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Research Frontiers Licenses SPD-SmartGlass to South Korean Venture Capital Firm - Glass Magazine - NGA

Reported by Glassmagazine
Jan 2, 2020· 2 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Research Frontiers licensed its SPD-SmartGlass technology to Glatic, a Seoul-based venture capital-funded company, for production and sale in South Korea's architectural market.
  • • Glatic's analysis projects SPD-SmartGlass can reduce energy consumption by at least 20 percent while improving employee productivity and increasing building values through automated light and thermal control.
  • • Research Frontiers has now licensed its SPD-Smart technology to over 40 companies globally across automotive, aerospace, marine, rail, museum, and consumer electronics sectors, with production capacity expanding following Gauzy Ltd.'s new factory opening in Stuttgart, Germany.
  • • SPD-Smart light control film, the core technology, enables instant and uniform glass shading control via manual or automatic activation, with film width capabilities reaching 1.8 meters.
Summary
Research Frontiers Inc. expanded its licensing footprint in Asia by granting Glatic, a venture capital-backed company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, the rights to manufacture and commercialize SPD-SmartGlass smart windows for the South Korean architectural market. The license represents Research Frontiers' strategic push to establish supply coverage across key global regions as manufacturing capacity increases.

Glatic's business model centers on integrating SPD-Smart light control film with proprietary cloud-based AI controls, touch-enabled interfaces, and mobile applications to deliver smart glass solutions for buildings. According to Eun-sik Park, Glatic's CEO, the company selected SPD-SmartGlass after evaluating competing technologies, citing superior performance and demonstrated reliability. The company projects that deployment in architectural applications could reduce energy consumption by at least 20 percent while simultaneously lowering lighting and HVAC hardware costs, improving employee productivity, and raising building asset values.

Joseph M. Harary, president and CEO of Research Frontiers, positioned the Glatic license within a broader expansion strategy enabled by increased manufacturing capacity. With Gauzy Ltd.'s newly opened Stuttgart facility capable of producing SPD-Smart film up to 1.8 meters wide, Research Frontiers is accelerating licensee recruitment across underserved geographic markets. The company has already deployed its SPD-Smart technology through over 40 licensed partners spanning automotive, aircraft, marine, rail, museum, and consumer electronics sectors. SPD-Smart light control film—the technological foundation of all products—allows users to precisely and uniformly control glass opacity instantly, either through manual controls or automated systems, positioning the technology as a key enabler for smart building infrastructure.

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Glassmagazine Research Frontiers Licenses SPD-SmartGlass to South Korean Venture Capital Firm - Glass Magazine - NGA