PParagraf designs, manufactures graphene-based electronic components and also offers foundry services for custom 2D-material applications. Its Graphene Hall Sensors (GHS) deliver high sensitivity under extreme conditions, while Graphene Molecular Sensors (GMS) use electrolyte-gated transistors to quickly detect molecules, ions, and gases; graphene is deposited directly onto semiconductor wafers to fit with existing manufacturing lines. The company differentiates itself by enabling wafer-scale graphene production that works with current fabs and by targeting practical uses across automotive, healthcare, quantum computing, aerospace, and industrial automation. Its goal is to enable mass production of graphene-based devices and provide both products and manufacturing services to accelerate adoption of 2D materials in electronics.
Work here?Claim your company
Industries
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$149.5M
Headquarters
Somersham, United Kingdom
Founded
2015
See people who can refer or advise you
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Total Funding
$149.5M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
11 Rounds
Industry standards
Connecting the East: a region of innovation needs a regional plan. The East of England's economic strength lies in its network of places. Cambridge and Norwich are global centre of research and enterprise but the region's growth potential extends through its cities, market towns, research parks and industrial centres. Unlocking that potential requires a development model that recognises how these places work together. The East of England's economic geography is clear. Four overlapping corridors connect Cambridge north towards Peterborough, west towards Oxford, east towards Norwich and south towards London. Across them, research institutions, specialist businesses, manufacturers and supply chains form an economy whose connections cross council boundaries. This matters because too much UK economic development thinking has been shaped by an agglomeration orthodoxy: concentrate skilled workers, businesses and investment in larger urban centres and expect productivity gains to follow. Clustering certainly matters. Cambridge demonstrates the value of bringing research, talent and capital together. But the East's geography calls for a broader approach: a polycentric model, in which several centres develop complementary strengths and become more productive through their connections. Innovation needs room to grow. There are practical examples. Paragraf, a Cambridge University spin-out developing graphene electronics, has expanded in Huntingdonshire. CMR Surgical combines its Cambridge headquarters with a global manufacturing facility in Ely. Norwich Research Park provides another major concentration of scientific expertise, linking research in food, health and biotechnology with commercial opportunities. These places perform different, connected roles. Discovery in one location can support product development, manufacturing and employment elsewhere. Growing businesses need access to specialist facilities, suitable premises, skilled workers and suppliers. Those requirements will not always be best met within the place where an idea originated. The corridors widen these possibilities. The Cambridge-Norwich corridor connects life sciences and technology with agricultural innovation. Links towards Peterborough offer opportunities for production, logistics and business expansion. The Oxford-Cambridge corridor connects research and engineering centres with places able to accommodate growth, while the London-Cambridge corridor brings together biomedical institutions, investors and international gateways. Cambridge's success should therefore be understood as an asset for a wider regional economy. Strengthening other centres can also help Cambridge grow by creating more options for where businesses expand and people live and work. Connections need direction. Transport is essential to making this model work. Reliable rail services, better east-west connections and local public transport can widen recruitment, enable collaboration and connect residents to opportunities beyond their immediate neighbourhood. East West Rail illustrates the strategic importance of linking centres across the region. But connecting infrastructure extends beyond transport. Electricity networks, water supplies, digital connectivity and housing all shape whether an innovation cluster can expand. A research park with inadequate power, or a manufacturing site without accessible housing and transport, cannot realise its potential. Infrastructure investment must therefore support a regional plan that identifies where development can deliver the greatest benefits. Better connections alone will not ensure that laboratories, factories, homes and training provision appear in the right places. Such a plan should map complementary economic strengths, identify suitable locations for expansion and coordinate investment around them. It should connect universities and research institutes with further education colleges, employers and local supply chains, ensuring that innovation creates opportunities across different occupations and qualification levels. This requires cooperation across mayoral, council and institutional boundaries. The economic relationships already exist; planning and investment need to catch up. The East does not need every place to become another Cambridge. It needs its distinctive centres to succeed together. A regional plan, backed by connecting infrastructure, would turn that principle into a practical strategy for growth.
Proud Paragraf wins big: 3 awards. Published - 25th September 2026 Huntingdon, UK, 25 September 2026. Paragraf, the world's first foundry for 2D materials-based electronic was shortlisted at three awards ceremonies across Cambridgeshire this week, and Paragraf is delighted to share that Paragraf came away with 3 awards. The Mayor's Scale-up of the Year - Cambridge Independent Business Awards Paragraf is thrilled to have been nominated for Scale-up of the Year at the Cambridge Independent Business Awards. Over the past year, Paragraf has hit significant milestones, from making its first six-inch wafer in its Huntingdon Foundry, to growing its footprint around the world. This award recognises the hard work of the whole team in building tomorrow's technology, and Paragraf is grateful to the judges for seeing what Paragraf see every day. Its Chief Development Officer, Andy MacInnes, and Principle Scientist, Tom Badcock, represented Paragraf. Peterborough Top 100 - Global Growth Champion, Innovator, and Business Leader Awards At the Peterborough Centenary Dinner, Paragraf won the Global Growth Champion and Innovator Categories. Its cofounder and CEO Dr Simon Thomas won the Business Leader award. Paragraf is proud to have built its world-first foundry for 2D materials-based electronics in Huntingdon, and being recognised among the Peterborough's standout businesses and leaders is a real honour. Its Co-founder and CEO Simon Thomas, Chief Financial Officer Cathy Cranton, Senior Technician Craig Beveridge and Process Development Lead Jaspreet Kainth had a wonderful evening celebrating the awards and enjoying the Peterborough Centenary Dinner. Thank you to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, and Mayor Paul Bristow for their support. Degree Apprentice - Peterborough Apprenticeship Awards Congratulations to Harry Dorken, who achieved special recognition in 2 categories. Harry joined Paragraf in 2021, studying a Level 3 course in Applied Science at Cambridge Regional College, and is now a Data Engineer (AI and Machine Learning) and a valuable part of the Paragraf team. Apprenticeships are a big part of how Paragraf grow talent at Paragraf, and Harry shows exactly why. Its HR Director Helen Dighton, who has been instrumental in leading its apprenticeship programme, attended the evening as a judge. A huge thank you to the organisers, sponsors and judges of all three ceremonies, and congratulations to every fellow finalist and winner. It was brilliant to spend an evening celebrating the talent in its region. Most of all, thank you to its team and all the people that support Paragraf. Paragraf couldn't win these awards without you.
Craigard toasts success of tenant Paragraf, a global graphene semiconductors pioneer. 14 July 2026 Asia-Pacific Drives Soaring Demand for Graphene-Based Semiconductors Craigard tenant Paragraf is capitalising on rising global demand for graphene-based semiconductors that are 10 times faster than their silicon counterparts. Cambridgeshire-based Paragraf is the first company in the world to mass produce graphene-based electronic devices using standard semiconductor processes. Graphene is very light, strong and conductive, enabling much higher-speed electronics. It also sheds heat more effectively. Being hundreds of thousands of times thinner than the average human hair, graphene is incredibly flexible - making it useful for advanced sensors and high-frequency communications. Other applications include medical diagnostics and optoelectronics. Graphene-based semiconductors are expected to be one of the fastest growing technologies over coming years. Asia-Pacific is a key driver of demand. Paragraf is widely recognised as an emerging tech leader in the field. The Cambridge University spin-off has raised more than $140 million (£104.59 million) over three rounds of funding. Craigard let TG44 Tower Gate - 43,167 sq ft (4,010 sq m) of Grade A industrial space in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire - to Paragraf in November 2022. The property occupies a prominent location on the main St Peters Road through the historic market town. Craigard originally acquired the 2.75-acre site for £2.3 million in December 2019, tasking Glencar Construction with the delivery of two high-grade units: TG12 (13,877 sq ft, 1,289 sq m) and TG44. Bidwells and DTRE were joint agents for Craigard on the development. The scheme was centred within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, also known as the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor. This globally significant area between Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes covers the counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. It supports more than two million jobs, adding more than £110 billion to the UK economy annually. Huntingdon's positioning in the Arc reaps the benefits of the region's world-class R&D, life science and manufacturing bases. On March 17 2026, the government announced that funding for the OxCam Corridor - the "UK's Silicon Valley" - would be doubled with £800 million now available. Funds will unlock new homes, laboratories and transport with fast-track development and cutting of red tape to help drive economic growth. Meanwhile, the East West Rail project will improve transport connections by creating new rail infrastructure, upgrading some existing lines and reinstating another. Paragraf has invested millions of pounds in the Craigard property. Work by CMB Engineering has included ISO 5, ISO 6 and ISO 8 cleanroom fit outs and the installation of ultra-high purity hydrogen and nitrogen distribution systems. Paragraf has also obtained a huge 3MVA power supply; it would be large enough to power 600-1,500 homes simultaneously. Craigard Managing Director David Foster said: "Craigard Property Trading Limited is very proud to have Paragraf as a tenant. "This pioneering company is recognised as a high-potential deep-tech leader in the semiconductor industry, lauded for successfully transitioning graphene from laboratory research to commercial-scale production. "As the first company to mass-produce graphene-based electronics on standard industry substrates, Paragraf is regarded as a premier, high-value prospect in advanced materials - exactly the kind of company we seek to attract with our Grade A industrial developments," he added. Hampshire-based Craigard specialises in commercial property syndicates. The company - which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary - has an £85 million portfolio comprising around 20 assets under management. It has raised £100 million in private equity and exited 28 syndicates with a proven track record of delivering strong returns. Craigard always co-invests in its syndicates. The team is currently working on a series of commercial property syndication opportunities.
Paragraf growth designs accelerated with addition of industry heavyweights to Advisory Committee and Board of Directors. Paragraf, the Huntingdon based global leader in the commercialisation of graphene-based electronics, has announced the formation of a new Advisory Committee that will include industry masters Oreste Donzella, Jean-Michel Richard and Thomas Piliszczuk. Donzella and Richard will also join Paragraf's Board as Non-Executive Directors. The commercially focused Advisory Committee has been established to support the Board and Executive team as the company scales production, expands internationally and works towards full integration into the global electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Paragraf CEO and Co-Founder Dr Simon Thomas said: The addition of Oreste, Jean-Michel and Thomas to Paragraf's Board and Advisory Committee signals Paragraf's developing maturity from startup to full-scale semiconductor manufacturing company specializing in advanced materials and devices'. 'Having built the world's first graphene electronics foundry, New Science Ventures is now its cementing position as a major manufacturing business in advanced semiconductor materials. Its new committee members' comprehensive, global industry experience will be crucial in developing new markets and technologies in the years ahead.' Oreste Donzella Oreste Donzella is a semiconductor industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience across semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment companies. He has held engineering and strategic leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Micron Technology and KLA Corporation. A frequent keynote speaker at industry events and a contributor to several technical publications, Oreste was named a VLSI Semiconductor All Star in 2020. Oreste currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on several company boards and as a Senior Advisor to a few organisations, including KLA and imec. Oreste earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Jean-Michel Jean-Michel Richard is a seasoned CFO and C-suite executive with over 30 years' experience in technology-driven businesses. He specialises in financial strategy, M&A, restructuring, and scaling high-growth companies. He has held senior roles including Chairman of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG and Non-Executive Director at Ebury. He is also a Finance Adviser to Vitruvian Partners, supporting portfolio CFOs, and a European Advisor to UC Berkeley's SkyDeck, mentoring early-stage startups. He holds an MBA from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Thomas Piliszczuk Thomas A. Piliszczuk is a semiconductor industry leader with over 30 years of experience. He is currently Executive Vice-President and Chief R&D Programs and Portfolio Officer at imec. Previously, he served as Executive Vice-President for Global Business and Strategy at Soitec, held various management positions at KLA and worked with DARPA and SEMATECH on next-generation lithography. In addition to his assignments across the US, Asia, and Europe, Thomas holds an Electrical Engineering degree from Gdansk University, a PhD from Heidelberg University, and an MBA from Stanford University. About Paragraf Paragraf is the world's leading graphene-based electronic device design, development and manufacturing company. Building on its proprietary process to produce graphene directly on standard semiconductor industry substrates, Paragraf has pioneered the delivery of two-dimensional technologies at scale. Paragraf's high-quality graphene - integratable with standard semiconductor tool process lines - has unlocked the incorporation of this remarkable material into both existing and new electronic devices and applications. Through its world-first dedicated graphene device foundry, Paragraf delivers high-performance, low-power technologies to multiple markets and offers two-dimensional-material foundry services to customers and partners, providing graphene in chips to their device requirements. www.paragraf.com
PRESS RELEASE - Paragraf growth designs accelerated with addition of industry heavyweights to Advisory Committee and Board of Directors. Published - 29th June 2026 Paragraf growth designs accelerated with addition of industry heavyweights to Advisory Committee and Board of Directors. CAMBRIDGESHIRE, UK [29 June 2026] - Paragraf, the Huntingdon based global leader in the commercialisation of graphene-based electronics, is announcing the formation of a new Advisory Committee that will include industry masters Oreste Donzella, Jean-Michel Richard and Thomas Piliszczuk. Donzella and Richard will also join Paragraf's Board as Non-Executive Directors. The commercially focused Advisory Committee has been established to support the Board and Executive team as the company scales production, expands internationally and works towards full integration into the global electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Paragraf CEO and Co-Founder Dr Simon Thomas said: The addition of Oreste, Jean-Michel and Thomas to Paragraf's Board and Advisory Committee signals Paragraf's developing maturity from startup to full-scale semiconductor manufacturing company specializing in advanced materials and devices'. 'Having built the world's first graphene electronics foundry, Paragraf Ltd is now its cementing position as a major manufacturing business in advanced semiconductor materials. Its new committee members' comprehensive, global industry experience will be crucial in developing new markets and technologies in the years ahead.' Oreste Donzella Oreste Donzella is a semiconductor industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience across semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment companies. He has held engineering and strategic leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Micron Technology and KLA Corporation. A frequent keynote speaker at industry events and a contributor to several technical publications, Oreste was named a VLSI Semiconductor All Star in 2020. Oreste currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on several company boards and as a Senior Advisor to a few organisations, including KLA and imec. Oreste earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Jean-Michel Jean-Michel Richard is a seasoned CFO and C-suite executive with over 30 years' experience in technology-driven businesses. He specialises in financial strategy, M&A, restructuring, and scaling high-growth companies. He has held senior roles including Chairman of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG and Non-Executive Director at Ebury. He is also a Finance Adviser to Vitruvian Partners, supporting portfolio CFOs, and a European Advisor to UC Berkeley's SkyDeck, mentoring early-stage startups. He holds an MBA from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Thomas Piliszczuk Thomas A. Piliszczuk is a semiconductor industry leader with over 30 years of experience. He is currently Executive Vice-President and Chief R&D Programs and Portfolio Officer at imec. Previously, he served as Executive Vice-President for Global Business and Strategy at Soitec, held various management positions at KLA and worked with DARPA and SEMATECH on next-generation lithography. In addition to his assignments across the US, Asia, and Europe, Thomas holds an Electrical Engineering degree from Gdansk University, a PhD from Heidelberg University, and an MBA from Stanford University. About Paragraf Paragraf is the world's leading graphene-based electronic device design, development and manufacturing company. Building on its proprietary process to produce graphene directly on standard semiconductor industry substrates, Paragraf has pioneered the delivery of two-dimensional technologies at scale. Paragraf's high-quality graphene - integratable with standard semiconductor tool process lines - has unlocked the incorporation of this remarkable material into both existing and new electronic devices and applications. Through its world-first dedicated graphene device foundry, Paragraf delivers high-performance, low-power technologies to multiple markets and offers two-dimensional-material foundry services to customers and partners, providing graphene in chips to their device requirements.
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today
Don't see your dream role? Check out thousands of other roles on Simplify.Browse all jobs
Industries
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$149.5M
Headquarters
Somersham, United Kingdom
Founded
2015
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today
Don't see your dream role? Check out thousands of other roles on Simplify.Browse all jobs