Mobius Materials Raises $3M to Combat One of Manufacturing's Biggest Issues Amid US-China Trade Tariffs

The environmentally focused startup will use the raise to invest in building a stock market for chips, growing the leadership team and expanding global presence

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobius Materials, the safe spot market for semiconductors, has closed a $3M Series Seed financing round in order to bring liquidity, quality control and price transparency to the secondary semiconductor market. Mobius' Series Seed round was led by Spero Ventures, an early stage VC fund focused on purpose led companies. Additional investors include Outsiders Fund and RefashionD Ventures. The funds raised will make a significant investment in the platform which connects buyers and sellers, build out the Mobius leadership team and ultimately position the company for fast track growth to reach new customers and global markets.
Mobius is solving a $25B problem that is only getting worse as tariffs and geopolitics make semiconductors one of the most volatile industries in the world. Despite more than $600B of chips sold annually, there is nowhere for manufacturers to trade chips besides rigid direct, distributor purchasing or a massive gray market. As forecasts change or tariff volatility hits, manufacturers are either left with large stocks of excess chips or shortages of critical ones. Mobius is used by hundreds of contract manufacturers and OEMs to directly buy and sell excess electronic parts quickly, safely and at market prices.

For Mobius' Founder and CEO, Margaret Upshur, the mission is not just economic, it's environmental. A former supply chain executive at an electronics OEM, Upshur was dismayed to have to throw away hundreds of thousands of dollars of new chips that were no longer used in their products, all of which could have been sold.

"We're building the first stock market for semiconductors so companies can finally buy and sell components the way they should: transparently, safely, and at true market prices," says Upshur. "This raise and our partnership with Spero will help us scale our marketplace so supply-chain teams can achieve real liquidity in an industry that's been stuck with rigid purchasing, constant supply shocks and quality risks."
Mobius will use the new funding to accelerate development of its platform, including the upcoming launch of its e-auction platform, which allows manufacturers to reach thousands of qualified buyers, improve returns, often by up to three times traditional broker rates-and close transactions in weeks instead of months. The raise will also support continued team expansion, following recent leadership hires in engineering and customer experience, with a search underway for a Head of Operations. In addition, Mobius has filed a patent for its machine-learning–based system for authenticating the quality of electronic components.

"Chips power nearly every device we rely on, yet the secondary market remains opaque and inefficient. Mobius is building a trusted marketplace that delivers transparency, liquidity, and quality control," said Shripriya Mahesh of Spero Ventures. "We're proud to support Margaret and her team as they create a more resilient and sustainable future for global manufacturing."

A robust secondary market has never been more important for the $630B semiconductor industry. Geopolitical tensions, a brittle and very long supply chain, and a robust gray market have combined to mean that the semiconductor industry is one of the most volatile in the world. Meanwhile it is incredibly crucial, not just for consumer electronics and national defense but for every sector imaginable. Chips make up 40% of the cost of a car, 66% of the cost of consumer electronics and 65% of the cost of AI development. Allowing quick, safe and floating price buys on a spot market dampens the extreme shocks of the industry and allows manufacturers to keep producing even when chips hit shortages or gluts.

As tariffs continue to rage, Mobius also helps to strategically connect buyers with sellers and reduce the impact of the tariffs. Sellers who already have imported their chips before the trade tariffs have been imposed can sell to buyers pinched by the new costs of import for example. Upshur and her team anticipate that there will continue to be changes in tariffs internationally and are ready to respond, creating a flexible source for their customers.

MOBIUS MATERIALS

Mobius Materials, the safe spot market for semiconductors, is a certified B2B marketplace bringing liquidity, quality control and price transparency to the secondary semiconductor market. Backed by rigorous testing and vetted suppliers—including OEMs and contract manufacturers—Mobius delivers 10–70% savings on parts, access to rare inventory, and fully authenticated components shipped in under two weeks. Manufacturers can recover value for their unused stock and have true inventory flexibility.

Founded in 2021, based in Virginia, with global operations spanning Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Mobius is on a mission to tackle a $25 billion problem—reducing waste and improving supply chain resiliency for industries like consumer electronics, healthcare, and industrial systems.

Through unmatched customer service, rapid lead times, and a mission-driven approach to sustainability, Mobius Materials is reinventing how chips get bought and sold.

For more information, visit mobiusmaterials.com

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SOURCE Mobius Materials