Crocus Technology
| Company type | Private (until 2023), then acquired |
|---|---|
| Industry | Semiconductor |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Milpitas, California , United States |
Area served | Automotive, consumer electronics, industrial, medical IoT |
| Products | Integrated magnetic field sensors, magnetic switches, latches, angle sensors |
| Parent | Allegro MicroSystems (since 2023) |
Crocus Technology, established in 2004, was a semiconductor startup supported by venture capital that specialized in the development and production of integrated magnetic field sensors for applications spanning automotive, consumer electronics, industrial sectors, and medical IoT devices.
History
Originating in Grenoble in 2004 from research conducted at the Spintec laboratory, Crocus subsequently relocated its corporate headquarters to Santa Clara, California, while maintaining its engineering team in Grenoble. The company's focus remained solely on high-performance integrated magnetic sensors. In 2022, Crocus shifted its California headquarters to Milpitas.
On October 31, 2023, Crocus Technology was acquired by Allegro MicroSystems for $420 million in cash.
Products
Crocus initially created its proprietary MLU™ (Magnetic Logic Unit™) technology aimed at both standalone and embedded spintronic MRAM solutions. The first magnetic sensor product utilizing this technology was introduced in 2015. The firm marketed magnetic field sensors as well as sensors designed for flexible display applications based on MLU™.
Additionally, Crocus provided magnetic switches, latches, and angle sensors that employed the Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) effect.
Patents
The company holds a portfolio of 154 patents covering TMR technology, memory solutions, and sensor designs that form the foundation of its product offerings.
Joint ventures
On June 18, 2009, Crocus Technology entered into a partnership with integrated circuit manufacturer Tower Semiconductor, allocating dedicated equipment within Tower's 200mm Fab2 facility to fully produce Crocus’ technologies. As part of this collaboration, Tower also invested $1.25 million for an equity stake in Crocus.
Investors
Prominent investors include Idinvest Partners, CDC Innovation, Enterprises et Patrimonies, Nano Dimension, Sofinnova Partners, Sofinnova Ventures, and Ventech.