Where
are you from originally?
I born
and grew up in Dallas, Texas, but I have lived in Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale,
Moscow and Phoenix, to name a few places.
What
university did you go to?
Texas
A&M - Physics
What
is the idea behind your startup?
Our
idea is to provide solutions to ages old problems in lighting and related
technologies by shattering longstanding paradigms, including providing high end
optical filters on lightweight, flexible and unbreakable polymer films rather
than grossly fragile and expensive glass; providing color filtration
technologies that limit off-axis chromatic shift and provide an unparalleled
range of hue and saturation; creating permanent theatrical color filters that
replace expendable theatrical gel and eliminate the high labor costs associated
with ongoing replacement while retaining light weight and ease of use; coating
polymer optics without the high costs associated with expensive cleanup from
outgassing and without undesirable deformation and coating damage due to
thermal instability; providing small and lightweight variable color correction
for television and cinema lighting; and pioneering new energy efficient
technologies such as our laser-phosphor luminaire currently in development.
What
need does it fulfill?
Our
patents and processes replace heavy, fragile and expensive glass filters
requiring large amounts of storage and complex actuating mechanisms with
near-weightless, unbreakable and heat resistant flexible polymer filters that
require vastly smaller motors for mechanical devices and micro-machines and significantly
less storage space. They also increase the utility and viability of many older
energy efficient light sources, expanding the useful lives of these
technologies. Our laser-phosphor light engine will replace costly light sources
such as HMI and xenon lamps whose rated life ranges from a few hundred to a
thousand or so hours with an energy efficient 10,000 to 20,000 hour source that
solves the problems of collimation and color accuracy that prevent LEDs from
penetrating these markets.
What
exactly does it do?
Our
dichroic polymer filters replace color gel by providing a color-accurate
reject-or-pass filter that, due to the lack of absorption of filtered light,
does not degrade and burn through like expendable gel filters, while avoiding
the shortcomings of heavy, fragile and expensive glass dichroic filters. Our
coating technology also allows the coating of other polymer substrates without
the costly and time-consuming cleanup due to outgassing that is typical of
other vacuum deposition processes. End-use technologies provide highly precise
color mixing and unmatched color and saturation range. Lastly, our
laser-phosphor technology replaces LEDs with lasers and novel phosphor geometry
to produce full-spectrum white light unattainable by LEDs while overcoming the
inherent inefficiencies of optical systems designed around LEDs and their
planar emitting surface, allowing precise and optically efficient beam shaping
in collimating and imaging systems.
Who
is it for?
The
market for dichroic polymer filters and their end-use technologies is broad,
ranging from medical and scientific applications to optical micro-machines to
entertainment and architectural lighting to military imaging systems. Our
polymer coating processes are applicable to any industry desiring
cost-effective and highly accurate coating of polymers and polymer optics. Our
laser-phosphor light engine targets any application that requires the energy
efficiency and durable long life of LEDs coupled with superior full-spectrum
color rendering and highly efficient and precise optics and beam-shaping.
What
was the most challenging aspect of starting up?
Hands
down, the most challenging aspect of starting up is attracting investment,
given that most investors have little to no experience in the lighting and
optics industries. The challenge is in educating them as to the extraordinary
capabilities these technologies impart to existing lighting systems in a simple
and cost-effective manner and the vast market potential that these
game-changing technologies possess.
What
is the next step for you and your business?
Aside
from tying up a few intellectual property loose ends, the next step,
immediately upon acquiring investment, is to purchase equipment and start
manufacturing. A number of markets have already been identified and key players
aware of our technology. Moving forward is as easy as fabricating material and
taking customers’ orders.
What
advice do you have for entrepreneurs?
Don’t
underestimate how difficult it may be to attract investment if yours is a
product that is specific to an industry suffering from lack of general public
awareness. In our case, for example, people take light-producing technologies
for granted and have little idea of what does or does not constitute viable
innovation.
What
resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?
It is probably trite to cite the internet as the most
helpful resource, but it’s a great educational tool for making potential
customers and investors alike aware of the value of your product.
