Meta Materials
Meta Materials Inc. was a Canada-based advanced-materials platform company developing metamaterials and nanocomposites — including transparent conductive films, battery separators, laser protection films, and nano-optic banknote security features — sold to aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, and central-bank customers; it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August 2024.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersDartmouth, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Meta Materials does
Meta Materials Inc. (originally Metamaterial Technologies Inc.) was a Canada-domiciled, Nasdaq-listed (MMAT) advanced-materials platform company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The company engineered metamaterials and functional nanocomposites — patterned structures that interact with light, electromagnetic energy, and acoustic waves in ways not found in nature — and packaged them into a portfolio of branded product lines including NANOWEB (transparent conductive film alternative to ITO), NPORE (nanoporous ceramic lithium-ion battery separator), NCORE (copper-reduced current collector), metaAIR (aviation laser-glare protection film), KolourOptik and LumaChrome (nano-optic banknote security features), ARfusion and holoOPTIX (augmented-reality optical components), PLASMAfusion (vacuum coating process), VLEPSIS (electro-optical/infrared sensing), and glucoWISE (non-invasive glucose monitor, under development). The underlying technology base included Rolling Mask Lithography acquired from Rolith, an ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility, and a 500+ patent portfolio spanning nano-optics, battery materials, transparent conductors, and AR optics.
The business model combined direct B2B enterprise sales to global OEMs, joint development agreements with strategic partners (Panasonic Holdings, Airbus, Lockheed Martin Canada, Mitsubishi Electric Europe, DuPont Teijin Films, PPG), licensing/royalty arrangements, and channel distribution through Satair (aviation), Cornes Technologies (Japan/APAC), ADI Technologies (defense), and Crossover Solutions (automotive). Target segments were primarily Aerospace & Defense, Government/Banknote Security, Automotive, and Consumer Electronics, with secondary exposure to Energy/CleanTech, Medical, and Brand Protection. Notable commercial proof points included LumaChrome deployment in 30+ banknote denominations across 10+ countries and $6.2M of purchase orders from a G10 central bank customer; however, no recurring revenue base of material scale was ever disclosed publicly.
The company pursued an aggressive inorganic growth strategy, acquiring Lamda Guard (2014), Rolith (2016), Mediwise Ltd. (2018), Interglass (2020), Plasma App Ltd. (2021), and Nanotech Security Corp. for approximately $90.8 million CAD in October 2021, before completing a reverse merger with Torchlight Energy Resources to obtain its Nasdaq listing. Following multiple dilutive financings totaling more than $50M in 2022-2024, a 1-for-100 reverse stock split to maintain Nasdaq compliance, an SEC settlement, a class action settlement, a May 2024 workforce reduction, and ultimately a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in August 2024 with termination of all employees, the operating entity ceased to function as a going concern.
Meta Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Meta Materials
- Legal name
- Meta Materials Inc.
- Website
- https://metamaterial.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Meta Materials Inc. was a Canada-based advanced-materials platform company developing metamaterials and nanocomposites — including transparent conductive films, battery separators, laser protection films, and nano-optic banknote security features — sold to aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, and central-bank customers; it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Meta Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Functional Materials
- NAICS
- Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)
- SIC
- Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Polymers & Resins (Engineered Materials) (IMAEABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Display & Optoelectronics Chemicals (OLED/LCD materials, polarizer chemicals) (IMAEAKAN), Optical & Specialty Sheet Extrusion (PMMA/PC Light Diffusers, Lens/Glazing Sheets) (IMANACAI)
Keywords
Where Meta Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dartmouth
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Meta Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Products: Revenue from selling advanced functional materials, metamaterials, and related products including NANOWEB transparent conductive films, KolourOptik and LumaChrome security features for banknotes and brand protection, NPORE ceramic separators, and metaAIR laser protection films. Products sold directly to OEMs and through distribution partners.
- Licensing and Royalties: Technology licensing arrangements with OEMs across multiple industries including aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, and energy. Platform technology company seeking to partner with leading OEMs for commercialization of proprietary technologies.
- Joint Development Agreements: Revenue from joint development agreements with global OEMs for next-generation materials. Includes partnerships with Panasonic for automotive/energy, Lockheed Martin for solar, Airbus for aerospace, and battery materials development with global OEMs.
- Government/Banknote Security Products: Sale of security features to central banks (G10 customers) and government agencies for currency authentication, government IDs, and secure documents. Purchase orders from G10 central bank customer totaling $6.2M.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Meta Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Meta Materials was a platform technology company that developed and manufactured advanced functional materials and metamaterials, including transparent conductive films (NANOWEB), ceramic battery separators (NPORE), laser protection films (metaAIR), nano-optic banknote security features (KolourOptik, LumaChrome), and augmented reality lens technologies (ARfusion, holoOPTIX). The company sold these proprietary materials to OEM customers across aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, energy, and government/banknote security sectors through direct enterprise sales and channel partners.
Product overview
Meta Materials is a platform technology company that develops advanced functional materials and metamaterials for various industries. The portfolio includes core technologies like NANOWEB® (transparent conductive films as an alternative to ITO), NPORE® (ceramic battery separators), metaAIR® (laser protection films), and KolourOptik® (nano-optic security technology). The company offers products across multiple segments: security/counterfeit protection (LumaChrome™, LiveOptik™, KolourDepth™, QUANTUM™ stripe, NANO™ protect), augmented reality (holoOPTIX®, ARfusion®), battery safety (NCORE™, PLASMAfusion®), aerospace defense (VLEPSIS®), and medical diagnostics (glucoWISE®). The platform is built on proprietary metamaterial science that manipulates light and other forms of energy in ways not found in nature, enabling previously unachievable performance across optical, electromagnetic, and sensing applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NANOWEB: Transparent conductive thin film technology, one of the only viable alternatives to ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), offering high conductivity and optical transmission for consumer electronics and other applications.
- metaAIR
- KolourOptik
- LumaChrome
- LiveOptik
- NPORE
- ARfusion
- PLASMAfusion
- holoOPTIX
- QUANTUM
- VLEPSIS
- NCORE
- KolourDepth
- LivePortrait
- LiveLogo
- glucoWISE
Products and services
- NANOWEB
Quantifiable outcome
- LumaChrome used in 30 banknote denominations across 10+ countries for over 20 years
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Meta Materials
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Meta Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature10 records
Meta Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Panasonic HoldingscorePanasonic Holdings entered a partnership with Meta Materials to co-develop next-generation transparent conductive materials targeting automotive and energy sector applications, including smart displays and related components. The collaboration aims to expand Panasonic's materials technology capabilities in vehicle and energy infrastructure electronics.
- Nanotech Security Corp.coreMeta Materials acquired Nanotech Security Corp. through a plan of arrangement for $1.25 per common share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $90.8 million. The acquisition gave access to Nanotech's nano-optic security features for government banknote and brand protection markets.
- Mediwise Ltd.coreAcquired Mediwise Ltd., a UK-based company, expanding capabilities in medical wireless sensing and diagnostics technology.
- Satair GroupcoreSatair Group signed memorandum of understanding and later distribution agreement to bring innovative laser strike protection (metaAIR) to global civil aviation and defense markets.
- Lockheed Martin CanadacoreLockheed Martin Canada partnered with Meta Materials to support the development of metaSOLAR solar technology, marking Lockheed Martin's first solar investment in Canada. Charles Bouchard, CEO of Lockheed Martin Canada stated: 'We are pleased to see our ITB investment going to a great Canadian global innovator such as Metamaterial Technologies Inc.'
- RolithcoreAcquired Rolith's business including proprietary Rolling Mask Lithography (RML) technology and NanoWeb products, along with key employees and state-of-the-art R&D facilities in Silicon Valley.
- AirbuscoreAirbus partnered with Meta Materials (then Lamda Guard) to test and tailor metaAIR laser protection solution for aircraft cockpit windscreens. This was the first time an optical metamaterial nano-composite was applied on a large-scale surface for aviation.
- DuPont Teijin Films and Mitsubishi Electric EuropemajorPartnership to develop safer, more efficient lithium-ion batteries using Meta Materials' battery material technologies including NPORE ceramic separators and NCORE current collectors.
- PPGmajorAnnounced plans to develop electrochromic applications for ophthalmic optics in the extended reality market, combining Meta Materials' ARfusion technology with PPG's capabilities.
- SekisuiminorCollaboration with Sekisui to improve 5G/6G communications infrastructure using Meta Materials' transparent antenna and waveguide technologies.
- ADI TechnologiesminorPartnership with ADI Technologies to access defense markets with Meta Materials' security and sensing solutions.
- Crossover SolutionsminorStrategic partnership with Crossover Solutions to enter automotive markets with Meta Materials' transparent conductive and antenna technologies.
- Artemis OpticalminorPartnership to develop hybrid filtering technology combining optical filtering capabilities of both companies.
- Stanford UniversitymajorJoined Stanford University SystemX Alliance Affiliates Program. Professor Mark Brongersma from Stanford joined Meta Materials' advisory board.
- Dalhousie University and Mitacsmajor$1.62M collaboration with Dalhousie University and Mitacs to explore light manipulation and advanced materials research.
- CovestrominorDeepened relationship with Covestro for materials development and commercialization.
- SataircoreDistribution deal with Satair to bring laser strike protection products to global aviation and defense markets.
- Cornes TechnologiesminorPartner for Japan market presence and booth sharing at industry events including Filmtech Japan and Automotive World Expo.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Meta Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Meta Materials social profiles
Digital presenceMeta Materials compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Meta Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Meta Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles20 records
Meta Materials subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Meta Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Meta Materials M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A8 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Meta Materials
What does Meta Materials do?
Meta Materials was a platform technology company that developed and manufactured advanced functional materials and metamaterials, including transparent conductive films (NANOWEB), ceramic battery separators (NPORE), laser protection films (metaAIR), nano-optic banknote security features (KolourOptik, LumaChrome), and augmented reality lens technologies (ARfusion, holoOPTIX). The company sold these proprietary materials to OEM customers across aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, energy, and government/banknote security sectors through direct enterprise sales and channel partners.
Is Meta Materials a public or private company?
Meta Materials is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently closed.
When was Meta Materials founded?
Meta Materials was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Meta Materials based?
Meta Materials is headquartered in Dartmouth, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Meta Materials make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Products are the primary driver. The others are licensing and Royalties, joint Development Agreements and government/Banknote Security Products.
Does Meta Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Meta Materials.
What industry is Meta Materials in?
Meta Materials's product category is Advanced Functional Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEABAK, Specialty Polymers & Resins (Engineered Materials), with a secondary code of IMAEAKAN, Display & Optoelectronics Chemicals (OLED/LCD materials, polarizer chemicals). Its NAICS code is 32521 and its SIC code is 2821.