T.I.P.S. Messtechnik

What T.I.P.S. Messtechnik does

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik GmbH is an Austrian private company founded in 1997 as a spin-off from former Siemens Bauelemente, headquartered in Villach, Carinthia. The company designs and manufactures precision-engineered test interfaces for the semiconductor industry, with a vertical focus on high-power device testing (Si, SiC, GaN), sensor testing, and automotive IC testing. Its core product portfolio includes probe cards (vertical and cantilever), test boards, mechanical interface components (Pogo Towers, PRVX Motherboards), and tools/equipment (TIPS Probe Refresher, LuPo Media Heater). The company's proprietary LuPo® technology, developed over 20 years ago, enables SF6-free high-voltage testing up to 15 kV and beyond 1000 A, addressing both regulatory and sustainability pressures in semiconductor manufacturing.

T.I.P.S. operates a vertically integrated one-stop-shop model spanning R&D, design, in-house manufacturing, and full lifecycle maintenance services. Its proprietary technology stack includes LuPo®Gen.4, SmartClamp, RzBeams probe materials, and Power KGD (Known Good Die) solutions for singulated die testing. The company is ISO 9001 certified, operates 100% CO2-neutral manufacturing at Villach with 30% on-site renewable energy, and is committed to Science Based Targets. Strategic partnerships include FormFactor (MeasureOne integration), the SILICONALPS ecosystem, and SmartWings (avionics divers

Name

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik

Legal name

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik GmbH

Website

https://tips.co.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik is an Austrian designer and manufacturer of precision test interfaces, probe cards, and test boards for power semiconductor, sensor, and automotive IC manufacturers. Its proprietary SF6-free LuPo® technology enables high-voltage testing up to 15 kV for Si, SiC, and GaN devices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Test Equipment

NAICS

Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Test, Probe & Burn-In Equipment (Wafer Sort/Final Test) (HDAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sockets, IC Sockets & Test/Programming Interconnects (HDAHAOAF), Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Semiconductor test interfaces
• Probe cards manufacturing
• Test board design
• Power device testing
• Wafer-level probing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Villach

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of customized probe cards, test boards, mechanical interface components, and tools/equipment for semiconductor testing. One-stop-shop approach offering complete test interface solutions.
2. Maintenance and Support Services: Full lifecycle support including probe card maintenance, test board repairs, troubleshooting, and on-site service. Extends product lifespan and ensures customer operational continuity.
3. Research and Development Services: Custom R&D partnerships for developing test concepts for demanding applications including sensor stimulation, high-voltage probing, and micro-mechanics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik designs and manufactures highly specialized test interfaces for the semiconductor industry, including probe cards (vertical and cantilever), test boards, mechanical interface components (pogo towers, PRVX motherboards), and tools/equipment. The company offers proprietary technologies such as TIPS LuPo® for SF6-free high-voltage testing of power semiconductors (Si, SiC, GaN) up to 15 kV and beyond 1000 A, TIPS Power KGD for Known Good Die testing, and the TIPS Probe Refresher equipment that extends probe card lifetime.

Product overview

T.I.P.S. Messtechnik is a semiconductor test interface provider offering a comprehensive One-Stop-Shop portfolio spanning research and development, engineering and design, production, and full after-sales maintenance and support. The core product line includes Test Integrations, Probe Cards (vertical and cantilever types), Test Boards, Mechanical Interface Components (Pogo Towers, PRVX Motherboards), and Tools & Equipment (TIPS Probe Refresher TPR-HDXL, TIPS LuPo® Media Heater LMH150). Their proprietary technologies include TIPS LuPo® (High Voltage LuPo®) for SF₆-free power semiconductor testing, TIPS Power KGD (Known Good Power Die), and SmartClamp. Specialized offerings cover sensor probing (magnetic, pressure, MEMS), automotive ASICs and RADAR testing, and avionics components. Services include Research and Development, Maintenance Services, and Flying Probe Test capabilities. All products are manufactured in Austria at their Villach facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LuPo: Proprietary high-voltage technology for power semiconductor testing without SF6, including LuPo Gen.4 and SmartClamp technologies for testing up to 15 kV and beyond 1000A.
• Power KGD
• TIPS Probe Refresher
• TIPS LuPo Media Heater LMH150
• MeasureOne

Products and services

• Test Integrations Seamless test integrations that leverage microcontact technology, advanced test boards, and electro-mechanical interface components to optimize interaction between probe cards, test hardware, and semiconductor devices. Includes the TIPS Power KGD (Known Good Power Die) contact units and MeasureOne partnership with FormFactor.
• Probe Cards Vertical and cantilever probe cards for semiconductor testing, including buckling beam vertical probe card technology integrated with PCB design, with capabilities for light sources, hot test, RF, and high current testing.
• TIPS HV LuPo® Probe Cards High-voltage probe cards using proprietary LuPo®Gen.4 and SmartClamp technologies for safe, scalable, and reliable testing of power devices up to 15 kV and beyond 1000 A, supporting Si, SiC and GaN devices with SF6-free operation.
• Sensor Probe Cards Probe cards for wafer-level sensor testing including magnetic fields (vertical, horizontal, 3D configurations), pressure applications, MEMS devices, and other stimuli such as gas, light fields, radiation, and humidity.
• Automotive ASICs Probe Cards Probe cards for automotive IC testing with temperature ranges from -60°C to 200°C, supporting high density, fine pitch bond pads and currents up to several Amps.
• Automotive RADAR Probe Cards High frequency mixed signal vertical probe cards for RADAR applications with multi-site measurements and high-volume mass production capabilities.
• Test Boards Custom semiconductor test boards with in-house PCB design, assembly and test, including high speed/high frequency signal routing, high voltage/high current PCB design, and micro-structured PCBs for vertical probe cards.
• Pogo Towers Individual design of pogo towers for combined coupling, variable sizes, high current/high voltage applications, probe card automation, media flange for air cooling, sensors, and flash detection.
• PRVX Motherboards Motherboards for Probe Card Analyzers for standardized and customized test platforms with seamless integration of mechanical interface with PCB design.
• TIPS Probe Refresher TPR-HDXL Equipment for doubling probe card lifetime through forming and refreshing of probes, compatible with cantilever, vertical and lithographic probe cards with probe pitch from 50 µm.
• TIPS LuPo® Media Heater LMH150 High temperature compressed air supply system compatible with TIPS HV LuPo® probe cards.
• Research and Development Services In-house R&D combining applied physics, electronic design, micro-mechanics and numerical simulation for demanding applications including sensor stimulation, arcing suppression in high voltage probing, and safe handling of high currents.
• Maintenance Services Full product lifecycle support including probe tip reshaping, planarization, realignment, needle spider change, single needle change, verification on Probe Card Analyzer, repair, rewiring, components exchange, and troubleshooting assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Probe card lifetime doubled with TIPS Probe Refresher
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FormFactorcoreTechnology or IntegrationMeasureOne partnership between T.I.P.S. and FormFactor delivers optimized test cell solutions for high-voltage, high-current power semiconductor probing. The collaboration provides validated performance, installation, and post-installation service and support. Combined solution offers safe, accurate, and automated on-wafer testing of power devices.
• SILICONALPScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of SILICONALPS ecosystem - the Austrian platform for microelectronics and smart technologies. Deep integration into the regional innovation network shaping the future of microelectronics and smart technologies in Austria and Europe.
• SmartWings / Turbulence SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for implementing 'Turbulence Cancelling' technology in manned flight. T.I.P.S. serves as design and production partner for airborne electronics and turbulence sensing components for the Luciole aircraft. Technology being developed for both certified and ultralight aircraft with eventual path to commercial passenger transportation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Technoprobe: Italian pure-play probe-card manufacturer serving logic, memory and power-device customers; directly competes with T.I.P.S. in cantilever and vertical probe cards.
• MPI Corporation: Taiwan-based maker of probe cards, probers and test equipment; competes with T.I.P.S. across probe cards and test integration for advanced semiconductor packages.
• Cohu: Through its Everett Charles Technologies (ECT) subsidiary, Cohu supplies vertical probe cards and interface PCBAs competing directly with T.I.P.S.'s core test-interface portfolio.
• FormFactor: Global leader in semiconductor probe cards and probers; the closest direct competitor to T.I.P.S. in vertical and HV probe cards, and explicit MeasureOne integration partner for power-device probing.
• MJC (Micronics Japan): Japanese vertical probe-card specialist competing directly with T.I.P.S. in wafer-level test, including HV/SiC power-device applications.
• Nidec SV Probe: Subsidiary of Nidec focused on MEMS-based vertical probe cards; direct overlap with T.I.P.S.'s vertical/cantilever probe-card lines.
• Chunghwa Precision Test Technology (CHPT): Specialist probe-card maker competing in vertical/multi-DUT test interfaces overlapping T.I.P.S.'s product lines for logic and power devices.

Emerging players

• Yokowo: Japanese maker of test contactors, probes and RF/interconnect components; competes with T.I.P.S.'s mechanical interface components and connector-style test parts.
• Translarity: Emerging US-based probe-card and probe-clean franchise; competes with T.I.P.S. in vertical probe cards and associated maintenance/refresh services.

Broad incumbents

• Onto Innovation: Broad metrology and inspection portfolio with selective probe-card exposure (acquired assets relevant to wafer test); competes with T.I.P.S. in interfaces serving advanced nodes and power devices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/t-i-p-s

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about T.I.P.S. Messtechnik