Omnes Capital's exits: Novaled

Sector 
Hardware
Entry Date 
11/2005
Exit Date 
07/2013
Buyer 
Samsung
Business 
Venture Capital

Novaled

www.novaled.com
Doping materials for organic materials

German company Novaled has developed a new structure and new doping materials curbing power consumption and extending the life of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). At the time of the sale, the company owned more than 400 patents.

Read the business case
“Omnes Capital placed its trust in us and was patient.”
GILDAS
SORIN
Chief Executive Officer
of Novaled AG
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Novaled AG

Good things come to those who wait…

Time has proved Omnes Capital right, as it saw Novaled AG’s potential very early on.

In 2005, Omnes acquired an interest in its capital as lead investor for €4 million as part of a €15 million funding round, before injecting another €1.5 million in 2008. This bet paid off handsomely. Since 2009, materials developed by Novaled AG have been used in displays for the Samsung Galaxy, one of the world’s top-selling smartphones.

The German start-up, which was acquired by the Samsung group during the summer 2013, has pioneered OLED technology, which will revolutionise the world of displays and lighting.
SORIN GILDAS
Chief Executive Officer of Novaled AG

Grow up with Samsung

OLED diodes illuminate surfaces using thin layers of organic composite semiconductors. Unlike LCDs, they do not need backlighting, which also reduces their power consumption.

 

The integration of flexible materials such as plastics has opened the way for the development of thin and flexible displays and lighting solutions. Provided that the plastics used could be made better conductors.

 

And that is exactly what the innovation and technology developed by Novaled do.
They enhance the organic material, extending its life and reducing its power consumption.
GILDAS
SORIN
Chief Executive Officer
of Novaled AG
Novaled AG has demonstrated that technology ventures can be a success in Europe...
Definitely. If you have the right products and if you adopt a good quality strategy, you have every chance of success! Novaled AG is a prime example of this. A giant like Samsung chose us as a supplier because we had products that matched its needs. Despite tough negotiations, it immediately showed its confidence in Novaled. Samsung agreed that we should be its only supplier of certain materials used in Galaxy smartphones. This represents a tremendous vote of confidence given its production imperatives.
Why did you choose Omnes Capital as a partner?
Right from the start, we felt that we were on the same page as Omnes Capital. Its teams had confidence in our management and showed a great deal of patience. At the time, there was no certainty that we would become what we are today. They played a full part on our Supervisory Board, respecting our management team and its responsibilities, without ever getting in its way. They have always been there for us when we needed them – both in good times and in more difficult ones.
What challenges lie ahead for you?
With the OLED market expected to consolidate, it is crucial to build partnerships with materials manufacturers. The acquisition by Cheil Industries represents a step in this direction and will give us the benefit of the group’s investments in the next generation of materials. We look at the future with real optimism, especially since OLED TVs are currently arriving on the market. That should provide a boost to our growth.
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