Frank Christiaens is from ClearInk Displays and we have been writing about the company for two years since the company came out of stealth mode in 2016, although it has been around since 2012. He started by saying that there is a big interest in eSchoolbooks which are like eReaders, but are bigger so the first product that the company’s display is being developed for is 9.7″. The schoolbooks need video and colour and only ClearInk can meet that need.
ESLs is a huge opportunity for the technology with up to ‘trillions’ in volumes of potential – in fact there are estimates of a potential market for a trillion labels in China alone! (I wonder about that number, but I guess it might be possible – Man. Ed.)
Christiaens explained the basic technology, but we have covered this before. It is one of the most impressive developments that we have seen in a number of years and has a big advantage in that most existing LCD manufacturing technology can be used.
This year, the company has the first TFT displays out of Shenzen and it can show 202 ppi with sub-pixel rendering (an unusual feature) and the company has reduced the driving voltage from 10V to 5V to get in line with LCD drivers. The company now has an office in Eindhoven as well as China and the US.
(Of course, it could be a coincidence, but if we remember correctly, Eindhoven was the home of Liquavista, which was spun out of Philips, acquired by Samsung who then sold it to Amazon. However, we had heard that Amazon had decided that the technology was not going to be developed and had quietly closed the facility. Hmmm, didn’t Christiaens work for Philips and Joel Pollack of ClearInk work for Amazon in displays. It’s a small world!)
The company has a strong management team and has 32 issued patents, with 128 patents pending. There are five strategic investors (all the firm’s investors are described as strategic) including Merck KGaA in Darmstad and there are investors from around the world. The company has already signed MOUs for revenues of $250 million per year and customers are already happy to act as references for investors.
Commercial product will be available in early 2019 and the next round of financing will be to raise $50 million. (However, we hear that the company still has a very cautious approach to spending)
