotiations – it has been deeply rewarding. In particular, despite a difficult investment climate as well as attracting interest from potential investors to one of the top level industries in the world, this has become a meaningful success story made possible by the organic cooperation with HunetPlus executives.”
Cho Namhoon, CEO of K-Ground Ventures, an existing investor and the operator of Scale-Up TIPS who provided behind-the-scenes support for this investment, said: “Even in Korea’s challenging environment for bold investments in original technology, we had a strong belief in Hunet Plus’ global-standard R&D capabilities. Through the Hongneung Advanced Science & Technology Commercialization Fund, we took the bold step of making an early-stage investment, followed by support for subsequent fundraising, reinvestment through the Innovation IP Fund, and additional backing via Scale-Up TIPS. This long-term investment strategy has brought significant results. In particular, the attracting investment from renowned global investors is expected to support U.S. market entry and lead to further follow-on investments, ultimately building a sustainable global supply ecosystem for Korean semiconductor technology through joint Korea–U.S. R&D, production, and marketing.”
Meanwhile, on August 6 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump, at an Apple facility investment announcement event, stated, “We will impose 100% tariffs on every semiconductor imported into the United States.”
This announcement has drawn intense attention from semiconductor startups and investors, as semiconductors are the second-largest category of U.S.-bound exports, especially ahead of the upcoming Korea–U.S. summit, where the government’s response will be closely watched.
Media contact
Brand: Hunet Plus
Contact: Hyukjin Cha, CEO
Email: support@hunetplus.com
Telephone: +82-10-8817-0003
Website: https://en.hunetplus.com
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