RICHMOND, VA - December 12, 2025 – Mobius Materials, the safe spot market for semiconductors, has closed a $3M Series Seed financing round in order to bring liquidity, quality control and price transparency to the secondary semiconductor market. Mobius’ Series Seed round was led by Spero Ventures, an early stage VC fund focused on purpose led companies. Additional investors include Outsiders Fund and RefashionD Ventures. The funds raised will make a significant investment in the platform which connects buyers and sellers, build out the Mobius leadership team and ultimately position the company for fast track growth to reach new customers and global markets.

Mobius is solving a $25B problem that is only getting worse as tariffs and geopolitics make semiconductors one of the most volatile industries in the world. Despite more than $600B of chips sold annually, there is nowhere for manufacturers to trade chips besides rigid direct, distributor purchasing or a massive gray market. As forecasts change or tariff volatility hits, manufacturers are either left with large stocks of excess chips or shortages of critical ones. Mobius is used by hundreds of contract manufacturers and OEMs to directly buy and sell excess electronic parts quickly, safely and at market prices.

For Mobius’ Founder and CEO, Margaret Upshur, the mission is not just economic, it’s environmental. A former supply chain executive at an electronics OEM, Upshur was dismayed to have to throw away hundreds of thousands of dollars of new chips that were no longer used in their products, all of which could have been sold.

‍“We’re building the first stock market for semiconductors so companies can finally buy and sell components the way they should: transparently, safely, and at true market prices,” says Upshur. “This raise and our partnership with Spero will help us scale our marketplace so supply-chain teams can achieve real liquidity in an industry that’s been stuck with rigid purchasing, constant supply shocks and quality risks.”

‍Mobius will use the new funding to accelerate development of its platform, including the upcoming launch of its e-auction platform, which allows manufacturers to reach thousands of qualified buyers, improve returns, often by up to three times traditional broker rates-and close transactions in weeks instead of months. The raise will also support continued team expansion, following recent leadership hires in engineering and customer experience, with a search underway for a Head of Operations. In addition, Mobius has filed a patent for its machine-learning–based system for authenticating the quality of electronic components.

“Chips power nearly every device we rely on, yet the secondary market remains opaque and inefficient. Mobius is building a trusted marketplace that delivers transparency, liquidity, and quality control,” said Shripriya Mahesh of Spero Ventures. “We’re proud to support Margaret and her team as they create a more resilient and sustainable future for global manufacturing.”

A robust secondary market has never been more important for the $630B semiconductor industry. Geopolitical tensions, a brittle and very long supply chain, and a robust gray market have combined to mean that the semiconductor industry is one of the most volatile in the world. Meanwhile it is incredibly crucial, not just for consumer electronics and national defense but for every sector imaginable. Chips make up 40% of the cost of a car, 66% of the cost of consumer electronics and 65% of the cost of AI development. Allowing quick, safe and floating price buys on a spot market dampens the extreme shocks of the industry and allows manufacturers to keep producing even when chips hit shortages or gluts.

As tariffs continue to rage, Mobius also helps to strategically connect buyers with sellers and reduce the impact of the tariffs. Sellers who already have imported their chips before the trade tariffs have been imposed can sell to buyers pinched by the new costs of import for example. Upshur and her team anticipate that there will continue to be changes in tariffs internationally and are ready to respond, creating a flexible source for their customers.

FREUDENSTADT, GERMANY – The Schmid Group, a leading global provider of equipment and solutions for the electronics industry, today announced the successful delivery and installation of its first InfinityLine C+ system for a leading Japanese customer in the Advanced Packaging and high-end substrate market.

The InfinityLine C+ represents SCHMID’s next-generation vertical spin process technology, designed to deliver best-in-class uniformities, touch-free operation, single-panel processing, and fully automated panel handling.

This achievement marks an important milestone in strengthening SCHMID’s innovation leadership in Panel Level Packaging (PLP) and high-density glass substrate manufacturing, further expanding the company’s footprint in one of the world’s most dynamic electronics markets.

A New Standard in Wet Chemical Processing

The InfinityLine C+ platform is designed as a modular, vertical, touch-free cluster tool supporting a wide range of critical wet processes for high-density interconnect (HDI) and advanced substrate applications.

The InfinityLine C+ cluster provides a flexible, tightly integrated wet process environment that minimizes handling, maximizes yield, and supports rapid recipe transitions for dynamic manufacturing conditions.

Technical Highlights & Customer Benefits

• Single-panel, touch-free vertical processing for maximum yield and minimum particle contamination
• Full automation including FOUP/OHT integration and SCHMID’s MCF logistic system
• Highly uniform etching and developing for advanced line-space requirements (down to 2 µm L/S)
• Optimized wet chemical architecture ensuring tight process windows for Cu and Ti flash etch
• Efficient Wetfilm Stripping based on environmentally friendly DMSO chemistry
• Scalable and modular cluster concept, compatible with SCHMID’s InfinityLine H+, V+, and P+ systems
• Reduced footprint and minimized manual intervention due to full automation and vertical layout

Together, these features enable higher uptime, stable output, and lower total cost of ownership for customers manufacturing the next generation of advanced substrates and PLP architectures.

Executive Statement

“The successful installation of our InfinityLine C+ is a significant milestone and a strong validation of our wet-process strategy,” said Roland Rettenmeier, CSO of SCHMID Group. “The C+ integrates high-precision developing, selective flash etching, and efficient wet-film stripping into a fully automated, touch-free platform purpose-built for next-generation glass and substrate applications. This system will enable our customer in Japan to advance the development of next-generation Panel-Level Packaging technologies.”

What truly sets the InfinityLine C+ apart is its seamless logistics integration, vertical single panel handling, and its capability to consistently achieve 2 µm line-space performance.
These advantages make the C+ a highly competitive solution for manufacturers that demand uncompromising uniformity, flexibility, and yield.

We are proud to support our customer with a system that not only meets today’s advanced packaging requirements but also provides a scalable foundation for future technology generations.”

Outlook & Availability

With the shipment and successful implementation of the first InfinityLine C+ system, SCHMID is entering the commercialization phase. Further customer demonstrations, integrations, and volume-production configurations are now available.

The InfinityLine C+ strengthens SCHMID’s portfolio of advanced wet-process equipment and complements the InfinityLine P+, H+, and V+ platforms, providing substrate and PLP manufacturers with a complete, modular process ecosystem.

Krailling, Germany – November 5th, 2025 – Photonics Systems Group (PSG), a leading expert in laser micromachining specifically for the electronics industry, today announced its inaugural after-hours technical event, the Photonics Tech Evening, to be held on November 19, 2025, during Productronica 2025.

Complementing PSG’s exhibit at the trade show (Hall B2 – Booth 419), the exclusive evening event will take place at the company’s state-of-the-art laser application center at its Munich headquarters, conveniently located just minutes from the Messe München venue. Attendees will gain in-depth insights and hands-on access to PSG’s advanced laser systems engineered specifically for electronics manufacturing, featuring live demonstrations of key electronics manufacturing processes such as microvia drilling, PCB depaneling, precision ceramic cutting, as well as laser trimming for thin-film and thick-film chip resistors and sensors.

The Photonics Tech Evening offers a unique opportunity to explore these cutting-edge capabilities in a focused, interactive environment, with direct access to PSG’s engineering experts for technical discussions and real-world application guidance. “We’re excited to open our advanced applications center and provide industry professionals with hands-on interaction with our latest production-ready laser systems and one-on-one access to our technical specialists,” said Marcus Rennekamp, Photonics Systems Group’s CEO. “This event extends the Productronica experience with unparalleled depth and practical insight into high-precision manufacturing solutions for electronics.”

The event begins at 5:00 p.m. CET, with complimentary shuttle transportation provided round-trip from Productronica to the Munich facility. Registration is required and space is limited. Interested attendees can secure their spot at: https://photonics-systems-group.com/tech-evening/

About Photonics Systems Group

Photonics Systems Group (PSG) specializes in high-precision laser micromachining solutions for electronics manufacturing and semiconductor packaging. Headquartered near Munich, Germany, PSG delivers innovative and scalable system platforms that enable next-generation production capabilities. https://photonics-systems-group.com

Austin, Texas, November 4th 2025 – High Density Packaging User Group (HDP) is pleased to announce that the European Space Agency (ESA) has become a member.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to participate to the HDP User Group and its comprehensive research activities,” said Stan Heltzel, Materials Engineer and PCB expert at ESA. “International collaboration across market segments is instrumental to address the technical challenges, combining complexity and functionality with reliability. I’m convinced that ESA can contribute with technological expertise and a wide stakeholder network to the HDP projects, and vice versa.”

“I am pleased to welcome the European Space Agency to HDP, joining the outstanding organization working on HDP User Group projects. Their expertise and understanding of the complex PCBs required for outer space, the harshest use environment. They will contribute significantly to guiding our advanced reliability assessment projects," said Larry Marcanti, Executive Director of HDP User Group.