Grandis, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Semiconductor |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Dr. Paul Nguyen, Bill Almon |
| Fate | Acquired by Samsung Electronics |
| Headquarters | Milpitas, California , United States |
Key people | Farhad Tabrizi (CEO) |
| Products | Thin film memory components, MRAM technology |
| Owner | Samsung Electronics (after 2011) |
Grandis, Inc. was established in 2002 by Dr. Paul Nguyen and Bill Almon, with Farhad Tabrizi joining later as CEO. Backed by venture capital firms such as Sevin Rosen Funds and Matrix Partners, Grandis was a pioneer in non-volatile memory technologies leveraging Spintronics, notably advancing thin-film memory and inventing spin transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM).
History
Grandis began its journey in 2002 in Milpitas, CA, founded by Dr. Paul Nguyen and Bill Almon, expanding its operations following initial seed investments. Farhad Tabrizi, bringing extensive leadership experience from companies like Lexar Media, Micron Technology, and SK Hynix, assumed the role of CEO. Together with venture capitalist Steve Dominik, Tabrizi forged strategic alliances with major industry entities including Hynix and Renesas.
The company was the first to develop spin-transfer torque thin film structures utilizing magnetic tunnel junctions, positioning itself as a frontrunner in the STT-RAM sector. In 2011, Grandis was acquired by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and became part of Samsung's memory division.
Products and technologies
Grandis specialized in manufacturing thin film memory components and provided licenses for magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) process and design innovations to fabless semiconductor firms, wafer foundries, and integrated device manufacturers. Its technology was designed for use in storage systems, telecommunications, mobile devices, and networking equipment.
The company tackled critical MRAM challenges including write selectivity, operational speed, weak read signals, and thermal stability to enhance product performance relative to competitors.
Investors
Investment backing for Grandis came from firms such as Matrix Partners, Sevin Rosen Partners, and Applied Materials Ventures. The acquisition by Samsung marked a lucrative exit for these investors.