Paragraf, the only company in the world to mass produce graphene electronics using transfer-free graphene and standard semiconductor processes, has acquired Cardea Bio, the world’s leading producer of graphene-based biocompatible chips. Cardea Bio is to be renamed Paragraf USA and the San Diego facility, team and operations have already become a valuable part of the Paragraf family.
The creation of Paragraf USA is a significant move towards realising Paragraf’s ambition of a world beyond silicon electronics, where graphene and other 2D materials create faster and more-efficient semiconductor devices and technologies – in short: a new frontier in electronics. This acquisition enables Paragraf to offer a new generation of biosensing devices that will deliver the features and result sensitivity of existing lab-based instruments, with the rapid response and simple ease of use required to enable handheld, real-time, in the field use.
“The world-leading IP and expertise in graphene-electronic-based molecular detection using CRISPR and other bioassay methods from Cardea Bio, combined with Paragraf’s ground-breaking developments in scalable graphene production processes will deliver a strong pipeline of biosensing products aimed at solving major global challenges,” said Simon Thomas, Paragraf CEO and co-founder. “These products will strengthen surveillance of the quality and integrity of our food production processes, markedly improve early detection of disease and monitor the health of our environment. With our existing product lines of current, position and cryogenic sensors – all built on graphene – they will advance Paragraf’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Cities and Healthy Planet.”
Paragraf Group is now very well positioned for strong growth and will continue to support its current partners and commercial commitments while integration is moving forward, leading to cross-pollination of the two world-class IP portfolios, technology platforms and our people’s great capabilities and ideas. By early summer, we expect the integration to be complete and the product roadmap to be enhanced and go-to-market capabilities sped up to the benefit of our existing and new customers and partners.
“Joining Paragraf allows us to use the world’s only mass-produced, transfer-free monolayer graphene to manufacture the state-of-the art graphene-based biosensors developed by the Cardea team over the last ten years. We are looking forward to unlocking powerful synergistic effects to advance the broad and growing use of graphene biosensors for the benefit of both people and the planet” said Michael Heltzen, EVP of Strategy at Paragraf USA (former CEO and co-founder of Cardea Bio).