Scalinx: electronics from one world to another

" We are part of an analog world, whereas machines are in a digital world", sums up Hussein Fakhoury. According to this entrepreneur and founder of the startup Scalinx, every electronic system must have a component capable of transforming analog quantities into digital values. " This converter is an essential function if a computer is to process real-world information ," he insists. For good reason: it transforms a variable that varies continuously over time, such as an electrical voltage, into digital data that can be processed by computer systems. And it is precisely in the design of this interface that Hussein Fakhoury's start-up specializes.

Scalinx develops next-generation analog-to-digital converters. Based on an architectural approach that differs from that of its competitors, the components developed offer numerous advantages for applications requiring fast digitization. " With a new electronic structure diagram, we ensure a much more compact and less power-hungry solution," assures the startup's founder. However, he points out that Scalinx's interfaces "are not intended to replace historical architectures everywhere, as these are indispensable for certain applications".

These new converters are designed for specific markets, where performance and space optimization issues are of prime importance. These include space electronics, defense and medical imaging. A prime example of the latter is ultrasound. While we are now able to see the fetus in a woman's womb in two dimensions thanks to ultrasound, medical imaging is increasingly turning to 3D visualization. To go from 2D to 3D, however, we need probes with more converters. With traditional architectures, heat dissipation would become too great, which would not only damage the probe, but could also inconvenience the patient.

And the challenges are not just technical; they are also strategic. The quality of an electronic system depends on this analog-digital interface. It is therefore of prime importance in the case of high-end systems. But at present, " the world leaders in high-performance components in this field are American ", notes Hussein Fakhoury. Yet trade regulations, as well as issues of sovereignty and confidentiality of use, can be a limiting factor for European players in critical sectors such as defense.

A Télécom Paris spin-off conquering Europe

Scalinx aims to become a benchmark in France and Europe for converters for applications where energy consumption must not be sacrificed at the expense of performance. For the time being, the field seems rather open. " Few companies want to tackle this strategic market," confides its founder. The ambition seems to be taking shape, as the startup has benefited from the support of Bpifrance two years in a row by being a winner of the national i-Lab business creation aid competition in 2015 and 2016. It also received an honor loan from the Fondation Télécom in 2016.

Scalinx is at the cutting edge of key analog-digital interface technology because its development has taken place in an environment conducive to state-of-the-art innovation. Hussein Fakhoury is a former Télécom Paris researcher, and his company is a carefully nurtured spin-off. " I found the subject of converters already promising in 2004 when I was working at Philips, and I turned to research in 2008 to deepen my technical knowledge of the subject," he recounts.

Between 2008 and the creation of Scalinx in 2015, several partnerships with industry led to the new generation of components now developed by the startup. NXP - the former semiconductor arm of Philips - France Télécom (now Orange) and Thalès worked with the Télécom Paris laboratory to develop the technologies now used by Scalinx.

Building on this expertise, the company is now seeking to develop its business and acquire new customers. Its business model is based on the spirit of a " design house ", as Hussein Fakhoury explains: " Customers come to us with a specification or a concept, and we deliver a turnkey integrated circuit that meets the specifications we have drawn up together. " It's a concept that Scalinx's founder hopes to exploit to satisfy his ambitions to conquer Europe - a goal that he intends to achieve over the next five years.