Plextronics, Inc.
Plextronics Starts US Center for Energy Leadership
Plextronics is one of six Pittsburgh energy companies that founded the United States Center for Energy Leadership (USCEL), based in Pittsburgh. The group's mission is to re-establish the US as a leader in energy technology development. The group will work to promote a stable environment for energy in the US through energy independence, stable pricing and a portfolio approach. USCEL will also address energy issues as they pertain to government policy, investment and technology. The founding members of the organization include Plextronics, Westinghouse, Allegheny Energy, EQT, CONSOL Energy and BPL Global.
October 8, 2009 | Permalink
Plextronics Closes $14 Million Financing Round
Plextronics has completed a $14 million Series B-1 financing round, led by Solvay North American Investments, LLC, with several existing investors also contributing. The financing will allow the company to continue to grow its research, development and pilot manufacturing programs, all of which are aimed at the commercialization of its technology. Learn more at www.plextronics.com.
August 20, 2009 | Permalink
Plextronics First to Deploy OPV Modules at NREL Facility
A set of Plextronics Inc.'s test solar modules were deployed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for outdoor monitoring and performance testing. This is the first set of organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules ever deployed at NREL. The performance of the test modules will be continuously monitored and the data compared with similar testing being done in Pittsburgh. The data over the next few months will be used to improve outdoor stability of the company's OPV technology and pave the way for testing more modules and refinement of the method. Senior Project Leader at NREL, Dr. Bolko von Roedern, said "I expect this kind of testing will be able to help move OPV technology generally closer to commercialization." Learn more about Plextronics and its OPV modules at www.plextronics.com.
August 14, 2009 | Permalink
Plextronics Opens D-Line Manufacturing Facility
Plextronics, Inc. celebrated the opening of its first manufacturing development line (D-Line), a small-scale manufacturing facility that will print solar demonstration modules for the purpose of developing its printable solar inks using commercially relevant manufacturing techniques. CEO Andy Hannah explains that the D-Line will "allow customers and partners to witness what can be accomplished with the ink and process technology that's developed [at Plextronics]." Learn more about printed electronics and the company at www.plextronics.com.
January 29, 2009 | Permalink
Plextronics Awarded $1.2M for Flexible Printed Electronics
Plextronics, Inc. has secured $1.2 million in government funding as part of the 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill Continuing Resolution (H.R. 2638) that was signed into law on September 30. The award is a new contract for the company to develop flexible and light-weight printed electronics for the United States Military, including products and applications such as flexible solar panels for tent tops, solar-powered foldable blankets and helmet-mounted panels, printed lighting, flexible displays and printed circuitry. Catch up with Plextronics at the International AVS Symposium & Exhibition October 19-24 in Boston, or at the Global Plastic Electronics Conference & Showcase October 27-28 in Berlin, Germany.
October 6, 2008 | Permalink
First International Summit on ISOS held in Golden, CO
The first International Summit on Organic Photovoltaic Stability (ISOS) was recently co-hosted by the Department of Energy (DOE), its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Plextronics, Inc. The findings from the summit were then presented at the SPIE Optics + Photonics conference in San Diego. The goal of the summit - which had more than 50 attendees from six countries - was to help focus international attention and efforts on the most important issues related to organic photovoltaic (OPV) stability, especially those that are relevant to general measurement practices. Learn more about the summit at http://www.wikispaces.com/opvlifetime.
October 2, 2008 | Permalink
Plextronics: Solar Cell Ink Now Available in Research Quantities
Plextronics launched its first major commercial product this week at the IDTechEx PV Beyond Conventional Silicon Conference in Denver. The Plexcore® PV ink system will allow manufacturers to develop their own print solar cells. Developed around its record-setting photovoltaic technology, the company is releasing two versions of its Plexcore® PV ink system for use in research applications. The company is already scheduled to fulfill multiple orders for Plexcore® PV ink by the end of June. Read more at www.plextronics.com.
June 19, 2008 | Permalink
Landslide, Plextronics and RSI: Pop City Companies to Watch in 2008
The Pop City list of the Top Exciting Companies to Watch in 2008 is out, and Plextronics, Landslide and Renal Solutions have made the list of 13 top technology companies in Pittsburgh. Plextronics, the world leader in developing active layer technology for printed electronic devices, has raised $41 million in equity capital over the last five years ($20.6 million last year) and plans to double the number of employees to 100 by the end of this year. Landslide, a pioneer in sales workstyle management, currently employs 35 in the US (more abroad) and plans to hire 30 more in the coming year. Renal Solutions recently was acquired by Fresenius Medical Care of Germany for $200+ million, and all of its 40-50 employees, as well as its operations, will remain in Pittsburgh.
January 17, 2008 | Permalink
Pittsburgh Business Times CFO of the Year Awards
Sean Rollman, CFO of Plextronics, has been honored as the Pittsburgh Business Times 2007 CFO of the Year in the Small Private Company category; and Vita Fontana, CFO of Plan4Demand, was a Finalist in the same category. Since joining Plextronics in 2006, Sean has helped the company raise $35 million, $16 million from venture capital. Sean's latest goals for Plextronics include doubling the company's size in the 12 to 18 months and building a manufacturing line. At Plan4Demand, Vita is often called upon to step out of the boundries of finance and deal with legal issues. The role of CFO in a small company encompasses many disciplines -- finance, strategy, legal -- and these two CFO's have done an outstanding job in meeting those demands. Congratulations!
November 13, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Recieves Investment from Applied Ventues
Plextronics has received a strategic investment by Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc., to help the company continue to expand its product development and manufacturing capabilities, as well as increase its investment in sales and marketing activities. The investment comes on the heels of Plextronics's recently closed $20.6 million Series B financing, bringing the total in equity capital to $41 million that Plextronics has raised over the last five years.
November 8, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Receives "Energy Innovator" Award
The U.S. Department of Energy has bestowed a coveted "Energy Innovator" award to Plextronics for its pioneering work in organic photovoltaics. Congratulations!
October 2, 2007 | Permalink
Entrepreneurial Funding Looking Up in Pittsburgh
In a recent article in the e-zine, Pop City, Pittsburgh venture capitalists spoke out about the future of entrepreneuship and venture funding in Pittsburgh. The article states that new companies received $230 million in investment dollars -- the largest growth in VC investment of any area in the country. Don Jones believes that today's angels are helping to develop successful companies, who, in turn, help develop other successes. "What we need is to reach a critical mass for the domino effect to be self-perpetuating. There needs to be families of successful companies that spin off each other." For the full article, check out popcitymedia.com.
July 17, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics to Work with US Army
Plextronics, Inc. was awarded a three-year deal by the US Army valued at up to $14.2 million to make flexible electronics for soldiers, including a roll-up, real-time map. Other possibilities include wearable displays, such as a minicomputer on shirts or shirt-cuffs. The agreement includes $1 million to be paid in the first year, with funding in the second and third years totalling $8.4 million; deployment by the Army is scheduled for 2010-2011.
July 3, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Awarded Funding from DOE
Plextronics has been awarded funding by the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative (SAI). The award comes from the Solar Photovoltaic Technology Incubator, a program created to make solar photovoltaic technologies competitive with existing technologies by 2015. Plextronic's project will focus on commercializing thin film organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology to enable low-cost solar modules. Subject to negotiating an acceptable statement of work with the DOE, Plextronics expects to receive up to $3 million over the course of the 18-month project. The DOE has also identified Pittsburgh as one of 13 2007 Solar America Cities (click here for more information).
June 21, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Receives Red Herring 100 Spring Award
Plextronics is a recipient of Red Herring 100 Spring, an award given to the top 100 private technology companies based in North America. Red Herring's editorial staff rigorously evaluated more than 800 private companies through a careful analysis of financial data and subjective criteria, including quality of management, execution of strategy and dedication to research and development. The Top 100 private companies in North America were unveiled at the Red Herring Spring 2007 event at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, May 1-3. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Red Herring 100 Awards.
May 3, 2007 | Permalink
Governor's Alternative Energy Plan Looks Good to Plextronics
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell announced a new Energy Independence Strategy last week, which would provide $850 million to spur alternative energy development. Although it still needs to be approved by the Legislature and the Public Utility Commission, the plan seems to bode well for alternative energy companies to locate significant operations in Pennsylvania. In a Pittsburgh Business Times article, Andy Hannah, CEO of Plextronics, said appoval of the plan would "have a major impact in terms of where we locate [manufacturing facilities]." The strategy is designed to provide cost savings, while promoting the development of alternative energy within the state. Read the full article on the Business Times website.
February 13, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Receives Phase II Funding from USDC
The U.S. Display Consortium (USDC) has awarded Plextronics Phase II funding of a $1.8 million contract. The USDC is an industry-let public/private partnership providing a common forum for flat panel display manufactuers and developers, FPD users and the supplier base. The contract supports the continued development of Plexcore technology to increase the lifetime and efficiency of organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. The goal for Phase II is commercial ready solution processed HIL formulations specifically designed for SMOLED (small molecule organic light emitting diode) displays. For more information, visit www.plextronics.com.
February 13, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Receives $750K from SEF
Plextronics has received $750,000 in funding from the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) of Central Eastern Pennsylvania to further the development of Plexcore PV technology for organic solar cells. Plexcore PV technology is paving the way for the commercialization of organic solar cells as a leading source of renewable energy. Pennsylvania has one of the nation's most progressive alternative energy portfolio standards; it states that by 2020, 18% of all retail energy must come from clean, efficient and advanced resources. Read the full release on the Plextronics website.
January 23, 2007 | Permalink
Plextronics Named Clean Energy Entrepreneur of the Year
Plextronics, a world leader in developing active layer technology for printed electronic devices, has received the Clean Energy Entrpreneur of the Year award from the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at the 19th NREL Industry Growth Forum. The competition was developed to promote and support the creation of world-class businesses delivering clean energy technology options into the energy market. The award was given to the company that has the best chance of future success and who, in the judges' opinion, made the best overall presentation at the forum. Visit www.plextronics.com to learn more about their award-winning technology.
December 12, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics Ranks in Top 50 of Nanotech Start-ups
Plextronics has been ranked in the top 50 of Lux Research's most well-rounded, venture-backed nanotechnology start-ups, as evaluated in the report titled, "Ranking Nanotech Start-ups for Partnership Value." The report evaluated 136 independently operated nanotechnology start-ups worldwide based on 20 criteria spanning four success factors, including both quantitative and qualitative criteria. The Lux Research study found that Plextroncis excels in the areas of legal and regulatory strength, placing 7th overall, as well as in the electronics and IT sector, placing 8th. Visit www.plextronics.com for more information.
November 28, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics: Clean Energy Entrepreneur of the Year
Plextronics won the Grand Prize Award in the Clean Energy Entrpreneur of the Year Competition. The Competition was developed to promote and support the creation of world-class businesses delivering clean energy technology options into the energy market. Forum presenters pitch their business cases to a judging panel of coprorate leaders, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs. The Grand Prize award is given to the clean energy company that makes the best overall presentation and who, in the judge's opinion, has the best chance of future success. Buisness presentations were judged according to the feasibility of their business case, strength of their management strategy, marketing strategy, and potential return on investment. Way to go!
October 31, 2006 | Permalink
Aethon, Plextronics Receive Honors in Tech 50
The Pittsburgh Technology Council held its 10th annual Tech 50 Awards event on Thursday, October 19th, and both Aethon and Plextronics received Finalist nods. Aethon was a finalist in the Advanced Manufacturing sector, and Andy Hannah, CEO of Plextronics, received finalist status for the 2006 CEO of the Year award. Tech 50 honors companies the Council deems the 50 leading technology-oriented companies in the Pittsburgh region. The Pittsburgh Technology Council is the nation's largest regional technology trade association with almost 1,400 member companies throughout 13 counties.
October 20, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics Ranks Among Top 50 Most Well-Rounded Nanotech Start-ups
Lux Research recently released a report entitled "Ranking Nanotech Start-ups for Partnership Value," where Plextronics ranked in the top 50 out of the 136 international companies evaluated -- putting the company on the short list categorized as The Most Well-Rounded Nanotechnology Start-ups. The ranking report will be exclusively released at the upcoming Lux Executive Summit conference in Cambridge, MA on October 16-17, 2006. The Summit is designed to provide corporate executives and investment managers with the knowledge required to create a visionary nanotechnology strategy. For more information on the 2006 Lux Executive Summit, visit www.luxexecutivesummit.com.
October 10, 2006 | Permalink
And the winner is ... Plextronics
Plextronics has been honored by receiving the Organic Semiconductor Industry Award (OSIA) for Start-up of the Year. The award is given to the early stage company that has demonstrated technology and commercial leadership. It was declared a unanimous vote by the judges. Chair of the awards panel, Craig Cruickshank, CEO cintelliq, said "What makes Plextronics stand out is that they have excelled at developing excellent technology ... Plextronics has the potential to become a leader in the field of organic semiconductor technology." Congratulations!
October 5, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics "Shortlisted" for OSIA Award
Cintelliq, sponsor of the Organic Semiconductor Industry Awards (OSIA), in association with OSA Direct, has announced that Plextronics is on the shortlist for the Start-up of the Year Award. This award entries feature venture fund or privately financed companies which have set up operations in the last five years, and included the full range of business activities from product design and manufacture through to new services companies. Award winners will be announced at the gala dinner of the Organic Electronics Conference and Exhibition on September 26 in Frankfurt, Germany. .
September 25, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics Runner Up in WSJ Awards
Plextronics was named a runner-up in the Wall Street Journal's 2006 Technology Innovation Awards. Selecting from a pool of 600 applications, judges considered whether the technology truly represents a breakthrough from conventional methods, rather than just an incremental improvement. Categories included medicine and medical devices, wireless, security, consumer electronics, semiconductors and others. This was the first year Plextronics submitted an application. Congratulations!
September 12, 2006 | Permalink
Plextronics Completes $13.1 Million Series A Funding
Draper Triangle has participated in the recent funding of Plextronics, Inc., a world leader in developing active layer technology for printed electronic devices. The Series A Round, closed at $13.1 million, will be used to expand Plextronics' development and commercialization staff as well as its operations to continue the commercializatioin of Plexcore in OLED displays and lighting, polymer solar cells and plastic circuitry. For more information on our latest portfolio company, visit the Plextronics website.
August 15, 2006 | Permalink
