Growing demand for the specialised electronics behind brain-computer interfaces (BCI), neuromodulation systems, neural recording devices and implantable neurotechnology has helped ICsense, a TDK Group company and leading European fab‑independent design group delivering exclusive ICs for medical, automotive, industrial and consumer applications worldwide, report the strongest financial year in its 22-year history, with revenue increasing by 30% and profit over 50%. Medical devices of this kind depend on highly customised analogue and mixed-signal chips, often at lower volumes, at a time when larger foundries are increasingly focused on volume supply.
The semiconductor industry is increasingly split between companies chasing high-volume production and a growing number of specialised applications that need something different: highly customised chips, often at lower volumes, with the ability to move from design into reliable production. To meet this need, ICsense has evolved from being primarily an engineering design house into a market-leading, independent fabless company able to take specialised ICs all the way from design to supply, achieving success across sectors with quality-focused customers that have become disillusioned by larger foundries consolidating and prioritising newer nodes.
“We have delivered an excellent year with the strongest results in our 22-year history. This achievement is a real testament to the dedication of our amazing team, which has also expanded by 10% alongside the company’s revenue and EBITDA growth. We will continue to build long-term relationships with our customers as their needs evolve in response to the wider changes taking place across the semiconductor industry. As the market continues to consolidate, larger semiconductor companies and foundries are increasingly focused on high volume projects and advanced process nodes. This can leave customers developing specialised, lower-volume ASICs with fewer options for a partner able to support them from design through to production.” said Wim Claes, CBDO and co-founder of ICsense.
ICsense’s fab independence is central to this model; keeping the development closely connected by working with multiple foundries in order to respond nimbly should any of them change or discontinue manufacturing processes. The company’s independence from any single foundry is becoming increasingly important as global semiconductor supply chains face unprecedented challenges.
“The expansion of our business and its profitability is driven by increased chip supply as well as significant investment in production, test equipment and cleanroom capabilities. We expect to continue investing in advanced manufacturing and testing infrastructure over the next five years as we scale our design and supply capabilities,” concludes Claes.
The growth is supported by demand across target markets such as medical ASICs, including BCI (Brain Computer Interfaces), neuromodulation systems, neural recording devices and implantable neurotechnology, where specialised electronic components are vital. Being ISO13485 certified, ICsense is the go-to partner for medical electronics with significant experience in this area, with US companies increasingly looking to European specialists like ICsense for niche analogue and mixed-signal capabilities that can be difficult to find domestically.
