As we mentioned in our prior post introducing the major themes from our initial research on smart glass 2.0, below is a short list (albeit not comprehensive) of companies we think are well-positioned to compete in the next iteration of the smart glass economy in North America.
As yet, none of these companies have a product in the market, so data regarding what the company will ultimately choose to make available is limited. It is important to remember that it is in the best interests of these startups to be vocal about the pros of their technology and quiet about their “opportunities for improvement.”
Our collective experience in this market suggests to us that each one of these technologies, no matter how promising, needs to solve at least one significant challenge related to the underlying technology or product performance. These challenges would be related to characteristics such as haze, color neutrality, dynamic range, switching speed, IGU integration, and more.
In no particular order, here are some companies in North America that we think have a shot at making it to market in the new smart glass economy.
Company: Tynt Technologies, Inc
HQ Location: Boulder, CO
Website: https://www.tynt.io/
Tech: Reversible Metal Electrodeposition (RME)
Description: Tynt’s proprietary RME technology uses an electric charge to move metal ions across the electrolyte layer. When the RME device is charged, the metal ions reduce to form a metallic film on the TCO. Tynt’s RME technology offers a much wider dynamic range than (electrochromic) EC 1.0 products. Early publications from Tynt’s founders demonstrate RME prototypes with >60% VLT in the clear state and 0.001% VLT in the tinted state.
Because of Tynt’s ability to provide nearly 100% tint, they are the first smart glass company promoting the ability to provide nighttime privacy and blackout. The RME film is also color neutral, with a chroma below 5 for all tint states, compared to EC 1.0, which had a chroma in the range of 5 - 13, depending on the tint state and product. In addition, Tynt offers fast switching, claiming the ability to achieve the full dark state in 1 minute when starting from clear.
Tynt will initially target the residential market, leveraging the ability to provide blackout and privacy, a capability that may be more important to residential customers. While Tynt has not yet released a product to market and hasn’t publicly shared its route-to-market strategy, the residential heavy imagery on its website suggests that it is a likely initial market of focus. The production cost of Tynt's RME technology is claimed to be 1/10th of the cost compared to EC1.0 products, which would help them sell at a price that could allow for ease of adoption, scalability, and a clear path to profitability.
Company: Miru Smart Technologies (formerly known as Click Materials)
HQ Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Website: https://mirucorp.com/
Tech: Tungsten Oxide Electrochromic
Description: Smart Glass 1.0 companies (Sage, View, and HALIO) employed tungsten oxide electrochromic technology, first developed at Lawrence Berkley National Labs and the scientists who founded Sage in 1989. Miru is using tungsten oxide technology with its proven durability and developing new manufacturing processes to reduce costs and expand applications.
Setting themselves apart from the EC1.0 companies, Miru has developed a spray coating application and a room-temperature cure process. These developments result in lower embodied carbon, less complex production equipment, expanded applications onto curved surfaces, and, most importantly, lower production costs.
Miru is targeting automotive, residential, and commercial glass markets. They are promoting their ability to produce curved laminates for the automotive market and integrating their technology into eIGUs for the architectural market. They appear to focus on a technology licensing model enabling glass fabricators to produce Miru’s electrochromic glass onsite.
Their strategy appears to be channel-friendly, looking to stand up capabilities in line with existing glass manufacturers, which should lower the CapEx requirements and strengthen the supply chain. Their partnership announcements with ODL, Four Seasons Sunrooms, and Cardinal are evidence of this and indicate a focus on the residential market as an initial entry point before pursuing commercial facades.
[Author’s note: Jonathan highly recommends spending time on the Miru website. Reading through it is a masterclass on how to build a visually elegant site that clearly articulates strategy, technology advantage, and company ethos. Looking through their site, it is evident that the executive team has invested a lot of time and effort to create a clear and unified vision and strategy. A tip of the hat to the Miru marketing and exec team.]
Company: IR Dynamics, LLC
HQ Location: Albuquerque, NM
Website: https://www.irdynamics.com
Tech: Vanadium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Description: IR Dynamics produces a thermochromic coating that dynamically changes transmission predominantly in the shortwave IR spectrum based on the temperature of the coating. The vanadium dioxide-based coating changes to absorb solar IR radiation when the coating is hot. This outer (coated) pane temperature is a function of exterior temperature and incident solar radiation.
The benefit of an IR-switching thermochromic coating stems from the ability to increase solar heat gain through the window during winter months when additional solar heat gain reduces the energy needed for heating and improves thermal comfort for occupants. In the summer, the thermochromic layer blocks IR in a similar manner to a solar control low-e coating.
We decided to include a thermochromic technology in this post because we were impressed by the cost-effectiveness of the solution and the way it addresses the lack of visual appeal historically associated with thermochromic solutions. When changing state, IDR’s solution only shifts the VLT by 7%-8%, which is difficult to notice. With a low-risk profile and a price point that aligns with the value proposition, this has the potential to outcompete smart glass solutions in many segments of the market.
The downside to thermochromics is that they have regional applicability, don’t contribute to glare control, and have no active control layer to adjust to user preferences. It won’t compete head-to-head if someone is seeking active glare control, but since the market for those features has been historically small (at SG 1.0 price points), it has the potential to compete with or possibly outgain smart glass in terms of total volume.
Follow along as we move across the pond to look at the smart glass 2.0 innovators in Europe.
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About the Author:
Jonathan Hafemann is the Vice President Growth and Commercialization at NEXT Energy Technologies. He is an expert at developing scalable go-to-market strategies for early-stage property and climate technology solutions. His focus on sustainable solutions for the built market accelerates the transition to a net zero future. Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn
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