Folio Photonics

Folio Photonics

Folio Photonics is developing an optical data storage disc with two Terabyte capacity manufactured using a highly scalable, low-cost method. Data storage is a nearly $30 billion market utilizing primarily magnetic storage technologies such as hard drive disks (HDD) and magnetic tapes (MT), which are costly, power-intensive, and short-lived. Optical data storage, on the other hand, is known as an inexpensive, energy-friendly, long-term storage solution. However, progress in optical disc storage capacity has limited its market share.

Folio Photonics’ technology is based on a multi-layer disc produced by polymer co-extrusion, a manufacturing method used primarily for food packaging. This manufacturing method produces data storage films with dozens to thousands of layers with almost no marginal cost per layer. These films can then be cut and laminated to disc substrates for a highly competitive manufacturing cost that provides the opportunity for large margins in comparison with HDD and MT. The use of fluorescence-based physical-multilayer disc architecture allows the use of inexpensive read/write hardware.

Folio Photonics is a start-up company spun-off from the Center for Layered Polymeric Systems, a National Science Foundation funded Science and Technology Center.

Website: foliophotonics.com

Location: Northeast Ohio

Technology Sector: IT

Funding Type: Series A