3D Glass Solutions Overview
3D Glass Solutions is a US pure-play glass foundry. It turns its patented APEX® photosensitive glass-ceramic into three-dimensional microstructures, through-glass vias (TGVs), integrated passive devices and glass-core substrates for semiconductor packaging. When APEX is exposed to UV light, the patterned regions turn into ceramic. These regions are then etched away in dilute acid, leaving fracture-free vias and cavities in the surrounding glass. The company makes RF and millimetre-wave filters, couplers, antennas-in-package and substrate-integrated waveguides for defence, aerospace, 5G/6G and automotive radar customers. It is now repositioning around glass-core substrates and 3D heterogeneous integration (3DHI) for AI and high-performance computing. Its backers include Intel Capital, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Applied Ventures (Applied Materials), Corning, Nagase and Walden Catalyst. In 2025–26 the company moved from a small US foundry to an international manufacturing platform. It is building a ₹1,943.53 crore (about $230 million) advanced-packaging and glass-substrate plant in Odisha, India, with Indian central and state subsidies. It has also signed a tripartite MoU with Intel and the Government of Odisha for a proposed glass-core substrate complex of about $3.3 billion.
What the company does. 3DGS designs and manufactures glass-based electronic packages, passive components and substrates. Its core is the APEX® glass-ceramic platform, a lithium-aluminosilicate photo-definable glass. Under UV exposure and thermal treatment the exposed regions crystallise into a ceramic phase, which etches much faster than the unexposed glass. This lets 3DGS form high-aspect-ratio through-glass vias, cavities, channels and suspended structures without the micro-cracks that laser drilling can cause. Metallisation, redistribution layers and embedded passives are then added to make finished devices or substrates.
Company self-description. In its press materials, 3DGS calls itself "a world-class expert on the fabrication of electronic packages and devices using photo-definable glass-ceramics." It says it uses its product solutions to provide device manufacturing and systems integration services for standard and custom products, and that it gives customers complete glass-enabled systems integration services. Bloomberg's company description has three strands: foundry services for 3D heterogeneous integration, glass microstructural parts, and glass-based integrated passive devices.
Independent characterisation. 3DGS is best understood as a specialty-materials foundry. It is now becoming a platform supplier of glass-core substrates and advanced-packaging (ATMP) services. It has three revenue engines at different stages of maturity:
-
RF / microwave / mmWave components and integrated passive devices (IPDs). These are the historical revenue core: bandpass filters, diplexers, couplers, baluns, air-filled and electromagnetic substrate-integrated waveguides (AF-SIW / eSIW), and antenna-in-package structures. Customers are mostly defence primes, aerospace, satellite communications and 5G infrastructure. Lockheed Martin's investment and the AS9100 certification point to defence demand.
-
Glass foundry and 3DHI services. Custom design-to-manufacture work using APEX and, under licence from Corning, HPFS® fused silica. Process design kits (PDKs) are published so customer designers can work to standard rules. 3DGS is a named partner in DARPA's Next-Generation Microelectronics Manufacturing (NGMM) programme, run through the Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) at UT Austin.
-
Glass-core substrates and advanced packages for HPC/AI. This is the growth vector. Products include glass FCBGA substrates and packages, glass interposers with embedded passives and silicon bridges, and 3DHI modules. They are to be made at volume in Odisha on 510 mm × 515 mm panels.
Revenue model. The product/service mix is not publicly disclosed. Based on disclosed activities, revenue comes from (a) product sales of standard and custom RF devices, (b) non-recurring engineering (NRE) and foundry services for custom designs, (c) government R&D and programme funding (DARPA NGMM; a small 2022 grant recorded by Dealroom), and (d) long-term supply contracts. Preqin describes the HPFS glass business as running on long-term contracts, with prices negotiated on complexity and volume. Licensing income is not disclosed. 3DGS is a licensee rather than a licensor in its main disclosed IP agreement, the Corning TGV licence.
Value-chain position. 3DGS sits between glass and materials makers (Corning; its own APEX formulation) and chip designers, OSATs and system integrators. It overlaps with substrate makers (Ibiden, Unimicron, Absolics) and with OSAT-style assembly and test. Through the Odisha project it is integrating forward into assembly and packaging: the Indian plant is described as a vertically integrated "advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate ATMP facility."
Customer types. Defence primes and government agencies; aerospace and space/satcom OEMs; RF front-end and telecom-infrastructure suppliers; automotive radar suppliers (HPFS substrates for 70–150 GHz); photonics and datacentre interconnect developers; HPC/AI chip and chiplet integrators; and academic and government labs using 3DHI foundry services. Named customers are not publicly disclosed.
End markets served. Aerospace and defence (radar, electronic warfare, satcom); 5G/6G telecom; automotive radar; datacentres and AI/HPC; photonics; and medical and bio-sensors, plus quantum-dot sensors.
Strategy
Stated strategic themes. Company and investor statements from 2021 to 2026 repeat four themes:
-
Volume manufacturing. Every financing since 2021 has been tied to "high-volume production." Mandava frames the Indian expansion around the idea that scale matters as much as technology.
-
From RF passives to the AI substrate. The positioning has moved from "glass-based 3D passive RF devices" (2021) to "3D integrated passive solutions for RF, photonic and datacenters" (2023). It is now "advanced glass substrates and semiconductor packaging" for AI and HPC (2026).
-
Glass as a 3DHI platform. Glass is presented as the substrate for heterogeneous integration, combining RF, photonic and digital die with embedded passives and vertical interconnect. NGMM participation supports this.
-
Global scale through subsidised capacity. The company is using India's ISM incentives, which cover roughly 75% of eligible capex, and Intel's demand and know-how to build volume capacity it could not fund on its own balance sheet.
Strategic initiatives, last 24 months.
ISM-approved Odisha ATMP and glass-substrate unit: Date: Approved 12 Aug 2025; ground broken 19 Apr 2026; Description: Greenfield, vertically integrated ATMP and embedded glass-substrate plant via HIPSPL; Targets: ₹1,943.53 crore investment; ~69,600 panels, 50 million units and 13,200 3DHI modules a year; commercial production Aug 2028; full volume Aug 2030
Phased transition from organic to glass packaging: Date: From start-up; Description: The assembly line will first handle both in-house glass substrates and bought-in organic substrates, moving to glass-based packaging as the ecosystem matures; Targets: Captures OSAT revenue before glass demand peaks
Intel–3DGS glass-core substrate MoU: Date: 29 May 2026; Description: Tripartite MoU with Government of Odisha and Intel for glass-core and HDI substrate manufacturing; Intel provides technology know-how and process expertise; Targets: ~$3.3 billion over five to six years; 1,800+ direct jobs
DARPA NGMM partnership: Date: 2024 onward; Description: Glass substrate and TGV technology in the US 3DHI prototyping centre; Targets: Two phases of about 2.5 years each
Manufacturing digitalisation: Date: Not dated; Description: MASS Group's Traceability Made Easy® (TME®) MES deployed across the foundry; MASS Group's case study credits it with a 50% yield increase; Targets: Yield, traceability, AS9100 compliance
US capacity expansion: Date: 2023 onward; Description: Series C proceeds for US wafer capacity (Albuquerque; Richardson, TX); Targets: Not publicly disclosed
Medium-term financial targets. The company has published no financial guidance. The only quantified targets are the Odisha capacity and timeline figures above.
ESG and sustainability commitments. None publicly disclosed.
Products & Services
Core material platform
| Product | Description | Key capabilities | Target customers | Launch / latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APEX® Glass | Patented photosensitive lithium-aluminosilicate glass-ceramic | UV-patterned regions convert to ceramic and are wet-etched, producing fracture-free TGVs, cavities and 3D microstructures at wafer scale; low RF loss | All product lines; foundry customers | Developed since 2005; core of every 3DGS product |
| HPFS® Fused-Silica TGV (licensed) | TGV formation in Corning HPFS fused silica under licence from Corning | Very low loss tangent for mmWave and automotive radar; long-term wafer supply agreement with Corning | Automotive radar, high-frequency filter makers | Licence and supply agreement announced January 2022 |
RF & mmWave components / integrated passive devices
| Product | Description | Key capabilities | Target customers | Launch / latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass IPD technology node | Standardised process for integrated passive devices: inductors, capacitors, resistors and transmission lines in glass | Locked process flow and design rules in a customer PDK | RF front-end designers, defence electronics | Process flow and PDK released June 2021 |
| Bandpass filters | Miniaturised RF/microwave filters in APEX glass | Company materials cite filter footprints as small as 2.6 × 5.4 mm; high-Q, low insertion loss | 5G infrastructure, satcom, radar | Ongoing product family |
| AF-SIW waveguide devices | Air-filled substrate-integrated waveguides in glass-ceramic | Air-filled channels cut dielectric loss at mmWave frequencies; industry-first glass-ceramic AF-SIW PDK | mmWave radar, satcom, defence | PDK introduced June 2021 |
| eSIW devices | Electromagnetic substrate-integrated waveguides | Released as a PDK for designers | mmWave system designers | PDK released June 2022 |
| Couplers, baluns, diplexers, power dividers | Passive RF building blocks in glass | Low-loss, tight-tolerance passives integrated with TGVs | RF module makers | Ongoing |
| Thermal-management solutions | Copper heat spreaders integrated into glass packages | Better heat dissipation and lower thermal stress for high-power RF | High-power RF / defence | Ongoing |
Glass foundry & 3DHI services
| Offering | Description | Key capabilities | Target customers | Launch / latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass 3DHI technology node | Glass-ceramic process node for heterogeneous integration, combining die, passives and interconnect on glass | Industry-first glass-ceramic HI node | System integrators, defence, academia | Introduced June 2021 |
| Custom foundry and NRE | Design-to-product flow for custom glass microstructures and packages | Prototyping through volume; AS9100 quality system | Commercial and defence manufacturers, government agencies, universities | Ongoing |
| Process design kits (PDKs) | Design-rule and model kits for IPD, AF-SIW, eSIW and HI nodes | Lets third parties design to 3DGS processes | RF/EDA designers | 2021–2022 releases |
| NGMM 3DHI participation | Glass substrate and TGV technology inside DARPA's NGMM 3DHI prototyping centre | Glass as one of the advanced substrate options in NGMM | DoD ecosystem | Phase 1 from 2024 |
Glass-core substrates & advanced packages (Odisha slate)
| Product | Description | Key capabilities | Target customers | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass FCBGA substrates and packages | Flip-chip BGA packages on glass-core substrates | Large-format panels with high dimensional stability, dense interconnect, low loss | HPC/AI processor and chiplet makers | Odisha commercial production targeted August 2028 |
| Glass interposers with embedded passives and silicon bridges | Interposers for chiplet integration | Fine-pitch redistribution; embedded capacitors/inductors; silicon-bridge die-to-die links | AI accelerator and datacentre chip designers | Odisha slate |
| RF SiP modules | RF system-in-package on glass | Combines 3DGS RF passives with active die | 5G/6G, defence, automotive | Odisha slate |
| AiP SiP modules | Antenna-in-package system-in-package | mmWave antenna integration in glass | 5G mmWave, radar, satcom | Odisha slate |
| 3DHI modules | Vertically stacked heterogeneous-integration modules | Through-glass vertical interconnect | Defence, HPC | Planned ~13,200 modules a year |
| Glass panel processing | 510 mm × 515 mm glass panel line | Installed capacity of 5,800 panels a month (~69,600 a year) | Captive use plus substrate customers | Odisha slate |
Pricing for all product lines is not publicly disclosed. Third-party profiles describe prices as negotiated case by case on complexity and volume.
Financial Narrative
3DGS is a private company with no public reporting obligation. It has not published an income statement, balance sheet or cash-flow statement for any fiscal year. Revenue, gross profit, operating income, EBITDA, net income, EPS, margins and returns ratios are therefore not publicly disclosed. One web-analytics provider (Similarweb) places annual revenue in a $15–25 million band. That is a third-party model estimate, not a company figure.
The financial data that can be documented are the company's capital raises and the funding plan for the Indian project.
Disclosed equity financing by calendar year
Intel Capital made further investments totalling $8 million across two rounds after March 2025 (Reuters). The round sizes, total proceeds and timing of those 2025–2026 rounds are not publicly disclosed.
Odisha ATMP project funding plan (INR crore)
The plan is fully funded by equity and subsidies, with no external debt envisaged at this stage (ANI / MeitY, April 2026). Central and state support of ₹1,198.5 crore covers about 75% of eligible capex. In US-dollar terms the project is about $230 million (Walden Catalyst). One trade outlet put it at "about USD 21 million"; that figure does not match the INR amount and is incorrect.
Commentary
Revenue trajectory. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The qualitative signals point to a business that was moving from development to commercial scale before 2023 and remained small through 2026. Investors described an "accelerated revenue growth strategy" in 2021 and 2023, and in 2023 management said it was building "high-volume" US capacity. The headcount, about 69 in September 2026, implies annual revenue in the tens of millions at most.
Capital intensity inflection. Committed capital has grown by orders of magnitude. Total disclosed equity raised from 2021 to 2023 was $54 million. The Odisha ATMP project alone is ₹1,943.53 crore (about $230 million) and needs ₹745 crore (about $85–90 million) of promoter equity. The proposed Intel–3DGS glass-core facility is about $3.3 billion. 3DGS's share of that $3.3 billion is not publicly disclosed, and one press summary puts Indian subsidy support at about $330 million. The equity need for Odisha alone is far larger than anything 3DGS has raised publicly. That implies new capital, possibly from strategic investors such as Intel and possibly at subsidiary level, which has not been publicly disclosed.
Balance sheet and leverage. Not publicly disclosed. The Indian project plan has no external debt, which suggests the group is not relying on project finance in the near term.
Unlock Company Financials
Unlock this company profile to view its financial data.
View Subscription PlansFinancial Detail
Operating Line Details
| Operating line | What it contains | Key products / services | Main facility | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RF & mmWave Components / IPDs | Glass-ceramic passive devices for RF front ends and defence electronics | Bandpass filters, diplexers, couplers, baluns, AF-SIW and eSIW waveguides, antenna structures | Albuquerque, NM | Commercial; historical revenue core |
Glass Foundry & 3DHI Services | Custom design-to-manufacture on APEX and HPFS fused-silica wafers | Foundry services, PDKs, TGV wafers, microstructural glass parts, prototyping | Albuquerque, NM; NGMM collaboration in Austin, TX | Commercial and programme-funded |
HPFS Fused-Silica Solutions | TGV substrates in Corning HPFS glass under licence | Automotive radar substrates (70–150 GHz), high-frequency filter substrates (10–100 GHz) | Albuquerque, NM | Commercial; long-term contracts |
Glass-Core Substrates & Advanced Packaging (HPC/AI) | Large-format glass panel substrates and assembled packages | Glass FCBGA substrates/packages, glass interposers with embedded passives and silicon bridges, RF SiP, AiP SiP, 3DHI modules | Odisha, India (HIPSPL), under construction | Pre-revenue; commercial start targeted August 2028 |
Sensors & Other | Legacy and adjacent glass microstructures | Bio-sensor and quantum-dot sensor glass features | Albuquerque, NM | Niche |
Group Entities
| Entity | Jurisdiction | Ownership | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
3D Glass Solutions, Inc. | United States | Parent | Technology owner, US foundry, headquarters |
Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (HIPSPL) | India | 100% owned by 3DGS | Developer and operator of the Odisha ATMP and glass-substrate plant |
Proposed Intel–3DGS Odisha glass-core substrate venture | India | — | Subject of the May 2026 MoU; some press reports describe it as a joint venture |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Balance Sheet
| Metric | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
Announced equity raised (USD Mn) | 20 | 4 | 30 |
Round Details
| Round | Date | Amount (USD Mn) | Lead | Other participants | Board changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Series A and earlier | Before 2021 | — | — | Investors tracked at this stage include Lockheed Martin Ventures, Sun Mountain Capital, Corning, Menlo Micro, CerraCap Ventures, Nagase | — |
Series B1 | 30 Nov 2021 | 20 | Intel Capital | CerraCap Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Nagase & Co. | David Flanagan, Jeff Cunningham, Yoriyuki Yamashiro join |
Series B1 extension | 31 Jan 2022 | 4 | — | Existing and new investors | — |
Grant | Jun 2022 | 0.066 | — | — | — |
Series C | 19 Apr 2023 | 30 | Walden Catalyst Ventures | Intel Capital, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Applied Ventures, Cambium Capital, Mesh Cooperative Ventures | Lip-Bu Tan joins |
Follow-on rounds (Intel Capital participation) | 2025–2026 | Intel Capital share: 8 across two rounds | — | — | — |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Financial Analysis
| Item | Amount (INR Cr) |
|---|---|
Total project investment | 1,943.53 |
Eligible capital expenditure | 1,598.33 |
Approved central fiscal support (ISM) | 799 |
Additional Odisha state support | 399.5 |
Promoter equity | 745 |
External debt | 0 |
Region Overview
| Region | Current role | Forward role | Growth driver |
|---|---|---|---|
United States | Headquarters, APEX foundry, defence/aerospace and RF customers, DARPA NGMM | Technology and IP centre; defence-sensitive production; US 3DHI ecosystem | Onshoring of defence microelectronics; NGMM |
India | None before 2025 | Volume glass-panel substrate and ATMP base (HIPSPL); potential Intel–3DGS glass-core complex | ISM subsidies; Intel demand; India's domestic semiconductor build-out; export-oriented manufacturing |
Asia-Pacific (ex-India) | — | Customer region for AI/HPC substrates | Asia-Pacific held about 50.8% of the global 3D glass substrate market in 2025 (third-party estimate) |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Round Details — Series B1
| Round | Date | Amount (USD Mn) | Reported post-money valuation (USD Mn) |
|---|---|---|---|
Series B1 (incl. extension) | Nov 2021 – Jan 2022 | 24 | — |
Series C | Apr 2023 | 30 | 120 (Dealroom) |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Analyst Conclusions
Management guidance. 3DGS gives no financial guidance. Its operating targets are commercial production at the Odisha ATMP unit by August 2028 and full volume by August 2030. Annual capacity is planned at about 69,600 glass panel substrates, 50 million assembled units and 13,200 3DHI modules. The separate Intel–3DGS glass-core and HDI substrate facility, about $3.3 billion, is to be built in phases over five to six years.
Consensus expectations. No sell-side coverage exists. Third-party forecasts for 3D glass substrates range from about 13% to 29% CAGR through 2032.
Bull case
-
Intel validation turns into volume. Intel has shifted toward external glass-substrate sourcing and co-signed a ~$3.3 billion facility with 3DGS. If definitive agreements follow, 3DGS gets an anchor customer that most glass start-ups lack.
-
Subsidised capacity lowers capital risk. Central and state support of ₹1,198.5 crore covers about 75% of eligible capex at Odisha, with no external debt. Return on invested equity could be high once the plant is loaded.
-
Dual-use moat. The APEX patent estate, AS9100 RF heritage and DARPA NGMM role give 3DGS defence and RF revenue that pure HPC glass entrants do not have. That cushions the period before AI substrate demand matures.
Bear case
-
Too small, too late. With about 69 staff and volume output from 2028–2030, 3DGS could find the HPC glass-substrate market already shaped by Absolics, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Chinese panel makers.
-
Single-partner dependence. Intel's glass strategy has changed course more than once. A shift back toward in-house glass at Rio Rancho or Chandler, or a change of Intel leadership, could strand Indian capacity.
-
Capital and governance overhang. Odisha equity needs far exceed what 3DGS has publicly raised. The Tan–Walden–Intel links invite scrutiny that could slow or complicate Intel's commitments.
Key catalysts and monitorables (next 12 months)
| Catalyst / monitorable | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Definitive agreements and equity split for the Intel–3DGS Odisha venture | Turns the MoU into binding capital and offtake commitments |
| New equity financing (Series D or strategic round) and investor identities | Shows whether the Odisha equity can be funded |
| ISM subsidy disbursement milestones and Odisha construction progress | Indicates whether August 2028 commercial production is realistic |
| Intel's glass-substrate roadmap (Rio Rancho volume decision, product announcements) | Sets demand for 3DGS substrates |
| Board composition and related-party disclosures after Tan's Intel appointment | Governance clarity |
| Customer qualification announcements for glass FCBGA or interposers | First commercial proof for HPC products |
| Competitor ramps (Absolics volume, Samsung 2027 target) and standards decisions | Competitive window |
| NGMM Phase 2 participation | Continuity of US defence 3DHI demand |
-
Definitive agreements and equity split for the Intel–3DGS Odisha venture — Why it matters: Turns the MoU into binding capital and offtake commitments
-
New equity financing (Series D or strategic round) and investor identities — Why it matters: Shows whether the Odisha equity can be funded
-
ISM subsidy disbursement milestones and Odisha construction progress — Why it matters: Indicates whether August 2028 commercial production is realistic
-
Intel's glass-substrate roadmap (Rio Rancho volume decision, product announcements) — Why it matters: Sets demand for 3DGS substrates
-
Board composition and related-party disclosures after Tan's Intel appointment — Why it matters: Governance clarity
-
Customer qualification announcements for glass FCBGA or interposers — Why it matters: First commercial proof for HPC products
-
Competitor ramps (Absolics volume, Samsung 2027 target) and standards decisions — Why it matters: Competitive window
NGMM Phase 2 participation: Why it matters: Continuity of US defence 3DHI demand
Analyst verdict
3D Glass Solutions has reached the most consequential point in its twenty-year history. For most of that time it was a small, technically distinctive Albuquerque foundry. Its patented APEX® photosensitive glass-ceramic produced fracture-free through-glass vias and low-loss RF passives for defence and telecom customers. The financings of 2021–2023 ($54 million in announced equity) and a 2021 burst of industry-first PDKs made it a credible specialty supplier. They did not make it a volume player.
The events of 2025–2026 changed that. India's Semiconductor Mission approved a ₹1,943.53 crore Odisha ATMP and glass-substrate plant, about three-quarters subsidised, and construction began in April 2026. A month later Intel signed a tripartite MoU for a ~$3.3 billion glass-core substrate complex. Together these give 3DGS something rare among glass-substrate start-ups: subsidised capacity plus a top-tier anchor partner, arriving as the industry expects glass to enter AI packaging between 2027 and 2030.
The asymmetry runs both ways. 3DGS is tiny, at about 69 employees, and publishes no financials. It is late against Absolics and Samsung, heavily dependent on one partner whose strategy has wavered, and tied to Intel through relationships that attract governance scrutiny. Execution risk is high on three fronts: building a first-of-kind panel-scale glass plant in a new region, funding equity well above past raises, and qualifying products with demanding HPC customers.
On balance, 3DGS is a high-option-value, high-execution-risk platform. Its intrinsic moat lies in patented process know-how and dual-use RF and defence credentials. Its upside depends on converting Intel's MoU into binding offtake and capital. Over the next twelve months, definitive Intel agreements, a well-subscribed new equity round and on-schedule Odisha construction would strongly validate the strategy. Delays on any of those would point to an RF specialist overreaching into a capital-intensive substrate market dominated by conglomerates.
Key sources
-
3D Glass Solutions / Business Wire press releases: Series B1 (30 Nov 2021), B1 extension and Corning licence (31 Jan 2022), Series C (19 Apr 2023); 3DGS newsroom (2021 PDK and technology-node releases)
-
PR Newswire: Mark Popovich appointed CEO (13 Nov 2017); Business Wire: Popovich joins Intevac (Oct 2022)
-
Microwave Journal: Stuart Schoenmann elected chairman; 3DGS buyers' guide listing
-
New Mexico Economic Development Department / Los Alamos Daily Post: Albuquerque expansion announcement
-
SEMICON India speaker profile: Babu Mandava
-
Government of India (Union Cabinet / PIB, 12 Aug 2025); ISM and MeitY posts (1 Sep 2025); MeitY / ANI release on ground-breaking (19 Apr 2026)
-
Business Standard (19 Apr 2026; 29–30 May 2026); Reuters via The Star (29 May 2026); The Next Web (29 May 2026); DigiTimes (30 May 2026; 3 Jul 2025); Business Today (9 Jun 2026)
-
TrendForce News (21 Apr 2026; 1 Jun 2026; Feb–Jun 2026 glass-substrate coverage); Evertiq (20 Aug 2025; 20 Apr 2026; 1 Jun 2026)
-
Walden Catalyst: "3D Glass Solutions Brings Advanced 3D Chip Packaging to India" (2026)
-
DARPA NGMM programme pages; Mark LaPedus / Defense News / IEEE Spectrum on the TIE NGMM Center
-
Tracxn (Oct 2026), Dealroom, Crunchbase, Preqin, Bloomberg company profiles; MASS Group case study; P Market Research and third-party market reports on 3D glass / TGV substrates
Unlock Company Financials
Unlock this company profile to view its financial data.
View Subscription PlansExecutive Leadership
Executive Leadership Team
| Name | Title | Tenure | Prior roles | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Babu Mandava | President & CEO (described as Chairman & CEO in Indian government releases from 2026) | CEO since 2022 | SVP & GM, IP Group, Cadence Design Systems (2017–2021); co-founder and CEO, Beceem Communications (acquired by Broadcom in 2010 for about $316 million); co-founder of Centillium Communications (led to IPO; peak market cap ~$3 billion); early career at Zilog | M.Tech, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, IIT Kanpur (1983) |
Jeb H. Flemming | Founder, Chief Technology Officer and Director | Since 2005 (CEO until 2017) | Founder of Life BioScience, Inc. | MS, MBA |
Ed Weaver | VP Sales (per Microwave Journal buyers' guide) | — | — | — |
Timothy Mezel | Director of Engineering | — | — | — |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Board of Directors
| Director | Affiliation | Joined | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Babu Mandava | CEO | 2022 | Executive director |
Jeb Flemming | Founder & CTO | 2005 | Executive director |
David Flanagan | Intel Capital | Nov 2021 | Investor director (Series B1 lead) |
Jeff Cunningham | Lockheed Martin Ventures | Nov 2021 | Investor director; senior investment manager |
Yoriyuki Yamashiro | Nagase & Co., Ltd. | Nov 2021 | Investor director |
Lip-Bu Tan | Walden Catalyst Ventures / Walden International | Apr 2023 | Investor director (Series C lead); became Intel CEO in March 2025. Whether he remains on the 3DGS board is not publicly disclosed |
Stuart Schoenmann | Independent | Mid-2010s | Elected Chairman in the mid-2010s; current status not publicly disclosed |
Board & Management Changes
| Date | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|
13 Nov 2017 | Mark Popovich appointed CEO; Flemming moves to CTO | Professional management brought in to scale manufacturing and revenue |
Feb 2022 | Popovich departs (joined Intevac as VP Business Development in Oct 2022) | Followed the Intel-led Series B1 |
| 2022 | Babu Mandava becomes President & CEO | A semiconductor operator with Cadence/Walden-network ties, ahead of the Walden-led Series C |
Nov 2021 / Apr 2023 | Investor directors added (Flanagan, Cunningham, Yamashiro; then Tan) | Tied to Series B1 and Series C |
Major Shareholders
| Investor | Type | Entry stage | Reported stake |
|---|---|---|---|
Walden Catalyst Ventures | Venture capital (founded by Lip-Bu Tan) | Series C lead (2023) | 9.6% after the Series C financing (Reuters, via TrendForce, April 2026) |
Intel Capital | Corporate VC | Series B1 lead (2021); follow-ons in 2023 and 2025–2026 | — |
Lockheed Martin Ventures | Corporate VC (defence) | Early stage; B1; C | — |
Applied Ventures (Applied Materials) | Corporate VC | Series C (2023) | — |
Corning | Strategic | Early stage | — |
Nagase & Co., Ltd. | Strategic (Japanese trading house) | Series B1 | — |
CerraCap Ventures | Venture capital | Series B1 | — |
Cambium Capital | Venture capital | Series C | — |
Mesh Cooperative Ventures | Venture capital | Series C | — |
Sun Mountain Capital | New Mexico venture capital | Early stage | — |
Menlo Micro | Strategic | Early stage | — |
“—” = not publicly disclosed.
Competitive Landscape
Key Competitors
| Competitor | Home | Ownership | Overlap with 3DGS | Relative positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Absolics (SKC subsidiary) | South Korea / USA (Covington, GA plant) | Subsidiary of listed SKC | Glass-core substrates for HPC/AI | First merchant glass-core substrate plant; strongly capitalised; ahead on volume timing |
Samsung Electro-Mechanics | South Korea | Listed | Glass-core substrates | Pilot line at Sejong since 2025; ramp targeted after 2027; large customer base |
LG Innotek | South Korea | Listed | Glass-core substrates | Developing glass substrates; established substrate supplier |
Intel (in-house glass R&D) | USA | Listed | Glass-core substrates | Researching glass since 2013; Chandler pilot line; possible Rio Rancho volume site. Both a partner and a potential in-house alternative |
Ibiden | Japan | Listed | Organic ABF and glass substrates | Leading ABF substrate supplier for high-end processors; glass development |
Shinko Electric Industries | Japan | Private (taken private 2025) | Package substrates, glass development | Established substrate maker |
Unimicron | Taiwan | Listed | ABF and glass substrates | Leading ABF supplier with glass programmes |
AGC | Japan | Listed | Glass materials and glass-core substrates | Glass materials leader moving downstream |
Corning | USA | Listed | Glass wafers and TGV glass | Licensor, supplier and investor to 3DGS, but also a potential direct competitor in TGV glass |
SCHOTT | Germany | Private (Carl Zeiss Foundation) | Specialty glass wafers and TGV glass | Materials-led competitor |
LPKF Laser & Electronics | Germany | Listed | LIDE laser-induced deep-etch TGV technology | Competing TGV process route (laser vs. photo-definable) |
Plan Optik | Germany | Listed | Structured glass wafers, TGV | Niche glass-wafer competitor |
Samtec | USA | Private | Glass-core technology, TGV | Interconnect-led competitor |
JWMT | South Korea | Private | Advanced glass substrates and plating | Specialist glass-substrate producer |
Rapidus | Japan | Private / state-backed | Glass interposers for AI | Unveiled glass-interposer technology in December 2025 |
BOE / Visionox | China | Listed | Glass substrates using display-panel know-how | Fast followers with large panel-processing scale |
Peer Comparison
| Dimension | 3DGS | Absolics (SKC) | Samsung Electro-Mechanics | Corning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Core glass technology | Photo-definable APEX glass-ceramic; licensed HPFS TGV | Glass-core substrate with TGV | Glass-core substrate (pilot) | Glass materials and TGV process |
Commercial glass-substrate stage | RF products commercial; HPC substrates from 2028 (Odisha) | Mass production ramp from 2025 | Ramp targeted after 2027 | Materials supply |
Manufacturing footprint | Albuquerque, NM; Odisha (building) | Georgia, USA | Sejong, Korea | Global |
RF/mmWave specialisation | High (core heritage) | Low | Medium | Medium (materials) |
Defence qualification | AS9100; DARPA NGMM partner | Not a focus | Not a focus | Supplier |
Strategic anchor | Intel (investor, MoU partner) | SKC; US CHIPS-programme support | Samsung group | Own customers |



