Pangaea Ventures Highlights Semicon West Startup Social with Investment in Membrion’s $20M Series B1
Pangaea Ventures Partner, Sarah Applebaum (L) announces Pangaea’s participation in Membrion’s $20 million series B1 funding alongside Membrion CEO Greg Newbloom, and fellow investor, Kevin Chen, Ph.D. (Managing Director, Lam Capital and Corporate Development at Lam Research).
Phoenix, AZ – October 7, 2025 – Pangaea Ventures and the Arizona Commerce Authority hosted the Semicon West Startup Social during Semicon West’s first conference in Phoenix, a curated gathering of global semiconductor industry leaders highlighting Phoenix’s emergence as a vital node in the global semiconductor ecosystem. The event, held at the Global Forum, ASU, celebrated Pangaea’s 25 years of breakthrough investment in semiconductor innovation and hard tech solutions, bringing together influential leaders, investors, and emerging startups.
The evening was highlighted by Pangaea Ventures announcing their participation in Membrion’s $20 million Series B1 funding round, alongside PureTerra Ventures, Ecolab, Lam Research, and other existing investors. This latest investment underscores Pangaea’s commitment to backing breakthrough hard tech startups driving sustainable solutions in semiconductor manufacturing and beyond.
Opening remarks were delivered by Sandra Watson, President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, and Chris Erickson, Partner at Pangaea Ventures, setting the tone for a dynamic evening of innovation and collaboration.
The evening featured speed pitches from five leading-edge startups, Beamline, ChEmpower, Membrion, Nautilus Data Technologies, and Purity ReSource, demonstrating next-generation advancements in materials, data solutions, energy, and water for the chip sector.
Attendees gained valuable insights from a panel of corporate venture capital leaders, with discussions centered on innovation, CVC and startup collaboration, market trends, ecosystem development, and new investment opportunities. “There’s a whole ecosystem around AI like advanced packaging, interconnects, materials, that are going to start developing, there’s going to be more money going into those things”, shared Jennifer Ard (Managing Director and Head of Investment Operations at Intel Capital), who was joined by Olivier Blachier (SVP, Chief Strategy Officer at Entegris), and Kevin Chen, Ph.D. (Managing Director, Lam Capital and Corporate Development at Lam Research), in the panel moderated by Pangaea Partner Andrew Haughian.
“Arizona is rapidly becoming a global hub for semiconductor innovation and growth, attracting both the talent and investment needed to build the future of advanced computing,” said Janelle Goulard, Partner at Pangaea Ventures. “Bringing together leading startups, investors, and industry giants highlights the region’s critical role in advancing planetary health through technology, and we’re thrilled to have celebrated this milestone with our partners and community.”
Now in its 25th year, Pangaea Ventures continues to champion hard tech startups and collaborate with key stakeholders in Arizona’s accelerating chip, climate, and advanced manufacturing economy.
About Pangaea Ventures
Pangaea Ventures invests in breakthrough hard tech startups that drive transformative solutions for planetary and human health. Its portfolio companies are at the forefront of engineering and advanced materials. Leveraging its deep expertise and global presence, Pangaea generates meaningful returns for our investors while fostering technologies with the potential to shape a more sustainable future.
About the Arizona Commerce Authority
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on X @azcommerce.
For Media Inquiries contact:
Mitchell Ballentine
Marketing Lead, Pangaea Ventures
+1 778 866 5896