What is META Materials Inc.?
META Materials Inc. (META)(NASDAQ: MMAT) was an advanced materials and nanotechnology company active from 2010 to 2024. The company focused on developing new products and technologies using innovative, sustainable science. META created advanced materials that improve everyday products, making them smarter and more sustainable. Their work centered on inventing, designing, developing, and manufacturing scalable, sustainable, highly functional materials and intelligent surfaces. These materials deliver performance that was previously unachievable across a wide range of applications.
Main Benefits of META’s Innovations
META’s technologies brought several key advantages to various industries, including:
- Faster and lower-cost development of solutions and functional prototypes compared to traditional chemical synthesis.
- Enabling global brands to deliver breakthrough products in consumer electronics, 5G communications, batteries, aerospace, automotive, and clean energy.
- Providing nano-optic technology for anti-counterfeiting security features on government documents and currencies, as well as brand authentication.
- Replacing rare earth metals and other difficult-to-extract materials with sustainable nanocomposite materials.
- Offering products that perform better, cost less, and are more sustainable.
Revolutionary Technologies and Products
META’s portfolio included several standout technologies. NANOWEB® was a revolutionary transparent conductive film, a superior alternative to Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Silver Nanowire (AgNW), graphene, and carbon nanotube technologies. holoOPTIX™ holographic optical components were fabricated using META’s holography platform, recording interference patterns into light-sensitive photopolymer materials to create Volume Holographic Gratings (VHGs) that manipulate light in unique ways.
Innovations in Wearable and Optical Technologies
ARfusion™ technology combined precision cast lens fabrication with functional metamaterials and volume holograms, providing a platform for AR wearable developers to seamlessly integrate smart technologies into thin, lightweight prescription glasses. Meanwhile, metaAIR® Laser Glare Protection Eyewear offered a unique blend of transparency and color fidelity, enhancing visual comfort and protection.
Cutting-Edge Developments in Energy and Health
META was also developing glucoWISE®, a non-invasive, 100% pain-free device for monitoring blood glucose levels without piercing the skin—still in development but promising a breakthrough in diabetes care. Another innovation, NPORE®, was the world’s first flexible, freestanding ceramic nanoporous membrane separator for lithium-ion batteries. NPORE® eliminated the need for plastic substrates and provided superior functionality and heat resistance for current and next-generation batteries.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – through non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies.
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – via advanced battery separator technologies.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – by pioneering scalable, sustainable materials.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – replacing rare earth metals with sustainable alternatives.
- SDG 13: Climate Action – enabling cleaner technologies in aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.
Changing the Way We Interact with Light and Energy
Imagine having the power to manipulate light… META Materials made this a reality by designing and manufacturing functional nanocomposite materials—ultra-thin structures that enable breakthroughs in how light and energy are used. Their innovations protect vision by blocking harmful light, enhance safety and efficiency by absorbing or reflecting light, and improve medical diagnostics by enhancing light without radiation. Customers across aerospace, defense, clean tech, medical technology, automotive, and consumer electronics benefit from META’s transformative approach to light and energy interaction.
