Dracula Technologies, a pioneer in energy harvesting through ambient light, has completed the qualification process of its new Green Micropower Factory for its mass production of LAYER OPV devices. This achievement marks a pivotal step in ramping up the company’s production capacity to achieve volumes exceeding 150 million cm² per year per shift to meet the growing demand for its OPV modules.
These modules enable applications that demand ultra-low power consumption such as self-powered sensors, relying on energy harvesting instead of traditional batteries. This major milestone is also in line with the company’s ambition to be able to later distribute its technology through licenses or partnerships to accelerate international business development.
Audit performed by strategic partner
The audit was performed by Semtech, a high-performance semiconductor, IoT systems, and cloud connectivity service provider, and a strategic partner and investor in Dracula Technologies. “We are excited about the potential of this facility to advance energy-efficient IoT applications,” said Olivier Seller, Technical Fellow, Wireless IP at Semtech. “This qualification affirms not only the robustness of Dracula Technologies’ manufacturing processes but also their commitment to sustainability and innovation. Through production of OPV modules at scale, we can jointly accelerate deployment of self-powered devices. Reduced reliance on traditional batteries paves the way for a more sustainable future.”
“Semtech has among the highest quality, safety, and environmental standards in its industry. Its confirmation is of great significance for Dracula Technologies’ new manufacturing site and will enable us to meaningfully ramp up production to meet our customers’ needs over the coming years,” said Brice Cruchon, CEO of Dracula Technologies. “This achievement marks a crucial advancement in scaling up production capacity to address the increasing need for our OPV modules. I am proud of the teamwork and dedication of our entire Dracula Technologies team and our partners, making this accomplishment possible. We are now well positioned to push our technology to new levels of performance required by emerging applications and to engage the marketplace with confidence and enthusiasm.”
A state-of-the-art, fully automated facility
The Green Micropower Factory — a state-of-the-art, fully automated facility optimised for best-practice manufacturing techniques — is the world’s largest factory (2500 m²) dedicated exclusively to the production of OPV modules. The OPV modules are manufactured with Dracula Technologies’ patented sustainable OPV low-light energy-harvesting solution crafted with organic inkjet printing precision. It significantly upscales LAYER’s production and supports Dracula Technologies clients’ deployment of battery-free devices.
To propel this ambitious venture, Dracula Technologies has begun recruiting over 60 additional skilled professionals, creating employment opportunities, and fostering economic growth. Looking ahead, Dracula Technologies will have a total of 250 employees by 2030.
Laureate of the “First Factory” project call
The new factory aligns with European regulations to phase out non-rechargeable batteries in IoT devices. The Green Micropower Factory enables large-scale production of sustainable modules, marking the beginning of the end for conventional batteries.
Dracula Technologies aims to bolster France and Europe’s sovereignty by reducing reliance on battery imports and exclusively collaborating with European suppliers. In recognition of its commitment, Dracula Technologies was recently named laureate of the “First Factory” project call, an initiative aligned with France’s reindustrialisation strategy (France 2030), receiving €5 million in funding from the French State.