SWITCH Materials
Presenter:
Doug Wiggin, CEO
Email:
info@switchmaterials.com
Phone:
604-484-8872
Website:
http://www.switchmaterials.com
Address:
3650 Gilmore Way
Burnaby, BC V5G 4W8, Canada
Year Founded:
TBD
Industry Sector:
Cleantech Category:
Company Overview:
SWITCH Materials Inc. develops advanced materials for use in next generation smart windows. SWITCH’s technology is based on proprietary organic molecules that ‘switch’ optical properties on command. Our technology promises to deliver scalable and affordable smart window products for the commercial and institutional building and transportation markets. SWITCH is currently in the product development stage and seeking commercialization partnerships.
Markets & Applications:
The market for smart windows is poised to explode. The transition to advanced building materials and sustainable design presents an enormous opportunity for manufacturers of smart windows.
- The global market for high- quality, enhanced glass products is over $60 billion with architectural glass making up 70% of this market.
- One of the fastest growing segments of this market will be smart windows
- The market for smart windows will grow even further as governments update building codes to demand better energy efficiency and architects look for new ways to design human-friendly, energy efficient spaces.
- The automotive sector accounts for 25% of the $60 billion enhanced glass market. In automotive glass the trend towards products that improve fuel efficiency and occupant comfort means the market for dynamic smart windows will continue to increase each year.
- A new law in California will require that 2012 car models be equipped with solar control windows.
- By 2016 new cars must meet the performance requirement of a 60% reduction in vehicle solar heat gain.
- The new standard in the automotive sector will become vehicles equipped with solar control smart windows.
- SWITCH Materials' film darkens automatically in response to sunlight, provides user controlled fading, and reduces solar heat gain coefficients in the dark state better than the best low-E windows.
- SWITCH smart windows require very little electricity to switch so customers save more energy.
- SWITCH technology will come in a film that is economic to integrate into manufactured glass.
Technology & Products:
SWITCH Materials smart window film technology is derived from a proprietary family of hybrid organic chromophores that exhibit both photochromic and electrochromic properties. SWITCH has developed these chromophores into an economical smart film that can be applied to float glass for dynamic, user-controlled smart windows.
Sustainable Competitive Advantage:
TBD
Business Model & Financials:
TBD
Team:
Doug Wiggin, CEO
Doug Wiggin has an extensive track record of success in start-up companies. His educational background in scientific research underlies more than 25 years of technical and operations experience in high technology. Doug has held executive and senior functional roles in operations management, product development, product management marketing, customer service and sales, and includes several years of international experience in Europe, Australia, and the Far East. Among his exits, Doug was a member of the management team at Fulcrum Technologies during its IPO on NASDAQ, and as VP Product Development led the technical due diligence when NCompass Labs was acquired by Microsoft. Doug received BSc and MSc degrees from Queen’s University.
Neil Branda, CTO
Dr. Neil Branda, one of Canada's leading materials scientists, is a 2006 Canada's Top 40 Under 40 recipient, a 2005 NSERC Steacie Fellowship winner and a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Materials Science. He is also the executive director of 4D Labs at Simon Fraser University, a $40 million research centre for advanced materials. His expertise lies at the interface of organic chemistry and materials science with a focus on designing and synthesizing molecular switches - molecules that change their structure and function when triggered with light, electricity or other stimuli. Neil received his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Caleb Willis, VP Business Development
Caleb Willis has over 13 years of experience in operations, marketing and finance, and has extensive experience with early stage organizations. Previously, Caleb served as the COO/CFO for Welton Street Investments, a boutique financial services organization. This included expanding revenues from $0 in year one to approximately $6.5m in year three, improving gross margins and achieving break-even in advance of plan. Prior to Welton Street, Mr. Willis served in a number of marketing, operational and engineering roles with Level 3 Communications. Mr. Willis holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Duke University with a concentration in corporate finance.
Duhane Lam, VP Product Development
Duhane Lam has over 14 years of experience in product development, engineering, and product design. He was most recently at Angstrom Power Inc. in North Vancouver BC where he led the product development and engineering efforts for a startup company developing state-of-the-art micro fuel cells. Previously, Duhane was a faculty member at BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) and designed cutting edge mountain bikes at Rocky Mountain Bicycles, an internationally known bicycle manufacturer. Duhane received a Masters of Applied Science in Engineering Science and a MBA from Simon Fraser University. Duhane holds eight issued US patents in the areas of fuel cells, bicycle design, and stress and strain analysis, and has another eight patents currently pending.
Board of Directors
Development Plans:
TBD
Additional Information:
Conover + Company Communications is presenting this information to you on behalf of the Government of Canada. Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.