Qualinx: smarter chips for a connected world

In a world increasingly powered by connected devices, energy efficiency has become a critical constraint and a topic of strategic interest for the EU. For Qualinx, the challenge was clear: rethink how positioning and connectivity chips are designed - making them smaller, cheaper, and much more energy-efficient.

Founded in Delft, Qualinx developed a radically new approach to chip architecture. Its Digital RF technology enables ultra-low-power positioning and connectivity, unlocking applications ranging from wearables and logistics to smart infrastructure and autonomous systems.

Next level tracking from lab to market

“Our aim is quite simple: low power, low cost, small size, always on,” says Tom Trill, CEO of Qualinx. Qualinx, based in Delft in the Netherlands, specialises in tracking and connectivity solutions. So many applications around us use this technology, but the challenge was getting to lower power consumption, longer life, smaller size, and less environmental impact as well.

But turning a breakthrough into a scalable product required more than innovation—it required capital, patience, and the right partners. That’s where European Investment Fund support under the InvestEU programme came in.

The EIF helped channel financing to Qualinx via its venture capital partner Forward.One, enabling the company to move beyond R&D and into industrialisation. This support addressed a critical funding gap: deep-tech companies often struggle to secure financing at the stage where technology must transition into market-ready products.

Tracking assets as they move is still unreliable. Most systems use satellites, but connectivity often breaks down between key points - from port to warehouse to store. Qualinx is addressing these gaps. ”

- Tom Trill, CEO and founder of Qualinx

Boosting innovation to scale

With this backing, Qualinx successfully scaled its innovation, accelerating the production of its next-generation GNSS chips—designed to consume significantly less energy while maintaining high performance. These chips are now moving toward mass production, with applications across industries that rely on precise, always-on positioning.

The impact extends beyond a single company. By supporting Qualinx, InvestEU contributes to strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem—enhancing technological sovereignty, fostering high-value jobs, and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and digital economy.

“This is essential technology for the European semi-conductor industry. We’ve broken a physics barrier that was established for over 40 years, and we have an IP position that’s very unique”, explains Qualinx's CEO further.

Strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem

At its core, this is a story about enabling innovation to scale. With the right financial instruments and partnerships, cutting-edge European technologies can move from lab to market—delivering solutions that are not only commercially viable, but strategically important.

From an EIF perspective, we are proud to boost Europe's innovation ecosystem and back game-changers under the umbrella of InvestEU and other tech start-up and scale-up funding instruments.