Oct 5 2013
Intermolecular, Inc. and the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, today announced the signing of a joint development agreement between Intermolecular and Ulnanotech, the leading Russian Federation nanocenter based in Ulyanovsk.
Ulnanotech will leverage leading-edge development platforms purchased from Intermolecular to accelerate research and development (R&D) efforts around glass coatings, advanced power electronics, photovoltaics and displays. In addition to providing advanced development platforms to Ulnanotech, Silicon Valley-based Intermolecular will assist the company in developing and executing new business opportunities and programs. Intermolecular will share in potential future profits from service and licensing revenue associated with those activities.
“Russia has clearly identified nano-scale manufacturing as a strategic area for future economic development, and today’s announcement is an important step towards establishing world-class capabilities specifically targeted at several high-growth technology fields,” stated Dave Lazovsky, president and chief executive officer at Intermolecular. “The collaboration between Intermolecular and Ulnanotech not only brings Intermolecular’s leading-edge R&D platforms to Russia but also provides a framework for future technology collaboration and profit sharing in jointly executed programs. For Intermolecular, this approach is a highly efficient way to leverage our core business into a new region with new customers and even new applications.”
Andrey Redkin, CEO of Ulnanotech, further commented, “This new project marks an important step forward in Russia’s technology development efforts. Along with providing R&D support to established global companies and Russian scientific institutions, an important aim of this initiative is to deliver the development capabilities that innovative Russian startup companies require to become successful and profitable high-tech manufacturers. Intermolecular’s proprietary technology platform and team of experts will play an important role in supporting our efforts to integrate better-performing materials in future devices, including Russian-designed and built glass coating, power electronics, photovoltaic and display products.
Ulnanotech customers will access leading Russian and American technical expertise from the cities of Ulyanovsk, Dubna, Saransk and San Jose, as well as Intermolecular’s proprietary development platforms, in order to accelerate and realize greater efficiencies in R&D. Efforts will be primarily focused around glass coating products, but will also be leveraged for creating more innovative power electronics, photovoltaic devices and displays. Intermolecular will realize revenue from both service agreements and royalties from licensing of developed technologies.