elumin8 - Where Next?

CEO of PolyPhotonix, Richard's first career was as a successful artist living and working in Paris. Many of his works are held in public and private collections.

On return to the UK he then became Managing Director of Elumin8, a fast growing start up making imaginative, flexible AC electroluminescent displays and lighting systems. As an artist, he has initiated much innovation in electronics as art and created the Elumin8 Foundation to sponsored artists, designers and art schools worldwide.

He is currently advising Harvard University and Lebone Solutions on the development of the 'Lighting for Africa' project based on microbial fuel cells harvesting power from the soil. He sits on many printed electronic and industrial advisory boards and committees in the UK. He lectures and talks at Universities internationally and is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences speaking about design and printed electronics matters.

PolyPhotonix is a new company that is manufacturing POLED devices for and lighting and design applications. He says, "The principal reason for setting up PolyPhotonix in the North East is because of the Printable Electronic Technology Centre PETEC. It would have been very difficult to do without the PETEC infrastructure. We've been able to pull in resources, use some of the PETEC materials, and gain access the right kind of people - all of which would have been prohibitively expensive under any other system. In addition ONE NorthEast have been very helpful. I firmly believe that we are in a position to lead the field with this new generation of materials - which is very exciting." PETEC is a UK national flagship centre backed by the UK Government and industry, newly opened at NETPark in Sedgefield, County Durham UK for the development of printable electronics technologies.