While each failed micron can destroy millions of dollars of value, advanced manufacturing is experiencing a tipping point. The rise of artificial intelligence and intensive computing requires manufacturers to reduce the microscopic defects that affect the performance of chips and screens. Part of the answer could come from a technology born in a Parisian laboratory. Hummink, a spin-off from the CNRS and the École normale supérieure, has established itself in a few years as one of the rare deeptech companies capable of correcting sub-micron defects in real time directly on production lines.
The company has developed a microprinting process, High-Precision Capillary Printing (HPCaP), which works like a fountain pen on a micron scale. The system deposits metals or functional materials with sub-5 micron precision to repair circuits, adjust connections or correct invisible defects that result in scrapping entire components. This positioning responds to an immediate need: lithography technologies, even the most advanced, generate imperfections which can only be treated after manufacturing.
The first industrial integrations are taking place in Asia, where OLED screen production lines continue to face scrap rates close to 30%. The impact is massive with nearly 16 billion euros in annual losses and volumes of wasted materials equivalent to several thousand football fields. Tests conducted with Asian manufacturers indicate that Hummink’s technology could increase efficiency by around 10%, a considerable gain in an industry under pressure. Local teams based in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea are focusing their efforts on these qualification phases, which are essential before any large-scale adoption.
Hummink began by positioning its NAZCA machine in laboratories and R&D centers to familiarize manufacturers with its process. This first product serves as an entry point, allows the printing parameters to be adapted and prepares the arrival of the industrial module intended to be integrated directly into the manufacturing lines. This gradual strategy meets the requirements of Asian fabs on many levels, whether it is reliability, repeatability and compatibility with the cadences imposed by screen and semiconductor manufacturers.
The company also relies on its proprietary inks, developed in-house to guarantee stability and repeatability which are essential to the success of the process. These formulations constitute a source of recurring income and reinforce the dependence of manufacturers on technology, a strategic element for sustainably participating in the value chain.
For the founders explain that their mission is “to bring precision where it had never been possible”, explains Amin M’Barki, CEO and co-founder. Pascal Boncenne, COO, adds “Microelectronics is at the heart of the AI revolution, and every micron counts. With our HPCaP technology, we offer manufacturers a concrete way to improve their yields, reduce their losses and make advanced technologies more sustainable.”
International deployment is particularly rapid, NAZCA systems are already present in Europe, the United States and Asia, notably at Duke University, where the technology has made it possible to produce the first recyclable electronic devices printed at the sub-micron scale, published in Nature Electronics. This type of scientific validation strengthens the credibility of the startup in a sector where physical control of processes is decisive.
Hummink announces that it has raised 15 million euros to accelerate the industrialization of its HPCaP technology. Founded in 2020 by Amin M’Barki and Pascal Boncenne, the company is supported by Elaia Partners, Sensinnovat, Beeyond, Cap Horn, KBC Focus Fund, French Tech Seed (Bpifrance) as well as the European Investment Bank. This funding must support international deployment, strengthen local teams and prepare for the complete integration of its industrial module in screen and semiconductor fabs.
