​​Giuseppe Crippa†, Roberto Crippa, Stefano Felici, Riccardo Vettori, Raffaele Vallauri, Flavio Maggioni and team

Probe cards are essential to semiconductor manufacturing, providing the electrical interface that allows chips to be tested directly on the wafer. Before Technoprobe was founded, European firms depended largely on overseas suppliers, slowing development cycles and limiting competitiveness. Giuseppe Crippa’s breakthrough method for local probe card production changed this landscape, eliminating long repair times and giving European chipmakers immediate access to critical testing tools.

Since that first invention, Technoprobe has continually advanced probe card technology. Its innovations include high-frequency-compatible cards with flexible structures that maintain signal integrity up to 110 GHz, and mechanical guidance systems that ensure precise, durable alignment across tens of thousands of microscopic probes. Thermomechanical stabilisation techniques now guarantee consistent performance in varying environments, while enhanced electrical routing supports mixed-signal and high-density architectures. The company has also introduced hybrid cards that combine electrical probes with optical fibres for testing photonic integrated circuits. Together, these advancements contribute to longer probe lifespan, higher test accuracy, reduced waste and flexible probe arrangements that support increasingly complex semiconductor designs.

From family venture to global leadership

With retirement approaching, Giuseppe Crippa turned his expertise towards Europe’s absence of local probe card manufacturing and repair capabilities. In 1989, he and his son Cristiano began producing individual probes from their family home in Merate. Within a few years, the garage, attic and basement had been transformed into a fully functioning workshop.

By 1996, Technoprobe had expanded to around ten employees and moved into its first dedicated facility in Cernusco Lombardone. Guided by the need to be physically close to customers, Technoprobe soon embarked on international expansion, first to France and Singapore, and later to the United States. Despite building this global presence, the company keeps all core activities—design, development and the manufacture of critical components—anchored at its Italian headquarters. In 2023, Technoprobe was listed on Euronext Milan  and today employs around 3 300 people across 23 sites.

While customer challenges drive innovation, resulting technologies are developed internally and remain Technoprobe’s intellectual property. The company employs a clear IP strategy. “We innovate fast and protect what truly matters,” says Vallauri. “We protect the concepts that give us a competitive edge, and we keep the processes and know-how that competitors could easily replicate as trade secrets.”

About the inventors

Giuseppe Crippa founded Technoprobe and remained active in the company until his passing in 2025. He leaves behind a legacy of technological ingenuity and leadership that took the company from a small family business to a major global player in semiconductor testing. Roberto Crippa studied chemical engineering before joining Technoprobe and has served as Executive Vice President since 2018. Stefano Felici, who joined the company in 1998, helped shape its technological direction and international expansion, and was appointed CEO in 2017. Riccardo Vettori, who holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, is the company’s Technology Pathfinding Manager. Raffaele Vallauri, EVP Technology Strategic Projects, brings deep expertise in materials engineering and plays a central role in Technoprobe’s IP strategy. Flavio Maggioni, Design R&D Manager, contributes over 25 years of experience in electrical and electromagnetic simulation to the company’s advanced technology programmes.