Cornwall-based software innovator, KuasaSemi, is accelerating the global development of Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductors—crucial components in electric vehicles, laptops and clean energy systems.
With tailored innovation and growth support from Innovate UK, the company has expanded into multiple international markets, secured over £117,000 in funded initiatives, grown from two to seven employees and built strategic partnerships with global leaders in the semiconductor industry.
Semiconductors are tiny chips that make modern electronics work and WBG versions offer faster performance and greater energy efficiency. KuasaSemi’s platform enables engineers to simulate the design and development of these advanced chips virtually, before committing to expensive manufacturing.
“Manufacturing WBG semiconductors is time-consuming and costly, so our software allows engineers to simulate the process before any chips are physically produced,” says Michael Mawby, Director of KuasaSemi. “It reduces time, cost and barriers to entry while helping new users quickly get involved in device development.”
By simplifying this complex process, the company is helping accelerate innovation across one of the fastest-growing sectors in global electronics.
Building innovation foundations for growth
KuasaSemi began working with Innovate UK Business Growth in 2023. Innovation and Growth Specialist, Matt Borne, developed a comprehensive action plan with the company, focusing on strategic growth priorities including product innovation, intellectual property (IP) protection and international engagement.
As part of this support, KuasaSemi participated in IP Advance, an Intellectual Property Office (IPO) scheme available to Innovate UK Business Growth clients. This provided the company with an in-depth audit, which helped it to develop a long-term strategy combining patents, trade secrets and copyright.
This was followed by support through a Innovate UK Secure Innovation Security Review, helping KuasaSemi assess cyber security risks and become robust in the face of external threats—key considerations for a company operating in a highly sensitive sector. It also worked with Innovate UK Business Growth to review its SEO and customer journey, benchmarking website performance and improving visibility online.
Securing funding for scale and validation
The company was introduced to additional innovation and growth specialists, who supported it in refining its funding strategy and provided critical appraisals of its grant applications. This led to a successful bid for a £78,000 Innovate UK Collaborative R&D Manufacturing Scale Up grant, which KuasaSemi is using to validate its software platform in collaboration with Vishay, the world’s fourth-largest power semiconductor manufacturer.
By applying KuasaSemi’s simulation tools to Vishay’s real-world data, the team is demonstrating the accuracy and commercial readiness of the platform.
Michael explains: “This is a massive step toward validation and long-term adoption. Being able to prove the accuracy of our models using industry data is hugely valuable when speaking to potential customers and investors.”
Going global with confidence
Internationalisation has been a central part of KuasaSemi’s strategy. With support from Innovate UK Business Growth, the company was selected for a series of Global Business Innovation Programmes (GBIPs)—first to Taiwan, then to Japan and a joint visit to Germany and Switzerland.
The Taiwan visit introduced KuasaSemi to its ideal customer base and helped it begin the process of securing an export licence. These customer-facing activities were critical in shaping KuasaSemi’s product roadmap, aligning it more closely to global industry needs.
Subsequent GBIPs led to new collaborations with two Swiss companies and active commercial discussions with a household-name multinational in Japan. They also facilitated an introduction to Innovate UK’s Head of Semiconductors, who recommended a partnership with Durham-based Nascent Semi and connected the business with the Rewire Project—a commercial network linking KuasaSemi to the University of Warwick and University of Bristol.
Michael adds: “Innovate UK Business Growth has been truly transformational in helping us make connections that we simply couldn’t have accessed on our own. From partnership opportunities to market insight, the international support has strengthened both our strategy and our confidence.”
Enabling a stronger UK semiconductor sector
KuasaSemi’s growth contributes to the UK’s ambitions in clean technology, electronics and advanced manufacturing. Its platform accelerates product development while lowering barriers for companies and researchers across the sector—supporting the creation of energy-efficient technologies that benefit both the economy and wider society.
The company has secured consultancy contracts, is preparing for its first commercial sales later this year and has significantly expanded its team from two to seven employees.
Michael concludes: “We’re proud to be building a company that contributes to the UK economy while solving real problems in a fast-moving global industry. Innovate UK Business Growth’s support has helped us grow sustainably and build the right foundations for long-term success.”
Innovate UK Business Growth has been truly transformational …From partnership opportunities to market insight, the international support has strengthened both our strategy and our confidence.
– Michael Mawby, Director of KuasaSemi