Viaspace
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clean energy, alternative energy, renewable energy, chemical sensing technologies |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Spin-off from Caltech and NASA |
Key people | Dr. Carl Kukkonen (CEO), Amjad Abdallat (Vice President), Stephen Muzi (CFO) |
| Products | Fuel cell cartridges, Giant King Grass biofuels, chemical sensors |
Viaspace is a company specializing in clean energy that commercializes innovations originating from NASA, Caltech, University of Southern California, and the United States Department of Defense. The firm is active in the fields of alternative energy, renewable energy, and chemical sensing technologies. Its CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen, previously served as a Director at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and maintains close connections with Caltech.
History
Established in 1998 as a spin-off from Caltech and NASA, Viaspace's mission was to convert space and defense innovations developed at JPL into marketable products.
That same year, Viaspace created a joint venture named QWIP Technologies (QWIPTECH) alongside RGC to bring Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector technology to market. Dr. Kukkonen was the inaugural CEO until 2000 when RGC took full ownership, at which point Viaspace relinquished all stakes and patents related to QWIPTECH.
Also in 1998, Viaspace collaborated with Omicron Technologies to commercialize Active Pixel Sensor (APS) technology, intended to rival Charged Coupled Devices (CCDs). Due to financial difficulties faced by Omicron in 2000, the partnership ended and Viaspace ceased APS commercialization efforts. Subsequently, Viaspace reacquired three patents from this initiative concerning radio satellite technology, which were assigned to its dormant eCARmerce subsidiary.
In 1999, SpectraSensors Inc., a subsidiary led by Dr. Kukkonen, obtained exclusive licensing rights from NASA and Caltech for gas sensor technologies. Tunable Photonics was spun off from SpectraSensors in 2001 but was later reintegrated. SpectraSensors continues to operate profitably as an independent entity.
In 2000, Viaspace formed a strategic partnership with Hewlett Packard, which invested $10 million to advance commercialization projects including the now-defunct Viachange.com.
By 2002, Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC) was established as a joint venture with Caltech and USC. This entity acquired rights to over 60 patents related to methanol fuel cell technology. Dr. Kukkonen holds the CEO position at DMFCC, which currently possesses 65 issued patents and 33 pending applications.
Viaspace transitioned into a publicly traded company in 2005 through a merger with Global Wide Production. Dr. Kukkonen continued as CEO, supported by executives such as Vice President Amjad Abdallat and CFO Stephen Muzi. The following year, DMFCC expanded its patent holdings through licensing agreements with Caltech and USC.
Also in 2006, Viaspace Security Inc., formerly known as Arroyo Sciences Inc., became the company's homeland defense division. Its licensed SHINE Expert System software earned the NASA Space Act Award in 2007.
To broaden its clean energy focus, Viaspace launched Viaspace Energy in 2007. In 2008, it acquired Inter-Pacific Arts Corp (IPA), marking its entry into the biofuels sector via IPA’s license for cultivating fast-growing grasses while leveraging IPA’s framed art business to finance growth initiatives. That same year, the company divested its humidity sensor product line to concentrate on primary projects.
In 2009, Viaspace introduced Viaspace Green Energy as its alternative energy branch. It has actively pursued contracts involving DMFCC fuel cell products and Giant King Grass cultivation. The company released its inaugural product, Green Logs, in 2010 and signed a memorandum of understanding related to its first power plant project.
Currently, Viaspace’s divisions focused on alternative energy and chemical sensing utilize exclusive technologies developed at JPL with funding from NASA and the Department of Defense. Its renewable energy segment operates under a worldwide license for Giant King Grass cultivation granted by China Gate.
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC), a subsidiary of Viaspace, specializes in designing and producing single-use fuel cartridges for devices powered by fuel cells, such as laptops, mobile phones, and military equipment. Both Caltech and USC hold equity stakes in DMFCC and benefit from royalty payments on product sales. The company possesses 65 granted patents and 33 additional patent applications related to fuel cell technology.
Commercialization efforts by major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have been hindered due to regulatory constraints on carrying methanol fuel aboard aircraft. Nevertheless, recent approvals from the U.S. Department of Transportation permitting methanol fuel cells on airplanes enhance Viaspace’s potential market opportunities moving forward.
Viaspace Green Energy
Viaspace Green Energy is dedicated to renewable energy initiatives through the cultivation of Giant King Grass, a proprietary, rapidly growing perennial grass utilized for producing liquid biofuels and serving as an alternative to coal in power generation facilities. By mid-2010, the company had cultivated 279 acres, aligning with its objective to broaden its renewable energy product offerings and services.
Ionfinity
Ionfinity, operating under Viaspace, partners with Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to advance sensor technologies capable of detecting trace amounts of hazardous substances, including explosives, chemical and biological agents, toxic gases, and narcotics. Employing mass spectrometry techniques, Ionfinity collaborates with General Dynamics Corp., Sionex Corp., and Imaginative Technologies LLC to bring these sophisticated detection solutions to market.