Seattle-based semiconductor security startup Chiplytics has raised $4.5 million to expand its microelectronics verification technology and establish a new inspection facility in Bellport, New York. The funding includes $2.5 million in seed financing and a $2 million U.S. Air Force Tactical Funding Increase award. The round was led by Scout Ventures and Waypoint Ventures, with additional participation from QKSS, Industrious Ventures, Interwoven Ventures, Seattle Alliance of Angels and Cornell University's Red Bear Angels.
Chiplytics focuses on identifying counterfeit, substituted, inconsistent and potentially defective semiconductor components before they are incorporated into machinery or other critical systems. Its technology combines AI, automation, robotics, machine vision and electrical testing to inspect components at scale rather than relying only on sample-based testing.
The company is addressing a growing challenge for electronics manufacturers. Semiconductor shortages and extended lead times can push manufacturers toward independent distributors when authorized supply channels cannot deliver components quickly enough. Chiplytics says some basic components now have lead times exceeding 52 weeks, increasing the importance of verifying parts obtained through alternative supply channels.
Its new inspection facility operates inside Quality King's 600,000-square-foot distribution center in Bellport. The facility brings component distribution and verification together, allowing customers to source and inspect critical electronics through a more integrated process.
The company's inspection platform includes Sandia National Laboratories' Power Spectrum Analysis technology, automated visual inspection, X-ray imaging, solderability testing and other methods aligned with AS6171 standards. Chiplytics says its system is designed to inspect every component in an order, making large-scale verification more practical.
Chiplytics originated from technology developed through a U.S. Department of Energy program connecting startups with national laboratory research. The company worked with Sandia National Laboratories and says its technology was validated with the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force before commercial deployment.