ANALYSIS: ???????????
INTERVIEW: CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Nanomaterials-based semiconductors “could outperform not only current LEDs, but also traditional disinfection technologies”
Ivan Nikitski, EPIC’s Technology Manager for Quantum and PICs, talks to Jo Uthus, CEO of CrayoNano, a Norwegian company specialising in nanomaterials- based semiconductors for disinfection applications
What is the background to your appointment as CEO of CrayoNano? After doing a degree in computer science and systems engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), I set up a company in the late 90s, which gave me a lot of experience in product development with software and network security technologies. Later, in 2002, I transitioned to the semiconductor industry, working for US semiconductor companies Atmel and Microchip Corporation. In 2017, I obtained a post-grad degree in management from NTNU and, in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I became the CEO of CrayoNano. I was hired because my experience in the semiconductor business had provided me with a deep understanding of various aspects of the industry, including technology, product sales, marketing and operations, which would enable me to focus on customers, bridge the technology, and bring products to market through product development.
What were your best learning experiences? My best learning experience by far has been working directly with customers. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on new product introductions and engage with a wide range of customers, understanding the diverse set of problems
44 Electro Optics October 2023
Trondheim and Taiwan, where we have a subsidiary that handles our supply chain and manufacturing operations. At present, we are in the scaling and commercialisation phase, focusing on ramping up our sales and marketing efforts, although we continue to invest in research and development as it’s crucial in this industry.
CrayoNano launched its first UV-C LED in October 2022 for first point-of- use water disinfection applications and is now actively engaging with several customers on design and scaling efforts
that they face, and finding solutions through high-volume manufacturing.
How has the company developed? CrayoNano was set up in 2012 as a spin-off from the nanotechnology institute of the NTNU. For the next few years, the company developed different UV LED prototypes based on positioned growth of nanowires and graphene. During 2017, we achieved significant results reaching a wavelength of 275nm for UV-C applications, and we continued focusing on further improvements to the performance and lifetime of our first UV-C LED product. Accordingly, in 2017, the company acquired an MOCVD reactor and, with the support
tools of a local university lab for chip processing, we were able to leapfrog in both research and intellectual-property protection, which allowed us to build up an extensive IP portfolio and patents. We launched our first UV-C LED in October 2022 to both validate the supply- chain and start engaging with customers – targeting first point-of-use water disinfection applications and are now actively engaging with several customers on design and scaling efforts. We currently have more than 40 employees, located in both
“The main challenge we currently face is recruiting talent to join our team and support the growth of the company”
What are your main markets? The main market for us is the UV-C LED industry, particularly disinfection and sanitisation, which is estimated to reach around $2.5bn dollars for UV-C LED by 2026. The highest level of customer interest is in water disinfection, including both point-of-use and point-of-entry systems. Also important are surface disinfection, and food production, where the global emphasis on food safety and sustainability is driving the need for effective disinfection practices in both production and packaging. Additionally, curing has a lot of potential for industrial applications and manufacturing. Our customer base consists of system integrators who already have experience with LEDs in this field, together with system integrators who are new to the disinfection market but keen to incorporate LEDs into their existing applications.
What are your main sources of income? We’ve secured capital from private investors in two tranches, one in 2020 and
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