NextFlex is born

October 29, 2015

Started last year, FlexTech Alliance, a research consortium and trade association, (of which Touch Display research is a member), proposed to US government a San Jose-based hub to create the FHE MII (Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute) which comprises 96 companies, 11 laboratories and non-profits, 43 universities, and 15 state and regional organizations. This broad-based support underscores the market potential for flexible hybrid electronics, and reaffirms Silicon Valley’s role as an essential hub for innovation.

On August 28, 2015, The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded FlexTech Alliance a Cooperative Agreement to establish and manage a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) for Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE MII). The award is for $75 million in federal funding over a five-year period and is being matched by more than $96 million in cost sharing from non-federal sources, including the City of San Jose, private companies, universities, several U.S. states, and not-for-profit organizations.

On October 29, 2015, FlexTech Alliance announced the new name for FHE MII (Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute) to be NextFlex. It’s website is nextflex.us

Figure: NextFlex logo

nextflex logo

source: NextFlex

NextFlex will be headquartered in San Jose. The Institute will distribute R&D funds via competitively-bid project calls. Happy birthday NextFlex!

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team