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ISP, a venture company developing inspection equipment for electronic components such as PCBs (printed circuit boards) and MLCCs (multilayer ceramic capacitors) based on X-ray technology, has secured new investment and is officially launching its business in the semiconductor and secondary battery process inspection equipment sectors.
According to industry sources on the 11th, ISP recently secured a Series B investment of 6.5 billion won. This round included participation from EcoPro Partners, Quad Ventures, and Shinhan Venture Investment. Including this round, the cumulative investment raised amounts to 10.5 billion won.
Founded in 2004, ISP is a company that develops equipment for precisely measuring elemental composition, content levels, and metal/plating layer thickness based on X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) technology. Its strengths lie in its internalized capabilities in X-ray optical systems and detector control technologies, spectrum analysis software, and precision mechanical design and automation engineering. Since developing this equipment, ISP has supplied over 600 analytical practical devices and more than 100 process devices centered on components such as PCBs, MLCCs, and displays.
In 2023, ISP expanded its business scope into inspection equipment for the semiconductor and secondary battery sectors by securing investment from L&N Venture Capital and FP Investment. This marked the company's first external venture capital funding since its establishment. Following this, it was selected for national projects under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, leading to the development of equipment for both semiconductor and secondary battery sectors.
The developed semiconductor inspection equipment non-destructively inspects metal film thickness formed after electroplating in the wafer damascene process. This supports quality stabilization and yield improvement in semiconductor manufacturing. The secondary battery equipment analyzes the composition, size, and count of metallic foreign materials during cathode material and precursor production processes to support quality management.
Investors expect ISP to achieve results in its new business areas—semiconductors and secondary batteries—from the second half of this year. Already, ISP is in negotiations with over 10 global top-tier customers not only in the MLCC and PCB sectors but also in the semiconductor sector for XRF equipment supply. ISP's revenue was 6.5 billion won last year, with targets of 10 billion won this year and 25 billion won next year.
Park Jeong-kwon, CEO of ISP, stated, "This investment is aimed at expanding Yangsan operations and customer base for the completed semiconductor and secondary battery equipment." He added, "We will supply competitive domestic solutions to the advanced measurement and inspection equipment market, which currently relies heavily on foreign products, and transform into an equipment company trusted by global advanced manufacturing enterprises."
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