Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1539509
SEPTEMBER 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 47 The existing standards are an excellent starting point, but there are aspects that present chal- lenges to our current recipe. Our aim is to comply to Class 2, but as a disruptor, we cannot follow the path of existing materials. Over the past 50 years, the Global Electronics Association has built a rugged manufacturing standard for a broad range of applications where PCBs need to demonstrate long-term reliability. In reality, not all PCBs—in fact, a huge percentage of them—that are produced have a very short lifespan; therefore, they need to be functional and reliable for the intended life, which could be a single-use application or a short lifespan, maybe two to five years. Soluboard has a UL flame-retardant rating, and we are working to ensure it meets all other relevant UL safety standards. A product like this has its limits; for example, it can't withstand harsh environments with dramatic thermal requirements. What types of applications is Soluboard appropriate for? We do not expect the current version of Soluboard to be used in military, aerospace, or space applica- tions, but we do have strong interest from the auto- motive industry for interior applications. Good use cases for Soluboard are LED lighting, tracking and monitoring devices, computer peripherals, gaming, connected technologies, and home electronics. Our material can be used in Bluetooth applica- tions, and we have several major OEMS evaluating Soluboard for use in well-known household devices. What does having this kind of product developed and available in the market mean for the future of PCB laminate materials? What's next for Jiva? Marcy, as you know, there is a multi-billion-dollar market in laminate. Jiva is just getting started. Our mission is to educate designers, users, and OEMs to recognize that there is a choice when a particular performance is needed. For example, if heat dis- sipation is needed, they may choose IMS. If signal integrity is needed, they may choose PTFE. But if ESG is the driver, then why not choose a material that has the credentials to meet that need? We just want a place on the shelf, or a place in the Altium library of materials. We plan to grow the business to around $50 million or more in the next five years. We are at the beginning of developing a suite of materials. Pres- ently, we are making rigid material for two-layer plated through-holes. In Q1 2026, we will have thin-core multilayer CCL and prepregs, and we are working on enhanced recipes for signal integrity. This might not be a David and Goliath story yet, but it has the potential. As we wrap up, do you have anything else you'd like to share? We have designed a unique manufacturing process that allows sheets of laminate to be manufactured from reels to panels in 15 minutes, with low manu- facturing and labor costs. We have designed the machinery and hope to build a manufacturing line somewhere in the world in the next six to 12 months. We are currently valued at $12 million, and we are looking for investors to help us scale. We have major OEMs engaged, we signed an MOU in July with a major ICT manufacturer in Taiwan, and our POC has passed initial tests. We expect to be in production with them in early 2026. There is also hot news coming from the U.S., so keep watching. Steve, thank you for your time. This is exciting and so important for electronics as we move forward. Thank you, Marcy. I agree and look forward to sharing more soon. PCB007