Noise Control Tech Firm Silentium Raises $30M For Acoustics Software Solutions

Israeli noise tech company Silentium, a company that specialises in creating personal in-car sound environments, announced on Tuesday that it extended its Series D round with another $20 million of funding, raising a total of $30 million. The extended round was led by Israeli institutional investors Menora Mivtachim and Meitav Dash. Existing strategic investors, including global electronics leader Molex, also participated in the latest round.

First founded in 1997, Silentium’s Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) technology is designed to create a quieter space around the user, regardless of the source of the noise. The tech can be installed in car headrests, airplane seats, or larger industrial spaces. The company’s solutions and products are currently embedded in various market applications.

In the automotive industry, Silentium creates personal in-car sound environments by reducing, canceling, or enhancing any sound inside all types of vehicles. The company has been working on several global vehicle production programs for its Active Road Noise Cancellation (ARNC) software integration.

The tech is already available in new cars from Jaguar and Land Rover. The integration was announced late last year with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) saying the tech was “capable of lowering unwanted noise peaks by 10dB and overall noise levels by 3-4dB – the equivalent of turning down the in-car sound system by four ‘steps,’” citing a 2015 study on the effect of road traffic noise on reaction time.

“This significant reduction in exposure to low-frequency noises up to 300Hz can help prevent driver fatigue on longer journeys,” the car manufacturer said at the time.

The new investment, says Silentium CEO Yoel Naor, will help the company “scale up the development and roll out of our Active Acoustics software solutions for vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers – especially as NVH [noise, vibrations, and harshness] requirements evolve in the new era of electric and autonomous mobility.

Based in Ness Ziona, Silentium has about 50 employees and satellite offices in China, as well as sound engineers embedded within various global vehicle manufacturers.

The company said it expects to double its headcount within the next 12 months.

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