What P2i does

P2i Limited is a UK-headquartered specialty materials company founded in 2004 that develops and applies molecular-level protective nano-coatings for electronic devices. The company operates two core technology platforms: a Plasma Coating process (dry, room-temperature PECVD that forms a nanometre-thin barrier at the molecular level) and a Liquid Barrier Coating (LBC) launched in 2025, both PFAS-free, solvent-free, and 100% reworkable. P2i serves four primary verticals — consumer electronics (smartphones, TWS earphones, gaming headsets), automotive electronics (infotainment, ADAS, powertrain control, BMS), medical devices (hearing aids, implants), and industrial IoT/5G infrastructure — with documented outcomes including 90%+ reductions in field failure returns, 99.97% first-pass yield replacing parylene, and 50%+ scrap reduction.

P2i's commercial model is a factory-in-factory deployment: coating equipment is placed inside customer production facilities at no capital cost to the customer, P2i engineers are embedded through line qualification and ramp, and pricing follows a per-unit commercial model that aligns cost with production volume. Customer engagement is engineering-led rather than sales-led, with submissions reviewed directly by applications engineers and a 48-hour technical recommendation turnaround. The company's installed base spans 10 billion+ protected devices globally, anchored by 15+ years as the production standard in the hearing aid industry and expanding into multi-factory deployments for tier-1 consumer electronics and automotive OEMs across the UK, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US.

The company is privately held, controlled by European deeptech investor Jolt Capital since 2025 (initial €8 million investment), and led by CEO Chris Saunders, founder/CTO Stephen Coulson (inventor of the plasma technology during his PhD at Durham University), and CCO Justin Kleingartner (formerly CTO at actnano, MIT-trained chemical engineer). A £15 million HSBC UK growth loan secured in November 2022 supports expansion into Vietnam and India. Headcount is reported at 51-100 employees, with operations centered in Abingdon (UK headquarters) and Shenzhen (Asia-Pacific engineering and production support).

Name

P2i

Legal name

P2i Limited

Website

https://p2i.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

P2i Limited is a UK-based specialty materials company founded in 2004 that develops molecular-level protective nano-coatings for electronic devices, serving consumer electronics, automotive, medical, and industrial IoT manufacturers via a factory-in-factory deployment model with per-unit pricing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protective Nanocoatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Can Coatings (IMAEAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biodegradable Coatings & Barrier Layers (paper/packaging barriers) (IMAEAOAH)

Keywords

• Protective nanocoatings
• Plasma coating services
• Electronics waterproofing
• Liquid barrier coating
• Molecular thin film deposition

Headquarters

HQ city

Abingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Per-Unit Coating Services: Per-unit commercial model where cost tracks exactly with production volume. No fixed overhead, no idle capacity cost, no minimum volume commitment. Factory-in-factory deployment at customer facilities with P2i equipment placed free of charge.
2. Engineering Services and Qualification: Engineering team reviews device specifications and reliability requirements, recommending the right protection path. Engineers embedded through production ramp for line qualification and ongoing support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

P2i provides molecular-level protective nanocoatings for electronic devices, deployed at OEM scale through two core technology platforms: Plasma Coating (dry, room-temperature PECVD) and Liquid Barrier Coating (LBC). The company places its coating equipment directly inside customer production facilities free of charge and charges on a per-unit basis aligned with production volume, with engineers embedded from line qualification through volume ramp.

Product overview

P2i is a molecular-level protective coatings company offering end-to-end protective coating capability at OEM scale globally. The portfolio consists of two core technology platforms: Plasma Coating (delivered via Splash-Proof and Barrier variants) and Liquid Barrier Coating (LBC). The solutions-led approach recommends the appropriate technology based on customer Qualification Test Plans, CAD/STEP files, and reliability requirements. Plasma Coating uses dry, room-temperature PECVD technology for complex geometries and audio-sensitive components; Liquid Barrier Coating integrates with existing spray/dip-line infrastructure for high-throughput automotive and industrial applications. Both platforms are PFAS-free, solvent-free, and 100% reworkable. P2i deploys a factory-in-factory model with per-unit commercial pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plasma Coating Dry, room-temperature PECVD plasma coating technology that forms a molecular-level barrier across device surfaces, including Splash-Proof and Barrier variants. PFAS-free, 100% reworkable, minimises masking requirements, and penetrates complex 3D geometries such as connectors, microphones, and densely packed PCBA. The production standard for hearing aids globally.
• Liquid Barrier Coating (LBC) High-throughput barrier coating that integrates with existing spray or dip-line infrastructure without requiring new capital equipment. Designed for automotive and industrial environments where line speed and coating consistency are non-negotiable. PFAS-free formulations available.
• Splash-Proof Plasma Coating Plasma coating variant providing protection against splashes, light sprays, and everyday perspiration. PFOA-free, solvent-free, with no change to microphone performance or audio quality, and minimised or eliminated masking requirements for standard geometries.
• Barrier Plasma Coating Plasma coating variant providing PFAS-free corrosion defence for higher-stress environments. Protects against scenarios mimicking IPx3–IPx8 forces including stronger sprays, partial immersion, and heavy sweating, preventing corrosion damage when liquid enters the device.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90%+ reduction in field failure returns for consumer electronics smartphone OEM
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered strategic_growth and minor.

• India Partnershipstrategic_growthStrategic or Co-development PartnerImportant new partnership in India started in 2025, working closely with customer to deliver stronger reliability and lower failure rates by integrating molecular technology into their production processes. Early results have been very encouraging. India is a strategic growth region.
• United Electronics Coating Association (UECA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerP2i participates in UECA gatherings, including the meeting hosted alongside APEX Expo 2026 in Anaheim, California. Association plays important role in bringing together companies advancing electronics protection and sustainable protection discussions.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• actnano: Protective nano-coatings for consumer electronics and automotive electronics, founded by former P2i alumni. The closest direct competitor, and P2i's own CCO (Justin Kleingartner) was previously CTO at actnano.
• HZO: Specializes in protective nano-coatings for electronics, including PFAS-free and parylene-alternative solutions, serving consumer electronics and industrial customers at OEM scale.
• Semblant (Element Solutions Inc.): Protective coatings for electronics, now part of Element Solutions Inc. Targets similar OEM customers with hydrophobic and protective surface treatments and was acquired by MacDermid Enthodes Electronics Solutions.
• Diamond-MT: Provider of parylene and other conformal coating services for electronics, aerospace, and medical devices — directly competes for the same OEM protective coating business P2i targets.
• Para-Coat Technologies: Specializes in parylene coatings for electronics, medical, and automotive applications, serving the same functional need as P2i's barrier coatings.

Broad incumbents

• Specialty Coating Systems (SCS): Global leader in parylene conformal coatings for electronics and medical devices. The dominant incumbent P2i is displacing; offers established technology across the same OEM customer base.
• Henkel: Global adhesives and coatings giant with a portfolio of conformal coatings and protective chemistries for electronics manufacturing; a large, diversified incumbent that competes at the OEM specification stage.
• Dow: Major specialty chemicals company producing conformal coatings and protective materials for electronics; overlaps with P2i at the OEM materials specification level across multiple end-markets.

Emerging players

• LiquiGlide: MIT spin-out developing ultra-thin surface coating technologies; P2i's CCO (Kleingartner) contributed to LiquiGlide's low-adhesion surface technology before leading P2i's LBC platform.
• Aculon: Surface treatment company offering hydrophobic and protective nanocoatings for electronics, industrial, and consumer applications; an emerging alternative in the same protective coating category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/P2iLabs
• Facebookfacebook.com/p2itechnology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/p2i

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds11 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about P2i