They Shrunk a Particle Accelerator 1,000× to Beat ASML — Inside Inversion Semiconductor’s Moonshot
- S2E44
- 48:06
- May 9th 2025
🎙️ Inversion Semiconductor: The Startup Taking On ASML with a Tabletop Particle Accelerator
What if the next leap in chip manufacturing didn't come from a trillion-dollar company — but from two founders building a compact particle accelerator in Berkeley?
In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel Jarrosson sits down with Rohan Karthik and Daniel Vega, the founders of Inversion Semiconductor, a YC-backed deeptech startup building a radically new lithography machine. Their tech promises to manufacture the world’s most powerful chips — 15x faster than anything out there — and reshore advanced chipmaking to the U.S. for the first time in decades.
We get into:
How they shrunk a particle accelerator 1000×
Why ASML can’t (and won’t) build this
Fundraising for a moonshot in deeptech
The gap between U.S. and European startup ecosystems
Predictions on photonics, quantum computing, and the post-Moore’s Law era
Whether you’re a founder, investor, engineer, or just deeptech-curious — this episode is a wild ride through physics, ambition, and the future of chips.
📌 Watch now and subscribe for more smart, fast, founder-first interviews.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Meet the Founders: Rohan and Daniel
00:57 The Technology Behind Inversion
02:19 Why ASML Isn't Doing This
05:16 Backgrounds: From ARM to Particle Accelerators
08:44 The Inception of the Idea
12:52 Exploring Other Applications
15:54 Early Struggles and the Path to Validation
21:42 Why Build in the US?
24:49 Comparing Talent in Europe and the US
25:43 Challenges in European Investment
28:45 The YC Experience for Deep Tech Startups
35:02 Building Advanced Semiconductor Tools in the US
45:11 Future Predictions for Chip Technology
47:07 Conclusion and Farewell
🔗 LINKS
Inversion Semiconductor: https://inversionsemi.com
Follow Gabriel: https://twitter.com/gabjarrosson
#Semiconductors #DeepTech #YC #HardwareStartups #ASML #Chips #Photonics #QuantumComputing #MooresLaw #StartupPodcast
The Lobster Talks Podcast by Lobster Capital
Feast into the Startup Hustle with The Lobster Talks Podcast by Lobster Capital! Craving the real deal on starting and scaling a business?
The Lobster Talks Podcast by Lobster Capital serves up raw, unscripted conversations with experienced founders who've been there, done that (and gotten the investor backing!).
Join us as we dissect the triumphs and trials of the entrepreneurial journey, peeling back the layers to reveal the nitty-gritty of building a startup from the ground up. Our guests share their unfiltered insights, hard-won lessons, and practical tips to help you navigate the exciting (and sometimes messy) world of startups.
Subscribe now and get ready to hear honest, unfiltered stories from seasoned founders, uncover valuable insights and actionable tips for your startup journey, gain inspiration from those who've successfully navigated the fundraising game and join a community of passionate entrepreneurs eager to learn and grow.