Latest news with #Hillsboro-based
Business Journals
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Portland-based ChEmpower raises $18M series A
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . ChEmpower, a 6-year-old Portland startup making technology for semiconductor manufacturing, has raised $18.7 million. The company's series A round was co-led by venture capital firms M Ventures and Rhapsody Venture Partners. Investors Intel Capital, Pangaea Ventures, Foothill Ventures, In-Q-Tel and TEL Venture Capital also participated, according to an announcement from ChEmpower. ChEmpower develops abrasive-free planarization technology for semiconductor manufacturing. Its polishing pads and solutions are designed to create defect-free surfaces and reduce costs and water use in the chipmaking process, according to its news release. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events The money will go toward scaling ChEmpower's manufacturing, product commercialization and recruiting, the news release said. 'The rapid rise of AI and the demand for sustainable, high-performance semiconductors have created a critical opportunity for ChEmpower,' ChEmpower CEO and co-founder Sudhanshu Misra said in the announcement. 'With this new funding, we will accelerate our operations, extend our market reach, and enhance our product offerings, ensuring we remain at the forefront of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.' Misra previously co-founded Hillsboro-based chipmaking technology company NexPlanar. That company was acquired by Cabot Microelectronics Corp. for $142 million in 2015. He launched ChEmpower in 2019 with co-founder and Clarkson University professor emeritus SV Babu, according to ChEmpower's website. 'At a time when the demands of AI and sustainability are reshaping the semiconductor industry, ChEmpower's innovative approach offers a compelling solution,' Intel Capital Chief of Staff Scott Shaw said in the announcement. 'Their scalable, high-performance technology is precisely the type of breakthrough needed to meet the evolving needs of the semiconductor market, and we are excited to support their journey to lead the next generation of chip manufacturing.'
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Phil, Penny Knight's charitable contributions through 2024 land them on top donor list
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The co-founder of an Oregon sportswear giant and his wife have once again been named among the nation's top donors, but the couple has dropped several spots since the last ranking. The Chronicle of Philanthropy uncovered its of the 50 most generous donors in the U.S. Phil Knight, former CEO and current chairman emeritus of Nike, nabbed the 10th spot alongside his wife Penny Knight. Clackamas County Commissioner Melissa Fireside resigns amid theft, forgery charges According to the philanthropy magazine, the Hillsboro-based couple gifted around $370.4 million to different causes throughout 2024. The biggest share of donations, about $170.5 million, went toward the Knight Foundation. Most of the remaining dollars went to the Knight Family Charitable Fund and the Travis Knight Family Charitable Fund. 'In addition, the Knights gave several direct personal gifts, including $35.5 million to back construction projects and campus renovations at the University of Oregon; $2.5 million to TrackTown USA, a Eugene, Ore. nonprofit that organizes track and field events and operates youth-fitness and other programs; and $1.4 million in small gifts to a range of other charitable causes,' the Chronicle of Philanthropy . The report also noted the grants for 'scientific research and business programs' at the University of Oregon and Stanford University, where Phil earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, respectively. His donations to programs like the 1803 Fund and Albina Head Start – both of which support North Portland's Black community – were highlighted as well. The Nike co-founder's $400 million gift to these causes in 2023 landed him the third spot in the . SheBrew festival, Lady Gaga Night among Portland events this weekend This year, businessman Michael Bloomberg topped the list with an estimated $3.7 billion in donations. The former New York mayor's biggest gift benefitted his former university, Johns Hopkins. Other top donors were Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin, Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and his wife Susan, as well as Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Edward Buffett. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
