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March 9, 2006... Kyma Technologies (by definition and intent) rides the next big wave, which we all know is gallium nitride (GaN). Kyma (which the company says is derived from the Greek word representing "wave") is a relatively small, but potentially powerful native GaN substrate "USA startup." It started as a spinout of North Carolina State University (NCSU) and is now into its ninth year of existence in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it's still run by co-founders Drew Hanser and Mark Williams. Kyma is now headed by longtime compound semi catalyst Keith Evans, who joined the company as president/CEO a year ago. Drew serves as CTO and VP of business development, and Mark serves as COO and VP of finance. The most recent addition to the management team is Ed Preble, VP of engineering. Like Drew and Mark, Ed earned his Ph.D. from NCSU under professor Bob Davis who (not so coincidentally) taught and guided the cofounders of Cree and Nitronex. There's just something about NCSU that seems to produce excellent wide bandgap (WBG) crystal growers and device technologists, and it usually points back to Bob Davis and the early days of WBG development.

Now touting 14 employees (whose names will make veteran WBG community watchers take notice...and smile), under the beefed-up leadership team and stepped-up backing by venture investors and the DoD (ref: news), Kyma's latest wave appears to represent the beginning of a series of excellent rides ahead. Kyma was recently selected by the USA DoD's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for two new Phase I SBIR projects. The awards follow Kyma’s win of a new Phase II STTR effort, also under the MDA SBIR/STTR program in October (company news release). Each of these programs focuses on continued development of native GaN materials and devices and is driven by the potential of native GaN to enable critical advances in next generation military radar systems.

Collaborations, strategic and research partnerships, and a very good reputation within the overall technical and R&D community is how Kyma has gotten where they are today, which is on a par -- or exceeding -- anyone else's native GaN substrate development. While those working on just the normal blue spectrum LED side of the CS and SSL industry streets may not feel they need native GaN substrates (yet), everyone else working in the WBG arena seems to very much want good, defect free, well polished, decent sized native substrates. The need is especially great if they're aiming at something really demanding, like the blue laser market. However, you'd be amazed at the growing requests Kyma gets for samples from those making GaN LEDs on sapphire or "other" WBG-worthy substrates.

As Keith Evans pointed out when Kyma announced the recent round of MDA support, it's Kyma's ability to establish strategic collaborations with several leading government and academic research groups that makes this company a sure winner in the native GaN field. "We are thankful for the efforts of our collaboration partners at Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Auburn University, Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), North Carolina State University, Penn State University Electro-Optics Center, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, for their important contributions to recent advances in native GaN based materials and devices, and for the continuing support of MDA.” Keith stated.

"The substrates create the opportunities," Keith underscored in a recent conversation I had with him, Mark, Drew and Ed. The team explained that, as an example, their device partners have been able to come up with excellent X-band results on very modest budgets. That's just one of the reasons Kyma's high on the DoD's radar. Kyma presented results at the recent WOCSEMMAD '06, which was held February 19-22 in Scottsdale, Arizona. WOCSEMMAD, for those who aren't familiar with this very "insiders" technical meet, should take a look at the program that co-chairmen Laura Rea and Mark Goorsky put together. It reads like the who's who of the WBG world. WOCSEMMAD is one of those meets where presenters whip out informal updates on their most critical programs and their peers in the room pull together and ask just the right questions and make just the right suggestions that move the R&D more quickly to its desired goal.

And therein lies the key to Kyma's success. The company understands the true meaning of cooperation and collaborations. Kyma's people have traditionally been good, honest, team players who contribute to the WBG community in every way possible. Keith Evans, for example, put together our outstanding WBG business opportunities workshop at CS Outlook for 2005 (the predecessor of this year's CS Vision). And Drew Hanser will pick up where Keith left off by serving as a speaker and forum leader for our upcoming CS Vision in Vancouver BC April 27-28 which will be co-located with Mantech. Take a look at the CS Vision agenda, a "living document" to stay tuned to as it gets updated through the process of booking speakers and sponsors. CS Vision is shaping up to be one of our best ever management outlook conferences. (Instead of the usual evening "network reception" Thursday night, for example, we'll host a poker game! Much fun guaranteed, so stay tuned as the concept shapes up...)

My recommendation is that, if you are involved in or care about any part of the GaN field, you should follow Kyma's lead and join the in group in catching the next big wave.

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Kyma's The Wave of the Future