CAMBRIDGE, UK: CamSemi has announced an extension to its C round funding to bring the total sum raised to $34 million (£17 million). BankInvest Group is taking an $8 million equity stake in CamSemi through its New Energy Solutions VC fund and has become the second cleantech investor to back the company's technologies, products and approach.

Carbon Trust Investments joined as CamSemi's first shareholder focused on clean energy technologies when the C round funding -- led by 3i and existing shareholders Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) and TTP Ventures -- was initially announced in October 2007.

CamSemi is developing sophisticated ICs that will allow manufacturers to introduce highly "cost-efficient" mains-connected converters and battery chargers that are smaller, cheaper and more power efficient than existing wasteful solutions. The company's first breakthrough products were introduced at the end of last year and new lower cost, more efficient supplies for high volume consumer products are now in full-scale production.
Two further controllers were launched in April this year targeting the low power cordless phone and audio markets; two major markets still dominated by linear power converters that typically waste about half the power they consume.