NanoGram

About NanoGram

NanoGram Corporation operated as a materials science company with a focus on nanotechnology. Founded in 1996, the firm was known as a pioneer in developing and manufacturing nanostructured materials. Its business model initially centered on collaborating with global partners to create advanced nanomaterials for applications where conventional materials were insufficient. This evolved into an intellectual property-centric approach, where NanoGram licensed its extensive portfolio of process technologies to industrial partners. The company's technology platform was designed to produce customized, application-specific nanoscale compositions for a diverse range of markets, including electronics, optical, biomedical, imaging, and energy.

Throughout its history, NanoGram facilitated the creation of two spin-off companies, NeoPhotonics Corp. for optical devices and NanoGram Devices Corporation. NanoGram Devices focused on developing nano-enhanced batteries for implantable medical devices and was later acquired by Greatbatch, Inc. (now Integer Holdings Corporation) for $45 million in cash. NanoGram itself raised capital through several venture rounds, including a $3.2M Series A in 2003 and an $8.2M Series B in 2004. Ultimately, in August 2010, the entire company was acquired by the Japanese firm Teijin Limited. The acquisition allowed Teijin to leverage NanoGram's expertise in silicon-based nanoparticles, particularly for developing silicon inks with semiconductor properties for flexible devices and printable electronics.

One of the company's notable technological developments, in cooperation with Teijin, was the creation of a silicon-on-plastic integration technology. It also developed a printable electronics material named NanoGram® Si paste, designed for high-efficiency photovoltaic cells. The company’s capabilities extended to producing thin-film transistors (TFTs) via ambient printed nanosilicon. This focus on nanomaterials and licensing allowed for the broad deployment of its solutions across various product applications such as batteries, optical films and coatings, displays, and electronics packaging.