E Ink가 유연한 전자제품 및 디스플레이용 저비용 전도성 구리 잉크를 개발하는 스타트업 NewCopper에 투자했습니다.
E Ink Holdings, a global developer of ePaper technology, announced a significant early investment in NewCopper, a U.S. technology startup that has developed conductive copper ink formulations. The investment will support technical collaboration in display materials and printed electronics while advancing a more localized and resilient supply chain for advanced electronic components.
As flexible electronics expand into displays, sensors, solar technology, RFID and connected devices, manufacturers have sought alternatives to silver ink, which remains widely used to create conductive pathways in printed components but carries high material costs. Copper offers comparable conductivity at significantly lower cost, but its susceptibility to oxidation has historically prevented broader adoption. NewCopper developed a proprietary low-temperature, reactive and self-passivating copper ink formulation designed to overcome this oxidation barrier.
The rapid growth of AI data centers, electric vehicles, and broader electrification is expected to drive substantial increases in global copper demand. Sourcing that demand through additional mining alone is neither practical nor aligned with long-term sustainability goals centered on resource efficiency and circularity. Technologies enabling copper recovery, reuse, and return to manufacturing cycles can reduce reliance on newly mined materials while supporting continued expansion of these critical industries.
NewCopper's technology originated from joint research by Professor Shenqiang Ren's team at the University of Maryland and Professor Liangbing Hu at Yale University. The company holds an exclusive license from the University of Maryland for the proprietary copper ink formulation.
E Ink will make the investment through a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity and leverage its display manufacturing expertise to support production scale-up and commercialization. Because NewCopper's formulation is compatible with E Ink's roll-to-roll coating capabilities, the investment creates an opportunity for E Ink's R&D team to evaluate copper ink as a potential conductive material for future displays and electrode applications. The collaboration strengthens the localized supply chain for advanced electronic materials and supports future production of ePaper components.
Johnson Lee, chairman and CEO of E Ink, stated: "E Ink itself spun out of academia into a global technology company, so we recognize both the promise of NewCopper's innovation and the challenges of moving breakthrough technology from the lab to the market. As an established leader in materials and display manufacturing, it's our responsibility to help promising companies scale. By supporting NewCopper with resources, expertise and commercialization experience, we can also help guide the display industry to new heights."
Johnson Lee has joined NewCopper's Board of Directors as E Ink's designated director. The investment is strategically aligned with E Ink's recent involvement with Taiflex, a market leader in flexible copper clad laminates expanding into high-frequency copper clad laminates for circuit boards used in AI and data center applications.