With a piece of material for $1 million 500 thousand investment he brings 10 times the brightness of the lighting!

There is light in the dark night, we are happy for 24 hours. However, Chen Chen felt the light is not enough, also need to be brighter".

Thus, by the end of 2014, he and Professor Han (Department of electronics, Yale University) founded Saphlux, a new generation of semi polar gallium nitride light-emitting materials for solid state display and lighting.

The Saphlux founder: Chen Chen (right) and Professor Han Zhong.

Looking up, the luminescence dating back more than and 20 years has passed for a generation, no matter in the LED lamp or on the screen, it almost get in by every opening in everyone's life. But the bottleneck is becoming increasingly obvious: single chip LED brightness has reached the limit.

To this end, scientists have invested in a new generation of optical materials. Among them, the semi polar gallium nitride light-emitting materials become the new darling of the laboratory, the single chip brightness can reach 10 times in theory". But how to achieve mass production, has become a problem.

Chen Chen led the team, with sapphire substrate, in June this year, the development of a large semi polar material, technically solve the problem of mass production. Once launched, the world's top 5 LED manufacturers have adopted a total of 3.

In addition to high-power lighting, the material can also be used in 3D projection, VR, medical and other fields. Sounds good, but Chen Chen's entrepreneurial process is full of drama......

Acquaintance at Yale

Professor Han Zhong's lecture was arranged in the last. As a gallium nitride materials experts, the content of the lectures naturally inseparable from the value and commercialization of gallium nitride.

When he finished, he glanced at the stage. As expected, facial expression or confusion, or lack of interest. The research on the new generation of optical materials is a difficult problem in the Department of electronics, Yale University, and even the whole world.

"What do you want to ask? At the end of the lecture, he kept the routine questions.

Under the table in perfect silence. At this point, Chen Chen suddenly stood up and broke the silence of the venue, I want to know the technical barriers to this material". He was the only one who asked the question, and the professor readily answered.

This happened in 2014, at a lecture at the Yale University in Connecticut. Not long ago, in August, Chen Chen came to Yale University to study MBA. Although he is a business school student, but he is no stranger to technology: Tsinghua University undergraduate, 24 years old has graduated from graduate school, R & D onyx360, won the industry a number of awards......

At that time, Chen Chen solid state lighting industry is not much to understand, let alone gallium nitride materials such cutting-edge research. After the lecture, he found Han Zhong again.

"He is a Virgo, I am a Capricorn, from the constellation analysis we are more congenial temper. "Chen Chen joked. In this way, the two age difference of 20 years old, a friendship between generations, meet to explore semipolar Gan materials commercialization.

Since then, Chen Chen in-depth understanding of the industry as a whole.

90s, since the development of Blu ray LED Nakamura Shuji, the first generation of semiconductor light-emitting materials as the core of solid-state display and lighting has gone through more than and 20 years. Up to now, its brightness has reached the limit. Want to improve brightness, can only increase the number of LED chips. "

In the high-power lighting and new display (3D projection, VR, etc.), the first generation of materials has been unable to meet people's needs. Semi polar gallium nitride materials are expected to become the focus of optical research materials. The single chip brightness theory can reach 10 times in the past".

However, the production of the material has been in the laboratory, Professor Han has accumulated 6 years of research experience in this field. Nakamura Shuji, the inventor of the Nobel prize for physics, could not solve the problem of mass production. "

November, the two companies set up Saphlux. "I don't think too much, I want to try it first. "

Investment of $1 million 500 thousand

A month later, the school winter vacation. Chen Chen did not idle, return to seek financing.

"We don't invest in semiconductors, new materials. "Often does not open, Chen Chen had to cold-shoulder treatment. Two weeks, he is from Beijing, Shanghai and many other city, met a total of 25 dial investors, finally several investment institutions favor, including Zhenge fund.

However, for the first time to meet, Chen Chen put the real fund partner Li Jianwei sleepy. Two people were talking less than an hour, Li Jianwei yawned to send away Chen Chen. I thought it was yellow, and BP didn't do it well. "

After returning, Chen Chen immediately adjusted according to investor feedback on the BP. We do not know what investors are concerned, only a little bit to explore. I became a good friend with sword, and then he told me that no one would have voted in accordance with our original BP. "

In February last year, angel round of $1 million 500 thousand investment into the account, the real estate fund led investment, LIAN investment and Yale VC with investment.

Subsequently, Chen Chen began recruiting. Over the past 10 years, LED related products to improve efficiency by up to 10 times, prices fell by up to 10 times. But in the last two or three years, growth has stalled, and even the industry's giants are struggling to break through. This is a good opportunity for industry experts. "

He will be looking to the director of research and development of a leading South Korean company LED, a disciple of Nakamura Shuji scientists.

"You have to be careful, life here is more tragic, you may often have to work overtime. "On Friday, the United States on, the scientist dialed the phone to talk about the state of work.