KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): Cambrian Fund, backed by the founders of ViTrox Corp Bhd (KL:VITROX), has invested in Nvsion Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian automated optical inspection (AOI) solutions specialist focusing on artificial intelligence.

In a statement, Nvsion said it has completed the multi-million ringgit fundraising round with Cambrian Fund as the sole investor.

Cambrian Fund was set up in July by founders of Penang-based ViTrox in partnership with small and medium enterprise (SME)-focused regional private equity firm Southern Capital Group. 

Southern Capital is the manager of the Cambrian Fund, which also lists Khazanah Nasional Bhd as its investor through its RM1 billion Dana Impak.

In the statement, Nvsion said it develops "advanced AOI solutions that are critical for ensuring high precision, improving quality, and increasing efficiency in the outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) segments".

"Beyond semiconductors, the company also sees significant opportunities to extend its platform into other advanced manufacturing sectors where precision and throughput are critical, such as advanced electronics, automotive, and medical devices. 

"The company's core technology is its proprietary Synthia Vision AI Platform, which uses a hybrid of AI and rule-based algorithms for high-speed industrial applications," Nvsion said. 

The new capital, it said, will be deployed to accelerate Nvsion's growth across several key areas, including advancing its product development and rollout, recruiting top-tier talent, and expanding its customer base.

"Securing this first round of funding is a defining moment for Nvsion," said Nvsion managing director Jeffrey Chung, who also founded the startup.

"With the support of Cambrian Fund, we are confident in our ability to deliver greater innovation, expand our world-class customer base, and contribute to Malaysia’s emergence as a leader in advanced manufacturing," Chung said.

Nvsion's software-first approach to machine vision "is set to make a significant impact in a critical and rapidly growing part of the Industrial 4.0 landscape", said Southern Capital chief executive officer Kenneth Tan. 

"We are confident in their potential to scale and become a market leader, and we look forward to supporting them on their transformative journey," said Tan.