10K Highlights: Eleven of the twenty-four potential clients have already had one or more face-to-face meetings with company management & Shipping Samples to Potential Clients..
------------------------------------------------------------------
As a result of our automated production system, we have increased our rate of shipping samples to potential customers and we have delivered more than two dozen shipments.
To our knowledge this represents the first shipments of automated production, not manual “batch” production. Our volume production process assures our clients that we can deliver high volumes of quantum dots for industrial use.
Industries or uses intended include – Displays, Lighting, Biotech, Anti-counterfeiting, Sensors, Solar, Paint, and Coatings.
For the most part, our shipments of samples are to client’s specifications, and for others, these samples are preliminary shipments for evaluation for secondary purposes as we collaborate toward the development of their specific quantum dot enabled product.
Today we have a very active pipeline of potential clients that grows daily. These potential clients require a broad range of nanomaterials from relatively simple Red emitting quantum dots to both near and far Infrared emitting Quantum Dots, Thick-Shell Quantum Dots and/or Non-Heavy Metal Quantum Dots. Industries or uses intended include – Solid-State Lighting, Hydrogen Conversion, Displays, Solar, Automotive Glass and BIPV films, Batteries, Lasers, Biotech and Inks.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Eleven of the twenty-four potential clients have already had one or more face-to-face meetings with company management.
To maintain control of quantum dot production and quality, the Company’s preferred business relationship is a joint venture that evolves from a collaborative development effort where the parties agree to cooperate in the design and production of a range of new end products utilizing the Company’s Nanomaterials and/or screen printing processes, with the other party contributing industry expertise and substantial marketing, distribution and sales capabilities. In most cases, the Company envisions that the industry joint venture party would provide the financial resources to underwrite the project. In some cases, the joint venture may need to seek outside financing for the commercialization phase of the project. In either case, the Company would continue to control the production of the nanomaterials for incorporation into the end products.
Alternatively, the Company may choose to license a manufacturer of end products to incorporate the Company’s Nanomaterials into one or more specific products on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis. In some cases, it may be appropriate to dedicate an equipment unit to a single product line (for example, silicon nanocrystals for energy storage) for a single licensee, whether sited at the Company’s facilities or at the facilities of the licensee. In all cases, the license would contain provisions restricting the use of the Company’s technology and protecting its intellectual property.
In advancing these development activities, the Company follows a disciplined process to protect its intellectual property and foster collaborative arrangements. First, NDAs are entered into, followed by sample agreements. The Company then formulates, manufactures and supplies product samples to the counterparty’s specifications for evaluation and testing. If successful, this then leads to discussions on the form of a possible commercial relationship. Each step takes time, and the Company is increasing its sample production capacity to satisfy the backlog of requests for its materials of different compositions. Sample production is currently accommodated through use of the lab facilities at the Company’s Wet Lab described below.
In seeking to expand its customer base, the Company’s marketing strategy will be to engage in joint ventures or other strategic arrangements with manufacturers and others to jointly develop applications using its patented continuous production process and licensed screen printing technology to maximum effect. Such joint collaborations will involve the Company working closely with the industry counterpart to optimize the performance of the Company’s materials in each application or device, and to use the results from product development and testing to further enhance product specifications to meet the requirements of the market. These collaborations will support the Company’s internal research and development activities, which will continue to be a primary part of the Company’s business. The principal revenue streams for the Company are expected to be from (i) sales of Nanomaterials, (ii) royalties from sales of products and components by third parties incorporating the Company’s Nanomaterials, (iii) milestone payments under joint development arrangements with product developers and manufacturers, and (iv) sub-licensing fees where the Company engages in sub-licensing arrangements for its technology.
