HEXAspec Newsletter December 2024

HEXAspec December 2024

Fundraising: April, 2025 (Pre-seed Round) Team Member: 4

Date Founded: May, 2024

This Month at HEXAspec

Welcome to HEXAspec's August Newsletter!

This summer, HEXAspec is on fire, rapidly advancing our prototyping design and industrial-grade thermal conductivity testing.

Hello HEXAspec Community,

It’s been a while since we last caught up with you all! We've been in stealth mode recently, as our founder was on a family trip. Rule #1: family comes first, right? But now we're back! We've got everything in place and things are back to normal. HEXAspec is ready to fire up and share our latest technical progress with you.

HEXAspec is on a mission to revolutionize heat management in semiconductor chips, enhancing their thermal conductivity for cooler operation and reduced energy costs.

About Us:

Who We Are and What Drives Us Forward

HEXAspec was founded by three passionate materials science enthusiasts: an "entrepreneur guy," an “industry guy," and a "chips guy." These “nerdy owls” are avid AI users and advocates, excited yet concerned about its energy demands. Committed to making a difference, they aim to ensure AI's responsible advancement, creating a future where AI thrives without compromising our planet’s sustainability.

HEXAspec unlocks future computing power by enhancing semiconductor chips' thermal conductivity. We provide innovative inorganic fillers and molding compounds for next-gen chip packaging, enhancing chip protection, lowering cooling costs, and promoting sustainable practices. Read more

TLDR:

Quick Bites: The Essentials

HEXAspec in Houston Fusion Events
HEXAspec Recommended for NSF PFI Grant
More on Semiconductors: Is Rubin Coming Sooner Than Expected?

Asks:

Your Support Needed: Full Launch by Q3 2025

Potential Customers and Early Adopters: We are actively seeking industry partners with chip packaging capabilities who are looking for enhanced thermal performance and mechanical protection. Contact us to participate in our pilot tests! Keep in touch with us.

Advisor Wanted: We are looking for a senior chief technical advisor with experience in the semiconductor industry to join our team.

Interested in Our Full Pitch Deck? We are currently in discussions with investors, venture capitalists, and angel investors for our upcoming pre-seed funding round. Please contact us for more details and to receive our comprehensive pitch deck.

HEXAspec in Houston Fusion Events

Fall has been a whirlwind, especially for Houston’s local founders! At HEXAspec, we're proud to be part of this vibrant community as a growing startup. This season, we connected with local investors and founders through events like the grand opening of Energy Tech Nexus and the annual Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week. We also had the privilege of attending the inspiring Innovation Maps Annual Gala and participating in DeepTech Day hosted by Rice Innovation Office. Just last week, we had an exciting visit to Micron, exploring state-of-the-art chip manufacturing processes and cutting-edge fabs.

Picture description: (1) One small step grant luncheon -Rice Innovation (2) Micron Fabs visit (3) Rice Team at Innovation Maps (4) Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week

HEXAspec Recommended for NSF PFI Grant

We're thrilled to share that HEXAspec's venture idea has been recommended for the final batch of the NSF PFI (Partnership for Innovation) Grant of $500,000 in funding before the release of their new guidelines. A detailed announcement will be coming soon! During the Thanksgiving break, our founders reunited to collaborate on additional non-dilutive grant applications and prototype development, further fueling our growth and innovation. We’re grateful for the continued support and excited for what’s ahead!

Is Rubin Coming Sooner Than Expected?

A recent report reveals that Nvidia is planning to launch its Rubin GPU six months ahead of schedule. This shift in timeline seems aimed at gaining a competitive edge over rivals starting in 2025, allowing Nvidia to capitalize on an extended period of market dominance. According to Business Insider, Nvidia is also working closely with SK Hynix to accelerate the readiness of next-generation memory, which will help fast-track the GPU launch and unlock significant profit potential. Read more

Picture source: AI formed picture of Nvidia Latest GPU architecture named after Vera Rubin.

Recent Momentum:

We have gained some itty-bitty tractions over the past few months

HEXAspec was selected as second cycle of One Small Step Grants, receiving $100,000 non-dilutive funding. Read more

HEXAspec won 1st place in the annual H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge 2024, receiving a $50,000 prize. Read more

HEXAspec secured 1st place in the Rice Business Plan Competition 2024 Qualifier and represented Rice University as the sole team competing against startups from 42 universities from across the globe. Read more

Rice Engineering featured HEXAspec: Rice graduate students help chips beat the heat with advanced nanomaterials. Read more