The Fourth Law and Odd Systems are launching Project Foundation, a semiconductor initiative for the mass production of uncooled thermal imaging sensors in Europe and the US. The companies announced this in a press release.
The statement says Project Foundation’s core mission is to secure sovereignty for Europe and the United States in the field of thermal imaging sensors by developing their own uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors, also known as microbolometers, and creating capacity for scalable production. The initiative is intended to provide affordable sensors to manufacturers of drones, cars and robotics by combining partner fabs (foundry lines) with the companies’ own planned production facilities, the companies said.
“Building thermal imaging cameras has clearly shown us exactly what manufacturers expect from the sensor inside: high performance, reliable supply and a price point that works at scale. We are building Project Foundation around these requirements. Sovereign manufacturing must be commercially competitive to achieve widespread adoption,” said Ihor Nakonechnyy, CEO of Project Foundation.
Project Foundation plans to create a manufacturing network, with its first plants—First Foundation and Second Foundation—located in Europe and the US respectively. The network will share a common technology base and in-house sensor development. Production is scheduled to begin in 2027
The project’s headquarters is in Eindhoven in the Netherlands, one of Europe’s leading semiconductor technology hubs. Project Foundation will draw on regional specialists and deep-tech infrastructure to scale production rapidly.
Planned funding for Project Foundation includes investment from The Fourth Law and Odd Systems, external equity capital, debt financing, grants and customer pre-sales. The project’s organisers are in talks with potential investors and partners about financing. A technology partnership has also been established with a number of leading laboratories worldwide in semiconductors and microbolometers, as well as the largest users of thermal imaging cameras around the world.
The organisers say Project Foundation positions itself at the intersection of world-class research and development (R&D) centres and companies operating in the sector to develop cost-effective microbolometer sensors that can be manufactured at ultra-large scale.
The Fourth Law and Odd Systems were founded in Kyiv in 2023. The companies operate in Ukraine, the rest of Europe and the US. The founding team has 14 years of experience in camera development, including the production of more than one million consumer smart cameras.
The Fourth Law develops scalable autonomy for robotic systems, with a primary focus on defence. The company is creating technologies that enable drones to continue carrying out missions despite communications jamming.
Odd Systems develops and manufactures thermal imaging and daylight cameras for drones and other robotic systems. As a reminder, Odd Systems co-founder Yaroslav Azhnyuk said in a comment to the US publication Defense Daily that despite significant localisation of production in Ukraine, some components—for example, camera sensors—come from China. However, he added, the company has received strong interest from the United States and is considering building a semiconductor plant there capable of producing the required number of thermal sensors.