Our Story
Paragraf is the first company in the world to mass produce graphene-based electronic devices using standard semiconductor processes. Our Graphene Hall Sensors (GHS) and Graphene Field-Effect Transistors (GFETs) currently in production, and other semiconductor devices in development, make use of our proprietary graphene growth process to fully harness the wonder material’s myriad features. Our products deliver superior sensitivity, robustness and energy efficiency to solve important problems in a range of applications, including automotive, industrial automation, cryogenics, healthcare and agri-tech.
At Paragraf we are committed to materially impacting critical global challenges by driving a 2D-material revolution in the semiconductor industry, which we believe will facilitate massive improvements in the performance of technologies across all aspects of life.
A spin-off from the University of Cambridge in 2018, Paragraf has raised $85 million over three rounds of fundraising and is widely recognised as an emerging tech leader.
RAZOR’s Reya El-Salahi introduces Paragraf and how graphene is leading a 2D revolution
Paragraf CEO Simon Thomas discusses the future of microchip technology with LSE CEO Julia Hoggett,
Sky News asks if the UK can become the next Silicon Valley?
Our Team
Alistair Crawford
Alistair Crawford
Chairman
Alistair has spent his entire career in the computer and high technology industry, spanning hardware, software, and management of large consulting and systems integration businesses.
For Oracle, he led a $1 billion business with 6,000 staff, which doubled in size under his leadership. He was CEO of two UK-listed public companies: CMG plc, with 12,000 staff and £900m revenue, and Psion plc.
He has been chairman of a number of high technology start-ups, helping them accelerate their growth by developing their teams, raising finance, and winning customers for their products. This has resulted in successful exits.
Alistair has an MA in Jurisprudence from Oxford University.
Dr Andrew Lynn
Dr Andrew Lynn
Director
Andrew is a serial entrepreneur and executive, focused on early-stage high technology opportunities and academic spin-outs. He has helped lead numerous businesses from initial concept through to product commercialisation. His business experiences encompass start-up, fundraising, growth and trade sale exits, as well as leading both Orthomimetics and CamGaN to trade sale exits as CEO.
Andrew currently serves as CEO of Fluidic Analytics and sits as a non-executive director on several boards, including the Cambridge Network. He was an inaugural winner of a Science|Business Academic Enterprise Award in Europe, and appeared on U.S. Technology Review magazine’s list of the world’s top young innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs.
Ed Stacey
Ed Stacey
Director
Specialising in technology and strategy, Ed holds an MBA and BSc from Manchester University, and started his career with Henkel and Scientific Generics.
He now has over 20 years’ venture capital experience, since co-funding the $50m Venture Technologies deep-tech fund in 1996. He has achieved excellent returns with several high-profile exits. Since co-founding deep-tech investor IQ Capital in 2006, he has directed the firm’s technology strategy. It is currently investing from its £136m IQC Fund III, seeking investments in machine learning, data-based propositions and disruptive IP.
Dr Simon Thomas
Dr Simon Thomas
FREng, CPhys
CEO
Simon has a diverse background in physics, engineering and materials science combined with many years’ experience in the fields of semiconductors, functional materials, solid state devices and capital equipment manufacture. This has perfectly equipped him to fully understand two-dimensional materials production. With expertise in materials deposition techniques, he has developed numerous new materials and structure generation processes whilst advancing the understanding of the science of materials growth.
As a global high-tech materials and engineering consultant, Simon has multidisciplinary skills in the development of equipment, deposition processes and surface science across a range of fields. The resulting technology advances have achieved new performance levels in existing semiconductor device structures and have facilitated the capability to produce novel materials and new devices.
Somu Subramaniam
Somu Subramaniam
Director
Somu Subramaniam is the co-founder and Managing Partner of New Science Ventures (NSV). In addition to Paragraf, Somu serves on the Board of Directors of Achronix Semiconductor Corporation, BrightVolt, Cambridge Epigenetix, Dali Wireless, Ferric, Inc, Oxyrane, Pakal Technologies, ProterixBio, Ralexar Therapeutics, Resolve Therapeutics, Svelte Medical Systems, Ventyx Biosciences, Inc and Zeotap GmbH.
Prior to founding NSV, Somu was a director at McKinsey & Company where he advised leading multinational companies in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, photonics, software and semiconductor industries. At McKinsey, Somu was leader of the Strategy Practice, the Technology Practice, the Biotechnology Group, and the Healthcare Practice. He also served on the firm’s Investment Committee and led its Equity Portfolio Committee.
Somu holds a B.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
An experienced leadership team
Paragraf is committed to materially transforming electronics through the development of high-purity graphene products, supporting the advancement of technologies.
Dr Simon Thomas
Dr Simon Thomas
FREng, CPhys
CEO
Simon has a diverse background in physics, engineering and materials science combined with many years’ experience in the fields of semiconductors, functional materials, solid state devices and capital equipment manufacture. This has perfectly equipped him to fully understand two-dimensional materials production. With expertise in materials deposition techniques, he has developed numerous new materials and structure generation processes whilst advancing the understanding of the science of materials growth.
As a global high-tech materials and engineering consultant, Simon has multidisciplinary skills in the development of equipment, deposition processes and surface science across a range of fields. The resulting technology advances have achieved new performance levels in existing semiconductor device structures and have facilitated the capability to produce novel materials and new devices.
Prof. Sir Colin Humphreys
Prof. Sir Colin Humphreys
CBE, FREng, FRS
CSO
Sir Colin has extensive experience in the commercialisation of scientific ideas and the creation of successful university spin-out companies. Low-cost, high-efficiency LEDs developed by his research group are now being manufactured in the UK. New alloys developed by the Rolls-Royce University Research Centre – which he founded and directed – are now flying in Rolls-Royce engines.
He is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in materials science and has received many international medals for his research. Sir Colin is Professor of Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London, a Fellow of Selwyn College Cambridge and Emeritus Professor of Materials Science at Cambridge University. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering and is repeatedly invited to speak at materials science conferences.
Tony Pearce
Tony Pearce
CEng, BEng, FIMMM
COO
With over 30 years’ experience in the semiconductor industry, Tony has held numerous leadership positions within the compound semiconductor field, His background is focussed in electronic material processes, volume manufacturing and capital equipment development and production.
Previously as Managing Director within the semiconductor capital equipment field, Tony led the organisation responsible for the development and manufacture of complex material deposition systems. More recently as VP of Global Operations for a leading compound semiconductor material supplier, Tony established and led the global teams responsible for the successful growth and volume production of materials for a diverse range of device applications including 3D sensing, RF power devices, solar power generation and optoelectronic telecommunications.
John Tingay
John Tingay
CEng, BEng, FIMechE
CTO
John has led development of capital equipment in the semiconductor and electronics industries for over two decades, spanning across wide-ranging technology areas from front end to packaging applications. In these positions, John has been responsible for bringing novel technologies and processes to the industry and supporting the introduction of products by top tier consumer electronics companies.
His experience of the business and technology acquisition process from a multinational corporate viewpoint has led John to hold several non-executive positions in high technology companies within in the semiconductor and advanced imaging markets. .
John has also worked in the development of systems for particle accelerators and Synchrotron physics, after starting his career in consulting engineering.
Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson
PhD
CCO
Tom has a broad background in bringing to market new semiconduct0r products within a range of verticals and application areas. His commercial experience spans product line management, sales, and business development gained across multiple start-ups in applications such as AI computing, automotive, healthcare, wireless infrastructure, and IP networking. At multiple points in his career, Tom has led teams in winning dominant market share with new products against significant global competitors.
Tom has acquired a broad base of experience in a range of go-to-market strategies, technology and market ecosystems, and competitive scenarios in the last 30 years. This has uniquely equipped him to help the Paragraf team drive high-volume electronic device manufacturing, maximizing the return from the multitude of prospective markets that are demanding our technology and products.
Andrew MacInnes
Andrew MacInnes
PhD
CDO
Andrew has over 25 years experience in the product development and volume manufacture of electronic and optoelectronic devices for wireless and data communications markets. In his previous role, Andrew served as Senior Director developing 3D-sensor and related products for the world’s leading cell phone manufacturers.
With a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Surrey, UK and post-doctoral fellowship and visiting scholar positions in the Chemistry Department of Harvard University, USA, Andrew brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of Chief Development Officer at Paragraf. As CDO, Andrew leads the teams to transform the complex core technologies within Paragraf into high volume deliverable products.
Cathy Cranton
Cathy Cranton
MEng, FCA, BFP
CFO
Following the completion of her master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Liverpool, Cathy pursued her keen interest in business and finance by training as a chartered accountant. During her time in practice Cathy progressed from being a junior trainee to managing a varied portfolio of businesses.
Before joining Paragraf Cathy spent 17 years developing her finance expertise as an auditor and business advisor at one the countries top accounting firms. This allowed Cathy to develop expertise in statutory reporting and taxation, financial control, governance, and budgeting. Cathy also developed a keen interest in people development, being heavily involved in recruitment, training, and mentoring.
Cathy’s role at Paragraf covers Finance with her stepping up as interim CFO. This allows Cathy to combine her love of technology, her strong understanding of all areas of business finance and her passion for people and organisational development.
We’re moving fast!
-
2017Seed investment £2.9MParagraf spins out from
Cambridge Universitytransferring the technology
from the academic lab into a
commercial entity -
2018Development labs openFirst technology prototypes (GHS) deliveredParagraf home
establishedto drive large-scale production of
graphene-based technologies -
2019First sensor prototypes tested by customer partnersSeries A investment £16.2MFirst GHS product releasedAwarded £500kalong with QMUL, to explore using graphene to
replace rare metal indiumAwarded £1.7m, 3yr projectto drive graphene device manufacturing supply chain in UK -
2020First products delivered to customersElektra Award Winner Paragraf Graphene Hall Sensors (GHS)Partners with CERNto demonstrate unique properties of
Paragraf’s new Graphene Hall Effect Sensor
(GHS)Partners with Rolls Royceto apply GHS technology to aerospace engines at high temperatures -
2021Elektra Award Winner for excellence in product designTransistor feasibility product PoC designBiosensor PoC deliveredListed as a key player by IDTechExin CVD graphene for electronics applicationsAnnounces a new graphene hall effect sensorideally suited to battery applications, such as the electric
vehicle (EV) sectorAdditional technologies developedBiosensor and Solid State Device -
2022Series B investment £48.5MParagraf USA Inc. establishedTop-ranked overseas company in Taiwan's TIE awardBusiness scalingParagraf expanding
capabilities globally -
20232nd UK manufacturing siteCardea Bio acquisitionAccelerating growth in the
biosensors market -
2024GFET Product LaunchedParagraf GFET-PV01 available now
Find out more