Polar Semiconductor Receives CHIPS Award, Launching as a New Majority U.S.-Owned Foundry in Minnesota

• Polar’s Historic $525 Million Investment Is Led by a $175 Million Contribution from Niobrara Capital and Prysm Capital, the Majority Investors in the U.S.-Owned Foundry, and Is Catalyzed through Federal and State of Minnesota Incentives.
• Polar Is the First Award Recipient Under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities and the Minnesota Forward Fund.
• The Investment Plan Is Expected to Almost Double Polar’s Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing Capacity, and Add Capabilities in Compound Semiconductors, Cutting-Edge Sensors, and Advanced Power Semiconductors.
• The Investment Is Expected to Create Over 160 New Manufacturing and Construction Jobs. To Address These and Future Needs, Polar Will Lead the Minnesota CHIPS Coalition Workforce Partnership to Build and Strengthen Workforce Development Programs in Minnesota.

September 24, 2024

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Polar Semiconductor (“Polar” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer specializing in sensor, power, and high-voltage wafer production, announced today that the company has completed its sale to Niobrara Capital and Prysm Capital. The $175 Million in equity financing has been closed to convert Polar to a U.S.-owned merchant foundry and fund expansion of its Bloomington, Minnesota manufacturing facility. In total, Polar expects to invest approximately $525 Million in the expansion of the facility over the next two years and branch into innovative technologies to serve new customers and markets. Polar has signed Award Documents with the U.S. Department of Commerce, under which it will receive up to $123 Million in direct funding as part of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, and with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), under which it will receive $75 Million in incentives as part of the Minnesota Forward Fund. Polar is the first award recipient under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities and the Minnesota Forward Fund. Polar plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.

Through these investments, Polar plans to:

• Double production capacity, ramping up from approximately 20,000 wafers per month to nearly 40,000 wafers per month,
• Upgrade and modernize its facility to become globally competitive through economies of scale,
• Deliver cutting-edge semiconductor solutions to the U.S. automotive, aerospace, defense, optoelectronics, MEMS, and medical device industries, and
• Create 160+ new jobs, strengthening Polar’s commitment to its community and driving economic growth in the State.

“Semiconductors – those tiny chips smaller than the tip of your finger – power everything from smartphones to cars to satellites and weapons systems. I signed the CHIPS and Science Act to revitalize American leadership in semiconductors, strengthen our supply chains, protect our national security, and advance American competitiveness. And over the last three and a half years, we have done just that, catalyzing over $400 billion in private sector investments in semiconductors and electronics that are creating over 115,000 construction and manufacturing jobs. This year alone, the United States is on pace to see more investment in electronics manufacturing construction than it did over the last 24 years combined,” said President Joe Biden. “Today’s announcement that the Department of Commerce has finalized the first commercial CHIPS Incentives award with Polar Semiconductor marks the next phase of the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act and demonstrates how we continue to deliver on the Investing in America agenda. Polar’s new facility will also be completed under a Project Labor Agreement to support its construction workforce, creating good-quality union jobs in Bloomington, Minnesota. Today’s announcement is just one of the many ways our Investing in America agenda is reshoring U.S. manufacturing, investing in workers and communities across the country, and advancing America’s leadership in the technologies of tomorrow.”

“Today represents an important milestone in the implementation of the historic CHIPS and Science Act as we announce the first award agreement with Polar,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s investment in Polar will create a new U.S.-owned foundry for sensor and power semiconductors and modernize and expand Polar’s facilities in Minnesota, strengthening our national and economic security, bolstering our supply chains, and creating quality jobs.”

“America must stay on the cutting edge of manufacturing to maintain our economic edge on the world stage. This landmark federal investment in Polar Semiconductor’s Bloomington facility is a major step toward strengthening domestic production of advanced semiconductors,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar. “I worked closely with Polar Semiconductor to secure this grant and ensure Minnesota continues to be a premier destination for business investment.”

“Minnesota is lucky to be home to businesses like Polar that consistently produce innovative, high-quality products with a global reach,” said Governor Tim Walz. “With partnerships like this, we can lead the nation in creating high-growth, high-demand, good-paying jobs.”

Surya Iyer, President and COO of Polar Semiconductor said, “Polar and its employees are excited to embark on our transformative project. We welcome new customers and partnerships, and as a domestic U.S.-owned sensor and advanced power semiconductor merchant foundry, we will support technology and design innovation, protect intellectual property, facilitate onshoring and technology transfers, and provide efficient low- to high-volume manufacturing with world-class quality. Through our collaborative and sustained workforce development efforts, we expect to support customers with highly skilled employees today and into the future. We are pleased to close on the significant equity investment from Niobrara Capital and Prysm Capital, and we extend our sincere thanks to our partners at the U.S. Department of Commerce, the State of Minnesota, and the City of Bloomington for their support of the future of American semiconductor manufacturing.”

Chip Schorr, Founder and Managing Partner of Niobrara Capital, said, “Polar is positioned to enable many of America’s most critical industries, such as aerospace and defense, automotive and medical, to have a dedicated, high performance, low cost, onshore source of power semiconductors and sensors. We are pleased to be partnering with the company to support its growth and the growth of U.S. technology manufacturing leadership.”

Jay Park, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Prysm Capital, said “The public and private investment in Polar is a testament to the strength of Polar’s offering and team and a significant event for onshore technology investment in America. We are already seeing robust demand for Polar’s planned capacity that exceeds our expectations and reinforces our confidence in Polar.”

Polar Semiconductor leads the Minnesota CHIPS Coalition, which is composed of more than 70 organizations, including manufacturers, supply-chain partners, education and training providers, labor organizations, and state and local governments. The coalition is determined to reinvigorate the region’s legacy in technology and establish the Midwest’s semiconductor industry as a national leader.

Polar also leads the Minnesota CHIPS Coalition Workforce Partnership, collaborating with semiconductor companies, educational institutions, training organizations, the Governor’s Workforce Development Board (GWDB), and DEED. The goal is to develop a next-generation high-tech manufacturing workforce through training, upskilling, and apprenticeships. These efforts are supported by state investments and a $3 Million dedicated portion of the CHIPS award. The partnership will also draw on national programs, like Indiana’s DoD-backed SCALE initiative, to enhance local efforts.

About Polar Semiconductor

Headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, Polar Semiconductor is a US-based manufacturer with more than 60 years of experience fabricating power semiconductor devices and sensors that serve automotive, consumer, and industrial markets. Polar’s semiconductor manufacturing facilities operate with state-of-the-art automation systems to manufacture Integrated Circuit (BCD, BiCMOS) and discrete (MOSFET, IGBT) 8-inch silicon wafers for the power and sensor markets. As an automotive-qualified fab, Polar is committed to the highest levels of manufacturing and product quality. For more information, visit https://polarsemi.com.

About Niobrara Capital

Niobrara Capital is led by Chip Schorr, a pioneer in technology private equity investments. The firm focuses on new and innovative approaches to investing and building value for its stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.niobraracap.com.

About Prysm Capital

Prysm Capital is a growth equity firm focused on partnering with founders and management teams who are disrupting industries and building category-leading companies. With offices in New York, Princeton, and San Francisco, Prysm acts as a flexible source of growth capital for companies in the technology and consumer sectors. For more information, visit www.prysmcapital.com.

Contacts:

Polar Semiconductor

952-876-3000

info@polarsemi.com

Niobrara Capital

Dan Gagnier

Gagnier Communications

Niobrara@gagnierfc.com

Prysm Capital

Adam Pollack / Ed Trissel

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212-355-4449