nanoFAB

What nanoFAB does

nanoFAB is a national, open-access nanofabrication and characterization centre operated by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. It provides shared access to more than $110 million of specialized equipment — over 200 pieces across 25,000 square feet of laboratory space — supporting micro- and nanoscale fabrication (advanced lithography, thin film deposition, plasma etch, wet chemical processing) and characterization (advanced microscopy, surface spectroscopy, materials analysis) on 100mm and 150mm wafers. The facility serves academic researchers, industrial users, and any qualified external party through two access modes: self-service, where users complete mandatory online safety modules and equipment-specific training before operating tools independently, and fee-for-service, where nanoFAB staff perform custom fabrication or characterization work on a quoted basis. It also delivers photomask fabrication and runs the proprietary Colabmacs web platform for user registration, equipment booking, training requests, project management, and billing.

The business model combines recurring usage-based equipment fees — billed quarterly to academic users and monthly to industrial subscribers — with a one-time $200 administrative registration fee, storage box rentals, and photomask fabrication transactions. Industrial users outside Canadian academic institutions pay higher rates and an additional 30% University of Alberta overhead plus GST. Funding sustainability is supported by operating grants from NSERC and Alberta Innovates, which supplement user fees. In 2025, nanoFAB completed a cleanroom expansion, and over 2023-2026 it has incrementally added new equipment and capabilities including stealth dicing of silicon wafers, multi-mode optical profilometry, advanced XRD techniques, OEI endpoint detection in PECVD, and in-situ heating S/TEM. Named industrial users include Avalon Holographics and Norcada; the broader base spans 227 active groups and 175 active users generating 103,465 annual equipment-hours of utilization.

Name

nanoFAB

Legal name

University of Alberta Nanofabrication & Characterization Centre

Website

https://nanofab.ualberta.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

nanoFAB is an open-access nanofabrication and characterization centre at the University of Alberta, providing academic and industrial users shared access to over $110 million of specialized equipment across lithography, deposition, etch, and microscopy via self-service and fee-for-service models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nanofabrication and Characterization Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundry Platform & Design Enablement Services (PDK/DFM/Process Qualification) (HDAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Back-End/Advanced Packaging Equipment (Die Attach/Wire Bond/Flip-Chip/TCB) (HDAHAEAL), Advanced Packaging (2.5D/3D-IC, Fan-Out WLP, Chiplets) (HDAHADAB)

Keywords

• Nanofabrication services
• Microfabrication facility
• Cleanroom access
• Advanced lithography
• Materials characterization

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Equipment Usage Fees: Users are charged for equipment time based on actual time spent. Rates differ between Canadian academic and industrial affiliations. Self-service usage is invoiced quarterly on the first day of January, April, July, and October. Industrial subscription users receive monthly invoices.
2. Fee-for-Service Custom Fabrication: Custom micro/nanofabrication services performed by nanoFAB staff members rather than self-service. Clients receive a quote before work begins. Contact: Aaron Hryciw for fabrication, Peng Li for characterization.
3. Sample Analysis Services: Characterization services for users who need only occasional data. Staff processing fee charged along with equipment time. For continuous analysis needs, external groups can arrange service contracts.
4. Administrative Registration Fee: One-time $200 administrative setup fee charged per registered user for Colabmacs registration, supporting administrative overhead including Colabmacs system maintenance.
5. Storage Box Rental: Rental costs for storage boxes based on classification of space (main cleanroom vs. other). Charges applied annually or monthly to active projects.
6. Photomask Fabrication: Optical mask fabrication service with pricing based on mask size, lens type, and academic vs. external project type. Includes shipping and handling surcharges for external customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

nanoFAB operates a national, open-access nanofabrication and characterization centre providing academic and industrial users with access to over 200 pieces of specialized equipment across 25,000 ft² of cleanroom and laboratory space. Services are delivered via two modes: self-service (after training) and fee-for-service custom fabrication and characterization work performed by expert staff. Operations are managed through the proprietary Colabmacs platform for booking, training, and billing.

Product overview

nanoFAB is a unified nanofabrication and characterization facility offering both self-service equipment access and fee-for-service contract manufacturing. The core offering is access to over 200 pieces of specialized equipment spanning characterization (Advanced Microscopy, Surface Spectroscopy, Materials Analysis) and fabrication (Advanced Lithography, Thin Film Deposition, Plasma Etch, Wet Chemical Processing). Operations are managed through the Colabmacs web-based platform for equipment booking, training requests, and billing. Users can access facilities through self-service (after completing training) or fee-for-service (staff-performed contract work). The centre totals over $110 million in specialized equipment across 25,000 ft² of laboratory space supporting MEMS, sensors, microfluidics, photonics, and advanced materials research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• nanoFAB Centre Open-Access Facility Open-access research facility providing micro- and nanoscale fabrication and characterization access to academic and industrial users.
• Fee-for-Service Custom Fabrication and Characterization

Quantifiable outcome

• 103,465 annual equipment-hours of utilization demonstrating high demand and capacity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the nanoFAB centre. Provides physical infrastructure (ECERF building), administrative support, and academic integration. Located at 9107-116 Street, Edmonton, Alberta.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF): U.S. flagship open-access nanofabrication user facility at Cornell offering lithography, deposition, etch, and characterization to a national user base. Directly comparable in service model, scale, and dual academic/industrial access.
• Lurie Nanofabrication Facility (University of Michigan): University of Michigan's open-access semiconductor and nanofabrication facility serving academic and industrial users with advanced lithography and process tools. Directly comparable as a U.S. university open-access nanofab.
• MIT.nano: MIT's central nanofabrication facility offering advanced characterization and fabrication tools to academic and industry users. Directly comparable as a U.S. open-access university nanofab with significant equipment scale.
• Stanford Nanofabrication Facility: Stanford's open-access cleanroom providing advanced lithography, deposition, and process services to academic and industrial users. Directly comparable as a U.S. university nanofab with the same dual self-service/fee-for-service model.
• Toronto Nanofabrication Centre (University of Toronto): Open-access nanofabrication facility at the University of Toronto offering similar cleanroom access, lithography, and characterization services to academic and industrial users in Ontario. Directly comparable as a peer Canadian university nanofab.
• Micro/Nano Technology Laboratory (UIUC): University of Illinois open-access micro/nanofabrication cleanroom offering lithography, MEMS, and semiconductor process services. Directly comparable as a U.S. university nanofab with similar dual-use academic/industrial access.
• CMC Microsystems: Canada's national microelectronics and nanofabrication coordination network, operating as a sister open-access model across multiple Canadian university nodes. Directly comparable to nanoFAB as a federated Canadian nanofab platform serving both academic and industrial users.
• INRS Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications: Quebec-based research centre providing micro/nanofabrication infrastructure for advanced materials, photonics, and telecom devices. Directly comparable as a Canadian academic nanofabrication facility serving both academic and industrial users.
• 4D LABS (Simon Fraser University): Simon Fraser University's open-access materials science and nanofabrication facility in British Columbia serving academic and industrial clients with thin film, lithography, and characterization capabilities. Directly comparable as another Canadian open-access nanofab.
• Western Nanofabrication Facility (Western University): University of Western Ontario's nanofabrication cleanroom offering lithography, deposition, and etching services to academic and industrial clients. Directly comparable as another Canadian open-access university nanofab centre.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanofab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 nanoFAB