Startup Fringe Metrology gains momentum after high-profile semiconductor pitch competition

For Joel Berkson (’19, ’21, ’23), founder and president of Fringe Metrology, the path from University of Arizona research to the semiconductor industry has been defined by persistence and a willingness to pivot.

That journey recently brought Berkson to Silicon Valley, where his startup was selected as one of 10 finalists in the 2026 Lam Capital Venture Competition, a global event focused exclusively on semiconductor technologies. The competition drew about 250 applicants and is held every two years by Lam Research, a major semiconductor equipment manufacturer that saw over $20 billion in revenue in 2025.

“It was a very legit event,” Berkson said. 

Held at Lam headquarters in Fremont, California, the competition drew hundreds of attendees, including executives from across the semiconductor industry.

“There were probably 400 or 500 people … the CEO of their company was there, along with VPs from NVIDIA and Intel … I felt very fortunate to be able to share our company vision directly with the people who lead this industry,” he said. 

Each of the 10 finalists delivered a seven-minute pitch followed by a three-minute question-and-answer session. While Fringe Metrology did not win the top prize, Berkson said the experience has already led to new connections with investors.

“They’re reaching out to me because they were at the event or simply heard we were a finalist,” he said. He described all the follow-up conversations with venture capital firms that he is now having as “setting up the dominoes for the future.”

The opportunity itself was an unexpected surprise.

“I filled out the application the day after the deadline … but the [application] button was still open … so I filled it out and sent it in anyway,” he said. 

Fringe Metrology’s acceptance into the competition reflects both the company’s technical promise and the quality of support Berkson received through Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the U of A that works with university inventors to commercialize innovations stemming from their research. When he learned he would have the opportunity to pitch, he contacted the TLA team for assistance. 

“It's great to see Joel getting recognized and selected to pitch at LAM,” Derick Maggard, Director of Startup Incubation and Growth for TLA said. “It is quite the accomplishment. In an effort to help him prepare, we pulled together a group of our commercialization partners to hear his pitch, give him constructive critiques, and help him prepare for the big stage.”

Berkson said feedback he received from the Commercialization Partners was indispensable. 

“One of the partners said I was being far too modest … and that I needed to like hype it up more in my pitch,” Berkson said, recalling advice from a university mentor. “We’re doing things no one else can do, and we’re proud of it.”

Their guidance helped him better communicate the value of Fringe Metrology’s technology, which has evolved significantly since the company’s early days.

Originally focused on metrology applications for mirrors and antennas that he developed while working on his PhD dissertation at the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, the startup achieved early technical success but struggled to scale commercially. Berkson ultimately made the decision to pivot to semiconductors.

The shift was informed by customer discovery techniques and business strategy skills Berkson developed through the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program offered to the U of A community through Tech Launch Arizona. The U of A is part of the NSF I-Corps Desert and Pacific Hub, and any university researcher, faculty member or staff member with an invention they wish to advance toward commercialization and impact is invited to apply.  

“If there’s one thing I learned through I-Corps, it’s don’t tell them (potential customers) what your product is,” Berkson remembers from the experience. “Just ask them questions about what their problems and pain points are.” 

The program teaches participants how to ask such questions to get the most informative, unbiased answers possible to help entrepreneurial innovators uncover insights to help them effectively move their product concepts toward optimal market fit. 

“After performing our own customer discovery again,” he says, “the pivot became obvious.” 

Fringe Metrology today has moved away from applications for large surfaces and is developing a topography mapping system for a much smaller product – silicon wafers – a critical component in semiconductor manufacturing. 

“At almost every single step to literally go from sand to a NVIDIA chip, the shape of that wafer needs to be measured,” Berkson said, “and our technology can do it faster, cheaper, and in places that were previously inaccessible. We are literally measuring topography errors at size scales comparable to a single silicon atom.”

The company’s approach relies on off-the-shelf hardware combined with new measurement techniques designed for reflective surfaces, a key challenge in semiconductor fabrication.

The startup is not yet selling its product but is pursuing a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the National Science Foundation as well as pilot projects with customers. Fringe Metrology previously received a $275,000 Phase I SBIR grant and has progressed to the final stage of review for the next phase.
“We’re at the end of the financial review … that’s the last step basically,” Berkson said, “and I think the chance of us getting it is high.” 

Fringe Metrology’s team reflects a mix of technical and business expertise. Berkson leads the company as CEO, working alongside COO Justin Hyatt, PhD, whom he met during his studies at the U of A. The company also works with software engineer Jackson Wood, another University of Arizona graduate.

Looking ahead, Berkson said the team is focused on raising a seed round, advancing its technology, and building partnerships within the semiconductor industry. He also sees continued value in involvement with the Tech Launch Arizona incubator, particularly in helping navigate access to university resources and network connections with investors and alumni.

For Berkson, the company’s progress — from a late competition application to national visibility and investor interest — reflects both individual effort and the support structure surrounding University of Arizona startups.