SLIPS Technologies

SLIPS Technologies, Inc. operates as a high-tech materials science company, spun-out from Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering in October 2014. The company was co-founded by Professor Joanna Aizenberg and Dr. Phil Kim, based on technology they developed at Harvard University. The inspiration for the core technology, Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS), came from the carnivorous pitcher plant, which uses a slippery surface to trap insects. The company's initial CEO was Daniel Behr, an experienced entrepreneur who previously served as the Director of Business Development at the Harvard Office of Technology Development. David Ward later took over as CEO after serving as Chairman of the Board.

The firm develops and commercializes a portfolio of coatings that create a self-healing, liquid layer on a wide array of surfaces, including plastics, metals, ceramics, and glass. This technology makes the surfaces exceptionally repellent to a broad spectrum of substances such as oils, paints, blood, bacteria, and ice. The business model is centered on providing customized coating solutions to various industries to solve 'sticky problems'. The company targets clients in the manufacturing, marine, and medical device sectors. In manufacturing, the coatings are designed to increase efficiency by preventing viscous materials from adhering to equipment like reactors and pipes, thereby reducing cleaning downtime and waste. For the marine industry, SLIPS offers environmentally-friendly, anti-fouling paints that prevent the buildup of barnacles and algae on ship hulls, which can reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. In the medical field, the coatings are applied to devices like catheters to repel biofilms and help prevent infections.

Financially, SLIPS Technologies has secured significant funding to support its growth and commercialization efforts. After an initial $3 million Series A round led by BASF Venture Capital and private investor Hansjörg Wyss, the company raised an additional $8.6 million in 2017 with participation from Anzu Partners, BASF Venture Capital, Hansjörg Wyss, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). It was also awarded a $2.95 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) to further develop its marine coatings. These funds are allocated towards product development, testing, and scaling up commercial operations. The company has since been renamed Adaptive Surface Technologies.

Keywords: slippery coatings, advanced materials, anti-fouling, surface technology, repellent surfaces, self-healing coatings, industrial coatings, marine coatings, medical device coatings, bio-inspired technology, Harvard spin-out, Wyss Institute, Joanna Aizenberg, liquid-infused surfaces, manufacturing efficiency, biofilm prevention, drag reduction, non-stick solutions, Adaptive Surface Technologies, materials science, clean technology