A German technology startup building advanced semiconductor testing equipment says the war in the Middle East has caused significant shipment delays, undermining the potential of this groundbreaking technology before it can gain momentum.
Kevin Berghoff, CEO of Munich-based QuantumDiamonds, said transportation capacity has become severely constrained as US-Israel strikes on Iran and the widening war disrupt the logistics networks the semiconductor industry depends on for moving critical equipment and components.
"The war in Iran has already impacted our shipments," Berghoff told Anadolu. "Our products are shipped by cargo planes, and we have seen that the capacity is very constrained, that we are being kicked out of the cargo planes, because the cargo planes are used for something else."
The delays affect not only QuantumDiamonds' specialized microscopes and products, but also broader semiconductor supply chains, Berghoff said, creating downstream effects across the industry.
"We see delays in the deliveries, we see delays in the deployments of our tools, but it's something where we cannot really do anything about it. It's an external shock," he said. "We do our best to deliver, but we already see this impact."
QuantumDiamonds is widely regarded as one of Germany's most promising deep-tech startups. The company has developed quantum sensing technology that enables semiconductor manufacturers to detect tiny defects in complex chip architectures without damaging the components being tested.
Berghoff said the company works with global partners and serves customers worldwide, including major technology companies and chip manufacturers. But the expanding conflict in the Middle East has begun triggering knock-on effects across the industry, delaying deployments and raising costs at a time when demand for semiconductor-enabled AI hardware is at record highs.
"We see that first, the equipment is being delayed, and then in the second step, also the end products are being delayed; then data centers are being put online a bit later," he said. "I think it starts with the equipment and then trickles down to the chip making and then also the deliveries of the final products."
The company has begun taking steps to mitigate the impact, including changing its logistics strategy. But Berghoff acknowledged the limitations of such workarounds given the complexity of global semiconductor supply chains.
"It's such a complex industry that is very hard to be self-reliant and to make sure that we will always be able to deliver," he said. "My wish would be that the global wars are put to an end so this complex industry can continue to work as it did before."
For many industry specialists, the global semiconductor industry remains highly vulnerable to geopolitical shocks because of complex interdependencies in its production networks. The specialized supply chain spans continents, with different regions dominating distinct stages of production, making the entire ecosystem reliant on uninterrupted international logistics and geopolitical stability.
Berghoff emphasized that technology companies, such as QuantumDiamonds, are export-oriented and must access global markets to support the significant investments required for next-generation manufacturing. Without international reach, he stressed, neither technological advancement nor cost-effective manufacturing would be feasible.
"For us it is very important that we have access to the global markets, to all the relevant chip markets, to make sure that we can produce profitably and that we can actually employ the right people," he said, adding that prolonged disruptions to global supply chains and export markets would fundamentally undermine the ability to achieve the production scale necessary for becoming a truly global technology player.
