SCI Semiconductor Funding News- SCI Semiconductor Secures £2.5M Funding

The company is tackling a major issue—‘memory safety’—which causes around 70% of all cyber attacks. Traditional programming languages, like those behind Windows and many industrial systems, allow open memory access.

While flexible for developers, this also opens the door to security risks and crashes, such as the widespread outage during the 2024 CrowdStrike incident.

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Current solutions, like switching to newer coding languages or stricter development rules, are often too complex or expensive. SCI takes a different approach.

Its chip will secure systems by splitting memory into separate compartments and tightly controlling access, cutting cybersecurity costs and reducing the need for constant updates.

SCI’s upcoming ICENI chips, launching later this year, will be the first to use CHERI technology—developed by the University of Cambridge and backed by the UK and US governments.

These chips are designed for critical sectors like infrastructure, defence, automotive, and healthcare.

According to CEO Haydn Povey, cybersecurity is second only to global conflict in terms of factors affecting the economy.

“Memory safe chips have been shown to prevent 70 per cent of all attacks and would enable organisations to continue using existing software with complete peace of mind.

Developing a new generation of chips here in the UK will also help to ensure supply chain security and restore the country’s position as a leader in semiconductor technology.”

The funding came from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, managed by Mercia under the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, along with angel investors from the UK and Silicon Valley.

Will Schaffer, Investment Director at Mercia Ventures, added: “Despite collaboration between the big tech companies, no one has yet managed to build a silicon chip that addresses the issue. The funding will help SCI to win the race for memory safety and deliver next-generation security.”

Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “SCI Semiconductor is exactly the kind of innovative, future-focused business the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II was created to support.”

The company has already secured key customers, including Google Research. With the new funding, it plans to build an engineering team in Sheffield and launch its product.

About SCI Semiconductor

Founded in 2022 by Haydn Povey and Krishna Anne, SCI builds on decades of industry experience. Haydn, with over 30 years in semiconductors and a former ARM executive, previously founded Secure Thingz, which sold for £30 million in 2018.