Graphene 3D Lab (see web site) should be of interest to both graphene and 3D printing investors as the only public company that appears to be on the verge of commercializing graphene-enhanced filaments compatible with current FDM 3D printers.
The company has 37.9 million shares outstanding and is based in Calverton, New York.
Properties of Graphene
First isolated and identified in 2004, graphene is known as a "wonder material" due to its inherent properties.
As a result of these properties, graphene has exciting promise in applications such as bendable computer screens, wearable electronics, nano-electonics, LCD, OLEDs, supercapacitors, super thin unbreakable touchscreens, biochemical sensing, supercharged quantum computers and much more. As a composite, engineers predict graphene materials could replace much of the steel now used in the aerospace, defense, and automotive industries by providing increased strength, reduced weight, and better fuel efficiency.
Now marry the amazing properties of graphene with the benefits that 3D printing brings to the table, particularly in the ability to manufacture ultra-complex parts or to create precise replications of existing objects, and the potential impact at both the consumer and industrial levels of 3D printing is hard to estimate. The availability of this extraordinary material for 3D printing could easily accelerate sales of consumer and prosumer 3D printers, especially if it's compatible with most current FDM printers.
Pending commercialization of graphene filaments
While there is work being started by Stratasys (SSYS) in cooperation privately held Graphene Technologies to develop graphene materials for 3D printing, their R&D agreement just began last month.
Graphene 3D Lab has 2 patents pending on their technology, and the time table below (included in their investor presentation) shows revenues from graphene filaments for use in existing FDM printers are expected to begin within 12 months. I think it's reasonable to say that Graphene 3D Lab has a jump on the big boys in getting graphene filaments to market first.
Management Strength
Management of Graphene 3D Lab are no strangers to the world of nanomaterials.
CEO, Dr. Daniel Stolyarov, holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Southern California with expertise in nanomaterials and the formulation of nanocomposites and co-authored papers with Nobel and Kavli prize winners, as well as members of the National Academy of Sciences.
COO, Dr. Elena Polyakova, also holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Southern California. She is a regular speaker at graphene and nanotech conferences (most recently at Nanotech 2014) and is well-known in the industry and academia as an expert in two-dimensional materials. In addition to graphene conferences, she was a speaker at the World Congress of 3D Printing held in Dalian, China in June.
As "graphene pioneers", Drs. Stolyarov and Polyakova launched Graphene Laboratories, a commercially successful supplier of high quality graphene in 2009...five years after the extraordinary material was discovered. Graphene Laboratories now has some 7,000 customers for their graphene around the globe.
An important quote from Dr. Polyakova in this June interview regarding Graphene 3D Lab is:
"we’re well protected and other companies won’t be able to move forward in terms of what we’re doing with graphene"
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Given management's expertise, proprietary graphene filaments, patents/patents-pending, cash on hand from public launch, and time frame given for sales to begin, I believe Graphene 3D Lab will be the first to bring graphene filaments for 3D printing to commercialization.
Disclosure: I am long shares of Graphene 3D Lab Inc.