David Savastano, Editor10.20.10
There is much speculation about the possibilities for printed electronics (PE). After all, huge numbers have been floated as to potential sales numbers of hundreds of billions of dollars within 20 years. Meanwhile, some projects are coming to fruition, but no one really knows if the big-ticket items (for example, item level tagging) will ultimately come through.
We are all watching closely for signs that PE is getting closer to commercial reality, and whether the myriad technologies have promise. One of the clearest indicators is when a major company invests in or acquires a technology-rich start-up. That shows two things: One, that the technology must have some promise; and second, that the large company sees commercial potential.
In the past year, we have seen quite a few acquisitions in the PE space, two of which are particularly noteworthy due to the companies involved.
• In March, Bayer MaterialScience LLC acquired Artificial Muscle, Inc. (AMI).
• Earlier this month, 3M invested in Printechnologics GmbH.
The Bayer Materialscience acquisition of Artificial Muscle is an ideal merger of technology and marketing. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Artificial Muscle was founded in 2004 as a spin-out of the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to commercialize its Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscle (EPAM) technology. While EPAM was initially targeted for applications such as valves, pumps and sensors, AMI saw opportunities in the growing touchscreen market, such as smartphones, gaming controllers and touchpads. In 2007, AMI was honored as a winner of the Red Herring 100 Global Award for its EPAM technology.
Now, backed by Bayer MaterialScience’s expertise in R&D and films as well as its strength in the sales channel, Artificial Muscle’s technology will have much greater access to the marketplace, while Bayer MaterialScience gets access to AMI’s portfolio of products and technology.
3M’s investment into Printechnologics also is a good merger of technology and marketing. Formerly known as Menippos GmbH, Printechnologics has patented data memory and battery systems, which can be produced on paper through conventional printing. The opportunity for thin, flexible, low-cost batteries is potentially huge.
For 3M, which already is active in printed electronics in areas as diverse as adhesives and the photovoltaic market, the investment makes a lot of sense for market such as smart packaging.
These are but two acquisitions/investment made in the PE field. It is certain that more such investments will come in the future, as large companies size up the potential for breakthrough technologies.
We are all watching closely for signs that PE is getting closer to commercial reality, and whether the myriad technologies have promise. One of the clearest indicators is when a major company invests in or acquires a technology-rich start-up. That shows two things: One, that the technology must have some promise; and second, that the large company sees commercial potential.
• In March, Bayer MaterialScience LLC acquired Artificial Muscle, Inc. (AMI).
• Earlier this month, 3M invested in Printechnologics GmbH.
The Bayer Materialscience acquisition of Artificial Muscle is an ideal merger of technology and marketing. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Artificial Muscle was founded in 2004 as a spin-out of the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to commercialize its Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscle (EPAM) technology. While EPAM was initially targeted for applications such as valves, pumps and sensors, AMI saw opportunities in the growing touchscreen market, such as smartphones, gaming controllers and touchpads. In 2007, AMI was honored as a winner of the Red Herring 100 Global Award for its EPAM technology.
Now, backed by Bayer MaterialScience’s expertise in R&D and films as well as its strength in the sales channel, Artificial Muscle’s technology will have much greater access to the marketplace, while Bayer MaterialScience gets access to AMI’s portfolio of products and technology.
3M’s investment into Printechnologics also is a good merger of technology and marketing. Formerly known as Menippos GmbH, Printechnologics has patented data memory and battery systems, which can be produced on paper through conventional printing. The opportunity for thin, flexible, low-cost batteries is potentially huge.
For 3M, which already is active in printed electronics in areas as diverse as adhesives and the photovoltaic market, the investment makes a lot of sense for market such as smart packaging.
These are but two acquisitions/investment made in the PE field. It is certain that more such investments will come in the future, as large companies size up the potential for breakthrough technologies.