About SPNano
The Company
Founded based on a research initiated at the Hebrew University by a world known scientist Prof. Oded Shoseyov, SP Nano’s technological and scientific development team has developed an innovative nanotechnology for the production of superior composite materials.
SP Nano has found a cost effective way of combining one of the strongest and lightest structures known to man with structural fabrics, namely carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene. CNTs are as hard as diamonds, 100 times stronger than stainless steel and 6 times lighter. Using its proprietary SP1/CNT protein technology, SP Nano has achieved a technological breakthrough in the industry – binding CNTs to fabrics such as carbon fibers and Kevlar™. This technique is a doorway to many more material combinations.
The company has demonstrated its technology using carbon fabric, a critical component in high-end strength-to-weight and key conductive industries such as batteries, membranes, construction, transportation, aerospace and wind energy. The unique technology has many other applications, including to glass and aramid fabrics, and can be implemented in various industries. The company plans to concentrate during the coming years in Energy applications and composite materials value chain companies.
SP Nano has also received innovation Red Hearing awards and recognition from the European Union and Israeli innovation funds with grants and investments from Venture Capital firms and investors.
Mission, Vision & Goals
Our Mission is to introduce nanotechnology to the energy storage industries (batteries and supercapacitors) and to the composite market, to enable a more conductive material and a stronger, lighter and more cost effective composite materials products.
Our Vision is to become a leading player in the rapidly growing +€100 billion a year global Energy and composites market (JEC Research).
Our Goal is to include our revolutionary SP1/CNT and Graphene nanotechnology inside all composites products manufactured in the future.
Investors
A subsidiary of the Van Leer Group Foundation, Docor International Management is a leading international venture capital firm, with offices in the Netherlands and Israel. Docor has direct investments in 23 portfolio companies and its strategy is to become actively involved in the management of the companies in which it invests. While investing in young companies with post-seed technology that is nearly proven, Docor provides an international business network and leverages investments. While staying involved with the companies through their initial stages of growth, Docor provides skilled management support and models professional business conduct.
High understanding in the New Product Development (NPD) space, offering a 360º service that covers concept generation, innovation strategy, technology and product development and market launch. Toro clients are in a diversified range of industries including materials, electronics, automation, healthcare and agriculture. Toro headquartered in Madrid with a presence and partners in London, Milan, Paris, Tel Aviv and the Nordic region.
Consolidated Investment Group (CIG) is a leading-edge investment company managing a large, international portfolio. Since its founding in 2003, they actively invest in real estate, capital markets, private equity, and philanthropy. CIG’s Capital Markets division oversees an investment portfolio of nearly $1 billion dollars. We invest across the asset class spectrum to build an investment portfolio which consistently generates superior risk adjusted returns over long term time horizons.
iVentures Asia is a Hong Kong managed technology fund focusing on Israel, a global leader in technology and innovation. With an experienced network of partners and advisors in Asia and Israel, it supports its portfolio companies by helping to open up new markets in Asia and supporting their ongoing capital needs.
Management
Mr. Erez Maor, CEO
Erez has over 10 years of Investment Banking activity experience, in which he was involved in over US$ 200 million of investment transactions, including Equity, Mezzanine and Debt. Prior to heading SP Nano, he was the Managing Director of Toro Ventures, an European corporate venture. At Toro Erez was working alongside Small-Medium sized innovative enterprises across Europe for providing them with wide range of technical services. Erez has established Toro Ventures in 2015 to provide financing opportunities in the European SME class for investors.
He holds an MBA from IESE Business School, B.A. in Economic from Haifa university and was a Pilot in the IAF.
Jon Lippin, President
Jon brings exceptional strategic, business development and global leadership expertise to SP Nano. Jon will facilitate the transition from development activities to customer acquisition and production of the SP1 technology for the composites and manufactured rubber goods verticals. Prior to joining SP Nano Jon was CEO of Bolder Industrial Performance Services where he developed the strategy and selection criteria for mid-market industrial companies to build a PE platform. Jon had a 26-year career at Honeywell, most recently as General Manager of Global Services for the industrial automation unit based in Bracknell, UK. Prior moving to the UK Jon was the General Manager Asia Pacific for the industrial unit based in Shanghai China. Jon has experience leading teams globally, strong business development including M&A and operations. Jon holds a business degree from Thomas Edison State University
Asa Eitan, CTO
Asa brings exceptional insight and vision to the SP Nano leadership team through direct involvement in the invention and development of the multidisciplinary SP1 technology. His experience in product development, coordination of scientific collaborators and sub-contractors in the fields of Nanotechnology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Fermentation, Protein Purification have greatly benefits SP Nano and associated partners. Asa holds a BSc from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Biology, Israel, and an MSc and a PhD from the faculty of biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
Board of Directors
Boaz Laor
Boaz Laor is the CEO of Docor International Management, a Dutch Venture Capital, subsidiary of The Van-Leer group Foundation. Boaz has over 30 years of executive management positions in several companies in a broad range of commercial fields such as Life science, Pharma API industry, Biotech, Energy & Logistics, High-tech, AgoTech, and more, across local and global organizations and cultures. The professional experience includes the budget department at The Ministry of Finance, a COO and CFO positions in high-tech companies, followed as CEO in multi-million dollar company in the energy sector and President in global public pharma company.
In addition, Boaz served as a member of several board of directors, and Chairman in commercial manufacturing and high-tech companies as well. Boaz holds a B.Sc. degree in Economics from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Mr. Alex Furth
Mr. Alex Furth is the President, Latin America for PaR Systems, Inc., a global supplier of automation solutions for the Aerospace, Marine, Nuclear, Life Science and Material Handling industries. Previously he was Chairman and CEO of CAMotion, Inc., a company providing software and hardware for crane controls and high speed robotic applications which was acquired by PaR in 2013. Before moving to the US Alex was President and CEO of Sudamtex Venezuela, a publicly traded company active in the manufacture and sales of textiles, synthetic polymers/fibers and fiberglass throughout South America, Europe and the USA and prior to that worked for Rohm and Hass, a global specialty chemicals company.
Alex is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization/WPO and formerly a member of the External Advisory Board to the Dean of the Department of Polymers, Textiles and Fibers Engineering of Georgia Tech as well as past President of the Venezuelan Textile Association.
He holds an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU and degrees in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires
Mr. Benjamin Weiss
Mr. Benjamin Weiss. Ben has 17 years experience working globally in investment banking, asset management, private equity and corporate law. Through a diverse range of roles in Asia, including with Salomon Smith Barney, Macquarie Bank, Shinsei Bank, AXA, CLSA and Baker and McKenzie, Ben brings a broad set of analytical skills with a focus on investment due diligence and strategic business development. Ben has a BCom and LL.B from the University of NSW, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and graduate of Sydney College of Law. Ben is a Member of the CFA Institute, and the Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts and is an Associate Member of the Law Society of NSW. Ben is also a Venture Partner for Softbank Ventures Korea, advising on the Softbank Pan Asia Fund.