Transphorm
| Company type | Public (until 2024), now subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Semiconductor |
| Founded | February 2007 |
| Headquarters | Goleta, California , United States |
Key people | Umesh Mishra (co-founder and CTO) |
| Products | Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors and power electronics |
| Parent | Renesas Electronics (since 2024) |
Transphorm, Inc. is a U.S.-based semiconductor firm that specializes in producing transistors using gallium nitride (GaN) technology for applications in switched-mode power supplies. In 2024, it became part of Renesas Electronics, continuing its mission to innovate within the GaN power electronics sector.
History
Established in February 2007 and incorporated in Delaware, Transphorm operates from its main office in Goleta, California, situated close to the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). This proximity is notable as co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Umesh Mishra serves as a faculty member there.
In 2011, Transphorm raised $20 million from Google Ventures to advance its power conversion technology efforts, complemented by an additional $18 million investment from Kleiner Perkins and other backers.
The company introduced the TPH2006PS in September 2012, marking the launch of the first JEDEC-certified 600V GaN HEMT transistor in the industry. By November 2013, Transphorm entered into a strategic partnership with Fujitsu Semiconductor, aiming to integrate GaN power components into Fujitsu’s power supply segment; Fujitsu also acquired a minority stake as part of this collaboration.
A significant $70 million funding round led by KKR took place in 2015. Transphorm transitioned to a publicly traded company through a reverse merger with Peninsula Acquisition Corporation, a special-purpose acquisition company, in February 2020. The firm further expanded its manufacturing capabilities in August 2021 by acquiring full control over the AFSW wafer fabrication facility from GaNovation, bolstering its production of high-voltage GaN devices.
In March 2023, Transphorm unveiled its inaugural GaN System-in-Package (SiP) developed jointly with Weltrend Semiconductor Inc., which was presented at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC). By August 2023, it had engineered a patented GaN transistor technology together with Yaskawa Electric, featuring a short circuit withstand time (SCWT) of 5 microseconds—an essential attribute for motor drive systems.
In January 2024, an agreement was reached for Renesas Electronics to acquire Transphorm for $339 million, with the transaction finalized on June 20, 2024.