Japanese Startup Raises $27M for Diamond Chips to Clean Up Fukushima Debris

In 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster left Japan grappling with radioactive debris. Over a decade later, cleanup efforts continue, with a significant step taken last month to remove this debris.

Ookuma Diamond Device (ODD), a Japanese startup, is at the forefront of this effort. ODD has raised $27 million to build the world’s first diamond semiconductor manufacturing facility in Fukushima. The facility aims to produce diamond chips, which are superior to traditional silicon-based semiconductors in handling high temperatures and radiation levels.

Diamond semiconductors, unlike silicon, lack a circuit structure and function more as powerful control devices. They offer better power conversion efficiency and thermal management, making them ideal for nuclear power plants, 6G technology, space exploration, and defense.

ODD’s diamond chips can be made from methane gas, ensuring production remains within Japan. This contrasts with GaN semiconductors, which rely on materials heavily controlled by China.

Founded in 2021, ODD has already built the world’s first practical diamond chip. The startup is now working on prototypes for removing radioactive debris, a task no other entity has successfully tackled.

With $45 million raised and additional government grants, ODD is poised to revolutionize semiconductor technology, particularly in high-risk environments like nuclear plants.