Akash Systems to Receive $18.2M in CHIPS Funding

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce signed a preliminary memorandum of terms with aviation and aerospace component manufacturer Akash Systems to provide $18.2 million in CHIPS and Science Act funding.

Developing Semiconductor Technologies

The proposed CHIPS funding, combined with contributions from Akash Systems, private investors, and venture capital firms, totals a $121 million investment. The funds support the development of semiconductor technologies.

Akash Systems plans to use the proposed funding to convert an existing building into a semiconductor manufacturing facility with a 40,000-square-foot cleanroom space in West Oakland, California. The site will manufacture a range of Diamond Cooling devices, systems, and substrates at scale. 

Creating 400 Jobs

The company added that the project would create more than 400 construction and manufacturing jobs. The facility’s employees will have the choice to join a union.

Akash Systems uses Diamond Cooling technology to enhance the thermal management of semiconductors, which allows them to maintain performance in demanding environments. The company also utilizes its diamond materials to develop GPU-cooling technologies to improve thermal management with artificial intelligence-focused data centers.

Over $36B in Proposed Funding

NIST reported that CHIPS for America has allocated more than $36 billion in proposed funding across 20 states and aims to create more than 125,000 jobs.