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