Newlight's AirCarbon Wins Prestigious R&D 100 Award

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Newlight Technologies (www.newlight.com), inventor and manufacturer of AirCarbon™, announced today that AirCarbon has been awarded a R&D 100 Award.  The prestigious and influential R&D 100 Awards—also known as the "Oscars of Innovation"—are selected by a panel of independent industry experts and R&D Magazine editors, and recognize the most technologically significant innovations of the year. 

Now in its 51^st year, past R&D 100 Award winners include the fax machine (1975), liquid crystal display technology (1980), the Nicoderm anti-smoking patch (1992), the Taxol anticancer drug (1993), and HDTV (1998).  A full list of the 2013 award recipients will be showcased in the September-October issue of R&D Magazine, and the award will be presented to Newlight at the R&D 100 Awards banquet on November 9 in Orlando.

Founded in 2003, Newlight Technologies has invented, patented, and commercialized AirCarbon™, a paradigm-shifting material made by pulling carbon, such as methane and carbon dioxide, out of air.  As a result of Newlight's breakthroughs in gas conversion yield and polymer performance, AirCarbon can replicate the performance of oil-based plastics while significantly out-competing on price, representing a market-driven solution to displacing oil, reducing material cost, and reversing climate change. 

"Newlight is honored to receive this prestigious award, and humbled to be in the company of the award's previous winners," said Mark Herrema, Newlight CEO.  "This award recognizes the potential of AirCarbon: to reverse climate change by sequestering greenhouse gas into high-performance materials that outcompete oil-based plastics on price.  Our breakthroughs in bringing AirCarbon to market were made possible by the contributions of each member of our exceptional team, and this award is a testament to their efforts."

Newlight commenced sales of the company's carbon-capturing AirCarbon materials in 2012, and demand for AirCarbon has since grown significantly, with over 12.5 million pounds of AirCarbon under executed letter of intent to purchase.  AirCarbon is currently being used to manufacture furniture, bags, films, containers, top caps, and a variety of other products.  Newlight's customers and product development partners include some of the largest manufacturers in the world, including multiple Fortune 500 companies and brand-name market leaders.

In recognition of the company's technological and commercialization achievements, AirCarbon was named "Biomaterial of the Year" in April 2013, and Newlight was named "Most Innovative Company of the Year" by the American Business Awards in June 2013.

For more information and for media inquiries, visit www.newlight.com.

SOURCE Newlight Technologies