Fabless semiconductor company GTronix is receiving USD10.25m from VCs led by Jafco Ventures, in the third round of funding to develop and promote its low-cost analog signal processing technology. Jafco Ventures' connections in East Asia make it attractive as a potential source of consumer electronic-related customers for GTronix.

Set up by Georgia Tech students in 2003 and launched last September, California-based GTronix aims to revolutionise the micro-sensor market using advanced analog chip technology. The micro-sensor market is estimated to represent a USD5bn opportunity and forecast to grow at a rate of 16% per year for the next five years, according to market researchers Frost & Sullivan.

While the world is increasingly going digital, demand for analog devices, notably required in portable devices, phones and flat screen displays, is growing, with Citigroup's Craig Ellis talking of an "analog upcycle." GTronix's technology offers the possibility to bypass expensive and power-consuming applications that convert from analog to digital signals. "If you take ... anything digital, you have much better programmability than what we can offer," explains GTronix CEO Hubert Engelbrechten. "But we're very cost effective." The deal follows a USD13m funding in the second round led by Menlo Ventures last year. Forward to colleagues