ACOL Technologies was formed in 1998 by two Russian scientists as a spin out from Moscow-based Corvette Light “to improve the quality and reduce the cost of high brightness light emitting diodes (HBLEDs).” Corvette Light funded R&D for new products and then piloted them into the Russian automotive, rail and architectural lighting markets.

Jean-Charles Herpeux, the former European Managing Director of US hard disk manufacturer Quantum, and the Corvette Light team joined forces to seek funding for international expansion. Amadeus Capital, Apax Partners and Mint Capital have provided 9 million euros in first round funding. The company has no plans to seek additional venture funding. Breakeven is anticipated in 2006. The company has 19 employees, 14 in Russia, 1 in North America and 4 in Switzerland.

The company, now named ACOL, is based in Geneva with an R&D facility in Russia, led by co-founder Alexander Shisov. A North American sales office is located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Manufacturing will be outsourced. ACOL’s charter is to “develop new technologies for HBLED used in public lighting, including road and rail signals, outdoor signage and general illumination.”

The market for HBLEDs is growing at an average 40% per annum, driven by the fact that HBLEDs use 10% of the power of other lighting technologies and last 10x longer. HBLEDs are currently used almost exclusively in commercial lighting applications, but in the next ten years it is anticipated that they will replace incandescent, fluorescent and other lighting technologies in domestic applications. However, the greatest obstacle to accelerating growth in many HBLED-based lighting opportunities is the total cost per candela. ACOL believes that its approach addresses this obstacle head-on.

HBLED lamps comprise LED chips that emit light, packages that remove the heat and direct the light, lenses that focus the light and minimize reflections, and chemical compounds that modify color and enhance reliability. ACOL has developed proprietary technologies that address a number of problems inherent in today’s HBLEDs, including cost, heat dissipation, size, development cost and the difficulties of customization. The company argues that its patented designs in thermal management and primary precision optics provide unique value to integrators of High Brightness LED products. ACOL does not design its own chips. The company selects the best chips available and then adds its value-added thermal management and optical technologies.

ACOL’s patented thermal management design allows the application of much higher current levels than is possible with conventional 5mm packages. This, in combination with ACOL’s patented micro-optics packaging, ensures the level of light extraction from any given grade of chip is fully maximized, up to four times the output of conventional 5mm designs. Precision optics also enable unique solutions such as 3 degree native light beam.

Moreover, the use of polycarbonate for the lens guarantees both mechanical robustness as well as optical precision and provides extremely reliable protection against UV attack. ACOL LED’s are specified to maintain 85% of their original luminous intensity after 50,000 hours operation.

Based on a spherical lens design, the ClearBeam LED series offers all the essential colors in a variety of viewing angles. Major applications include auto exterior, road traffic signals, monocolor signs, architectural effect lighting, and illuminations.

The SmoothBeam LED series features a hexagonal-shaped fresnel optics, which provides a wide aperture of light emission without loss of light intensity. Using a 24 degree native viewing angle, SmoothBeam is offered in Amber, Red and Bluish Green, and was originally designed specifically for Road Traffic Signals.

The native 3 degree viewing angle of the HawkBeam LED series is ideal for emerging applications requiring extremely bright but focused and narrow light beams. HawkBeam is available in all the essential colors. Major applications include road traffic signals, laser equipment, sea navigation lights, theatre & stage lighting, and architectural effect lighting.

The PrismBeam is a three in one (Red/Green/Blue) LED package. All three chips are strategically positioned on a single base plate and fully encapsulated under one 90x40 viewing angle polycarbonate fresnel lens. Applications include giant screen full color video displays, full color signs, and architectural effect lighting.

ACOL also offers LED Arrays in all the main colors in a variety of viewing angles. In 2004, ACOL will finish porting its 80mA technology to all of its platforms. The company also plans to introduce an improved thermal management platform in 2H’04.

Competitors include all LED vendors. ACOL’s thermal management and precision primary optics technologies offer its customers up to twice the candela output for each dollar spent, according to the company.

ACOL has approached most of the market leaders in its target market segments as well as some second tier players, and the results of product evaluations have been extremely favorable. Joint development projects are now in progress with some of these companies. Most customers are now located in Russia, and the company is currently finalizing qualification of its products with several customers in America, Asia and Europe.

Jean-Charles Herpeux, Co-founder & CEO (previously VP of Europe, Middle East & Africa for Quantum)

Donald Stewart, Co-founder & VP of Sales and Marketing (previously European marketing director and director of European distribution sales for Quantum)

Jean-Pierre Khodadad, Co-founder & VP of Customer Engineering (previously director of sales engineering, Southern Europe at Quantum)

Alexander Shishov, Co-founder & CTO (previously co-founder and President of Corvette, Moscow)