NexGen Power Systems

NexGen Power Systems, founded in 2017, operates as a vertically integrated power electronics company specializing in gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology. The company was co-founded by CEO Dinesh Ramanathan, who leads the company alongside co-CEO Shahin Sharifzadeh. NexGen has secured funding through multiple rounds, including a Series A round of $8 million in 2018 and a Series B round in 2021, to support its growth and development initiatives.

The company's core business revolves around its proprietary Vertical GaN™ technology, which it develops and manufactures in-house. This GaN-on-GaN approach involves growing gallium nitride layers on a bulk GaN substrate, a process that enables the creation of power devices with high breakdown voltage and overcomes the reliability issues associated with traditional GaN-on-Silicon methods. This vertical structure allows the device to handle higher voltages and currents while maintaining a smaller footprint. The company's business model is to design, develop, and manufacture complete power conversion systems, providing solutions that are smaller, lighter, and more efficient than those based on traditional silicon technology.

NexGen's main product is the Vertical GaN™ power transistor, which is at the heart of its power systems. These transistors are designed to operate at much higher switching frequencies (over 1 MHz) compared to silicon-based counterparts, which leads to significant reductions in the size of passive components like magnetics and capacitors. Key features of Vertical GaN™ include high voltage capability (up to 4kV), avalanche robustness for self-protection against power surges, and a superior temperature coefficient. These benefits translate into power systems with lower energy losses and increased power density. NexGen serves a range of high-demand markets, including data center power supplies, electric vehicles, solar inverters, and consumer electronics like fast chargers and LED lighting. A notable milestone includes a collaboration with General Motors, funded by the Department of Energy, to develop GaN-based electric drive systems.

A significant element of NexGen's strategy is its vertical integration, highlighted by its state-of-the-art fabrication facility in Syracuse, New York. This fab, which began operations in 2017, is dedicated to Vertical GaN™ semiconductor production and is considered the world's largest dedicated GaN fab. The facility is equipped for the entire production process, from epitaxial growth to device testing, and enables NexGen to control the quality and supply of its core technology. In addition to its US manufacturing, the company maintains a global presence with a Systems Engineering Center in Bengaluru, India, and sales offices in China, Japan, and South Korea.

Keywords: Vertical GaN, GaN-on-GaN, power semiconductors, power electronics, power conversion systems, gallium nitride transistors, high voltage semiconductors, efficient power supplies, semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, data centers, solar inverters, fast chargers, renewable energy technology, wide-bandgap semiconductors, power system design, Dinesh Ramanathan, Shahin Sharifzadeh, high-frequency switching, avalanche robustness