Printed electronics venture funding tops $7.5 B; Islands of opportunities remain

Printed electronics venture funding tops $7.5 B; Islands of opportunities remain

VC funding has come off the 2007 peak of $990 million, but lopsided investment has left key technologies and exciting Asian start-ups short of funds, says Lux Research

BOSTON, MA – January 15, 2013 – Since 1996, printed, flexible, and organic electronics have garnered more than $7.5 billion in venture funding, led by investments in display and smart packaging technologies. However, funding has sharply declined from a peak of $990 million in 2007 to $626 million in 2011.

“A number of high-profile failures like Konarka have soured many investors’ impressions of this space – cutting away some unwarranted hype, but potentially raising the hurdles for companies with more promising technologies to secure funds,” said Anthony Vicari, Lux Research Associate and lead author of the report titled, “Printing for Profits: Investments and Opportunities in Printed, Flexible, and Organic Electronics.”

“Our analysis shows glaring funding imbalances,” he added. “While there are areas such as organic photovoltaics that are overfunded, promising technologies such as electrowetting and electrochromic displays haven’t received investment that matches their potential.”

Lux Research analysts surveyed the investment landscape, assessing the current state of affairs and identifying opportunities. Among their findings:

Display technologies have huge potential. Electrowetting, electrochromic, and metal oxide thin-film transistors (MOTFTs) are potential gold mines, offering high technical performance and value, relative to competing reflective displays and TFTs.Asian startups underfunded. North America leads overall investment at $5.1 billion, or 67% of the world total. However, Asian start-ups, like OLED developers in South Korea, account for just $506 million of investing – indicating not a lack of innovation but the need for an alternate funding model.Dow, Samsung, Intel are the corporate investment trendsetters. Dow Chemical, Samsung, and Intel lead corporate venture capital (CVC) investors, with high levels of activity in this space. Their best bets have targeted the more promising, higher- potential technologies such as OLEDs and RFID.

For more information on this topic, please register for the complimentary Lux Research webinar, “Printing for Profits: Making Money from Investments in Printed, Flexible, and Organic Electronics,” on February 5 at 11:00 EST.

The report, titled “Printing for Profits: Investments and Opportunities in Printed, Flexible, and Organic Electronics,” is part of the Lux Research Printed, Flexible, and Organic Electronics Intelligence service.

About Lux Research

Lux Research provides strategic advice and ongoing intelligence for emerging technologies. Leaders in business, finance and government rely on us to help them make informed strategic decisions. Through our unique research approach focused on primary research and our extensive global network, we deliver insight, connections and competitive advantage to our clients. Visit www.luxresearchinc.com for more information.

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