Nanoco
A United Kingdom nanotechnology company specializing in cadmium-free quantum dots and other advanced nanomaterials.
Last updated October 20, 2026
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Overview
Nanoco is a United Kingdom nanotechnology company that develops and manufactures quantum dots and other engineered nanoparticles for use in electronic, sensing, lighting, display and imaging applications. The business was spun out of the University of Manchester in 2001 and operates from the Manchester area, with a production facility in Runcorn. Its technology and commercial identity are closely associated with cadmium-free quantum dots, which are designed to provide tunable optical properties without relying on heavy metals restricted by environmental and electronic-equipment regulations. A central element of Nanoco’s technical platform is its patented molecular-seeding method for producing quantum dots. Instead of depending on a conventional high-temperature injection step, the process uses molecular cluster compounds as nucleation sites and then controls particle growth through additional precursor additions at moderate temperatures. This approach is intended to support consistent particle formation, scalable manufacturing and the production of a range of semiconductor nanomaterials. The platform can be applied to different material systems, including III-V quantum dots and other nanoparticles. Nanoco’s commercial work has focused on moving quantum-dot materials from laboratory research into industrial supply chains. Its CFQD® materials are heavy-metal-free quantum dots with emissions that can be tuned across visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Potential uses include color conversion and backlighting for displays, LED lighting, infrared and short-wave-infrared sensors, flexible solar technologies and biological imaging. In sensing, quantum-dot layers can extend the spectral range of CMOS image sensors, with possible applications in facial recognition, optical diagnostics, LiDAR and night vision. In lighting, the materials can act as down-conversion phosphors, including in specialized horticultural systems. The company has pursued licensing and development relationships rather than relying only on direct finished-product sales. It announced a licensing arrangement with Dow Chemical Company in 2013, and Dow later commissioned a production facility in Cheonan, South Korea. Nanoco reported receiving its first royalty payment from that arrangement in 2016. It also entered licensing relationships with Wah Hong and Merck, and subsequently announced development and supply arrangements involving additional commercial partners. In 2018, it disclosed a material-development and supply agreement with an unnamed United States corporation concerning the scale-up and mass production of novel nanoparticles for advanced electronic devices. Nanoco became publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in May 2009 and transferred to the exchange’s main market in May 2015. The company’s technology development has been strongly associated with Dr. Nigel Pickett, whose work on molecular seeding has underpinned much of its quantum-dot production platform. In February 2020, Nanoco Group brought patent-infringement proceedings against Samsung after a prior collaboration and subsequent commercialization of quantum-dot television products without, according to Nanoco, a license or supply agreement. The dispute became a significant legal and strategic event for the company. Nanoco has also applied its heavy-metal-free quantum-dot expertise beyond displays. In 2020, it received Innovate UK funding for development of a testing kit intended to support rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection from saliva samples. The company’s broader positioning is that of a specialist materials supplier and intellectual-property developer serving organizations that need high-grade, scalable nanomaterials rather than a consumer-facing electronics brand.
History
Nanoco originated as a University of Manchester spin-out in 2001. The company’s early development centered on translating academic advances in nanomaterials into commercially manufacturable products. From 2004 onward, its research emphasis became increasingly focused on quantum dots and related nanoparticles, particularly materials that could be produced at scale and used without cadmium or other regulated heavy metals. The company’s technical differentiation developed around molecular seeding, a patented synthesis approach associated with Dr. Nigel Pickett. In this process, molecular cluster compounds provide controlled nucleation sites for nanoparticle growth. Further precursor additions allow the particles to be grown at moderate temperatures to a desired size. Because quantum-dot optical behavior is strongly influenced by particle size and composition, the process offers a route to tailoring emission wavelengths while supporting larger-volume manufacture. Nanoco applied the method to cadmium-free quantum dots and a broader family of electronic-grade nanomaterials. Nanoco’s heavy-metal-free CFQD® portfolio was developed in response to environmental and product-regulation pressures affecting the use of cadmium in electronics. The company positioned these materials as alternatives for applications requiring bright, tunable visible or near-infrared emission. Potential commercial fields included LCD backlighting, quantum-dot displays, LED down-conversion, specialist lighting, solar technologies, infrared sensing and biological imaging. The company pursued commercialization through a mixture of direct development, licensing and supply relationships. A major step came in January 2013, when Nanoco announced a licensing agreement with Dow Chemical Company. Dow subsequently commissioned a production facility in Cheonan, South Korea, and Nanoco reported its first royalty payment in 2016. Nanoco also entered arrangements with Wah Hong and Merck. These relationships reflected the company’s strategy of enabling larger industrial partners to manufacture or incorporate its materials while retaining value through intellectual property, technical know-how and royalties. Nanoco became a public company on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in May 2009. In May 2015, it moved from AIM to the exchange’s main market. During this period, quantum dots attracted growing interest from display manufacturers and component suppliers. Industry adoption was encouraged by the prospect of improved color gamut and efficiency in LCD displays, as well as by emerging possibilities in sensors, LED lighting and other optoelectronic applications. In February 2018, Nanoco announced a material development and supply agreement with an unnamed US corporation to scale up and mass-produce novel nanoparticles for advanced electronic devices. The company later disclosed additional partner relationships relating to nanomaterials for sensing and other applications. Its sensing work addressed the use of quantum dots to extend CMOS image sensors into near-infrared and short-wave-infrared wavelengths. Such capability could support compact, high-resolution devices for biometrics, optical diagnostics, LiDAR and night vision. Nanoco also explored biological and diagnostic applications. Quantum dots can provide strong, stable and spectrally tunable fluorescence, making them potentially useful in cell labeling, diagnostic assays and other imaging contexts. In 2020, Innovate UK funding supported development of a heavy-metal-free quantum-dot testing kit for rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection from saliva. A major legal and strategic turning point occurred in February 2020, when Nanoco Group filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Samsung. The proceedings followed a multi-year collaboration and Nanoco’s assertion that Samsung commercialized quantum-dot television products without entering a license or supply agreement with Nanoco or its partners. The dispute highlighted the importance of patent ownership and licensing economics in the quantum-dot display industry. Nanoco’s identity remains that of a specialist materials and technology company rather than a consumer brand. Its business is built around the development, scale-up and commercialization of high-grade quantum dots and nanoparticles for industrial partners. The company’s principal long-term themes are environmentally compliant materials, scalable synthesis, intellectual-property licensing and the expansion of quantum-dot applications beyond television displays.
- 2020
Samsung patent litigation
[1]Nanoco files patent-infringement proceedings against Samsung concerning quantum-dot television technology.
- 2018
US material development and supply agreement
[1]Nanoco announces an agreement with an undisclosed US corporation to scale up novel nanoparticles for advanced electronic devices.
- 2016
First royalty payment from Dow-related production
[1]Nanoco receives its first royalty payment after Dow’s South Korean production facility is commissioned.
- 2015
Move to the London Stock Exchange main market
[1]Nanoco transfers its listing from AIM to the main market in May.
- 2013
Dow licensing agreement
[1]Nanoco announces a licensing deal with Dow Chemical Company for quantum-dot technology.
- 2009
Admission to the London Stock Exchange AIM market
[1]Nanoco becomes publicly traded on the AIM market in May.
- 2004
Research focus shifts toward quantum dots
[1]Nanoco concentrates its research and scale-up work on quantum dots and other nanoparticles, including cadmium-free materials.
- 2001
Nanoco is spun out from the University of Manchester
[1]Nanoco is established as a university spin-out focused on commercial nanotechnology and advanced materials.
Products and positioning
A specialist, intellectual-property-led nanomaterials company focused on scalable production of high-grade, heavy-metal-free quantum dots and related nanoparticles for industrial and research applications.
Cadmium-free quantum dots
CFQD® quantum dots
CFQD® is Nanoco’s range of quantum dots designed without cadmium or other regulated heavy metals. Their optical output can be tuned by controlling particle size and composition, enabling visible and near-infrared emission. The materials are intended for applications including display backlighting, color conversion, LED lighting and sensing, where strong and spectrally precise emission is required while meeting increasingly stringent environmental and electronics regulations.
Advanced electronic materials
Electronic-grade nanomaterials
Nanoco develops high-grade nanoparticles and quantum-dot materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications. The platform is designed to support controlled optical and electronic properties, scalable synthesis and supply to industrial development partners. Potential uses include display components, infrared devices, sensing systems and other advanced electronic products.
Sensor materials
Infrared sensing materials
Quantum-dot layers can extend CMOS image-sensor sensitivity into near-infrared and short-wave-infrared ranges. Nanoco’s materials are intended to support compact, high-resolution sensing systems for fields such as biometric recognition, optical diagnostics, LiDAR and night vision. The approach uses tunable absorption characteristics to add spectral capability without requiring larger and more expensive sensor architectures.
LED and specialty lighting materials
Quantum-dot lighting materials
Quantum dots can operate as LED down-conversion phosphors, converting blue or other excitation light into selected visible wavelengths. Nanoco’s materials may be used where narrow, tunable emission is valuable, including specialized and horticultural lighting. Particle size and semiconductor composition provide control over the resulting color output.
Bioimaging and diagnostic materials · 2020
Quantum-dot biological imaging materials
Quantum dots offer high photostability, broad excitation and narrow, tunable emission, making them candidates for fluorescence imaging and diagnostic research. Nanoco has explored heavy-metal-free materials for applications such as cell staining, point-of-care testing and other biological detection formats, including a saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 testing project supported by Innovate UK.
Controversies
2020
Nanoco sues Samsung over quantum-dot patents
Nanoco sued Samsung and its subsidiaries, alleging infringement of Nanoco's quantum-dot technology patents and seeking a permanent injunction. Nanoco said Samsung deliberately infringed its patents; the source reports the allegation, not a court determination.
Brand decisions
2020
Initiate patent litigation against SamsungOtherBackground
Nanoco stated that Samsung had commercialized quantum-dot television products after a previous collaboration without entering a license or supply agreement with Nanoco or its partners.
Action taken
Nanoco Group filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Samsung in February 2020.
Aftermath
The case underscored the commercial importance of quantum-dot patents and licensing rights, although the supplied reference material does not establish the final outcome.
2015
Transfer from AIM to the London Stock Exchange main marketStrategyBackground
After being listed on AIM since 2009, Nanoco pursued a move to the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Action taken
Nanoco transferred its public listing to the main market in May 2015.
Aftermath
The move placed the company on the exchange’s principal market while it continued developing and licensing nanomaterials.
2013
License quantum-dot technology to DowM&ABackground
Nanoco sought to commercialize its quantum-dot platform through an industrial partner capable of manufacturing materials at large scale.
Action taken
The company entered a licensing arrangement with Dow Chemical Company, supporting production and commercialization of Nanoco-related quantum-dot technology.
Aftermath
Dow commissioned a production facility in Cheonan, South Korea, and Nanoco later reported receiving its first royalty payment in 2016.
Recent events
Reported
Nanoco appoints Liam Gray as CFO and board member[4]
Nanoco announced that Liam Gray joined its Board as Chief Financial Officer effective 8 November 2021; he continues to serve as Company Secretary.
Reported
Nanoco sues Samsung over quantum-dot patents[3]
Nanoco filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics and affiliated companies in Texas, alleging infringement of its quantum-dot display technology patents and seeking a permanent injunction.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Nanoco sues Samsung over quantum-dot patents[2]
Nanoco sued Samsung and its subsidiaries, alleging infringement of Nanoco’s quantum-dot technology patents and seeking a permanent injunction. Nanoco said Samsung deliberately infringed its patents; the source reports the allegation, not a court determination.
Sources5 sources
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