Paris-based company NanoXplore, which designs and develops high-reliability FPGAs and ASICs for space, defense, aerospace, and industrial applications, has secured a €20 million funding round from MBDA and the Defense Innovation Fund managed by Bpifrance.
- Founded in 2010, NanoXplore designs and develops high-reliability electronic components, including FPGAs and ASICs. Édouard Lepape became CEO in 2013, leading the company’s focus on radiation-hardened SoC FPGA technologies for space, aerospace, defense, and industrial applications.
- The company produces components capable of operating in extreme environments, with FPGAs and ASICs engineered to resist radiation while maintaining full functionality. NanoXplore also provides design software tools and consulting services to integrate these components into complex systems.
- In 2024, NanoXplore expanded its expertise through the acquisition of Dolphin Design’s ASIC activities, adding capabilities in low-power, high-reliability circuits. Working with a fully European supply chain, the company collaborates with ESA, CNES, and the European Commission, offering alternatives to non-European semiconductor solutions.
- NanoXplore operates from its headquarters in Sèvres, with additional sites in Jacou and Meylan, combining hardware design, software support, and system-level consulting for aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors.
Details of the deal
- NanoXplore will use the €20 million funding to accelerate its expansion into the defense sector by developing new security-focused electronic components, such as radiation-hardened FPGAs and ultra-low-power chips, tailored for land, air, and naval systems.
- In addition, the company will pursue a targeted European growth strategy through strategic acquisitions to broaden its product portfolio and strengthen its position in the critical microelectronics supply chain, ensuring technological sovereignty and resilience.
“With MBDA and Bpifrance joining our shareholding, NanoXplore is entering a new phase of development. As an independent French company, we have shown that it is possible to design and produce state-of-the-art advanced electronic chips in Europe. This funding round will allow us to go further: accelerate our diversification into defense with products specifically designed for these markets, while continuing a strategy of targeted acquisitions in Europe. Our ambition is clear: to make NanoXplore the reference player for European electronic sovereignty," claims Édouard Lepape, CEO of NanoXplore.
