Aerogel Technologies
Aerogel Technologies manufactures mechanically strong aerogel materials (Airloy brand) and distributes third-party aerogel products, serving aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, and R&D customers via e-commerce and direct enterprise sales from its 100,000 sq ft Boston facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aerogel Technologies does
Aerogel Technologies, LLC is a Boston-based materials science company founded in 2004 that manufactures mechanically strong aerogel materials under the Airloy brand and distributes third-party aerogel products through its e-commerce platform BuyAerogel.com. The company's flagship innovation is the proprietary Stelmakh process, which enables production of mechanically robust polymer aerogels at ambient pressure without supercritical drying, reducing infrastructure cost by approximately 30x and operating cost by 6x relative to traditional aerogel manufacturing. Its product portfolio spans the Airloy Ultramaterials family (X103 polyurea, X114/X116/H116 polyimide, X126 polyamide, X134 polyurethane, X56 silica/polyurea hybrid, and X414 carbon compositions) in multiple density classes and form factors (panels, 3D shapes, thin films, particles), complemented by classic silica and carbon aerogel monoliths and distributed brands from Cabot Aerogel, Aspen Aerogels, Sumteq, Aerogelex, Tiem Factory, and aerogel artist Ioannis Michaloudis. The company holds US, Chinese, and EU patents on its formulations and operates under exclusive licenses from NASA Glenn Research Center for polyimide and polyamide aerogel technologies.
The company generates revenue through three streams: e-commerce sales of stock aerogel products via BuyAerogel.com to individuals, companies, government organizations, and research laboratories worldwide; custom aerogel solutions (Type 1-4 project framework, priced from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars) sold through a direct enterprise sales team; and licensing of NASA aerogel IP. Customer segments include aerospace and aviation (Airbus product development partnership), automotive (Ford Motor Company product development partnership), architecture and construction, oil and gas infrastructure, energy technologies, R&D institutions, and education/novelty buyers. The company sells globally through direct international sales, the BuyAerogel.com storefront, and channel partnerships with Cabot and Aspen Aerogels, operating from a 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Boston's Hyde Park neighborhood that houses a pilot plant designed for up to 2.3 million square feet of panel and 10 million square feet of thin film annual output.
Aerogel Technologies has been recognized as a top-five global aerogel manufacturer by MarketsandMarkets (2014) and received substantial earned media including a Veritasium YouTube trilogy with approximately 30 million cumulative views and coverage in Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine. Leadership is held by founder/CEO Dr. Stephen Steiner and COO Justin Griffin. The company is privately held, incorporated in Massachusetts, and has been funded primarily through private capital rounds (undisclosed amounts in 2018) and a $224,557 National Science Foundation grant in 2020.
Aerogel Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aerogel Technologies
- Legal name
- Aerogel Technologies, LLC
- Website
- https://aerogeltechnologies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aerogel Technologies manufactures mechanically strong aerogel materials (Airloy brand) and distributes third-party aerogel products, serving aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, and R&D customers via e-commerce and direct enterprise sales from its 100,000 sq ft Boston facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aerogel Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Aerogel Materials
- NAICS
- Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)
- SIC
- Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerogel & Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) (IMADAGAG)
Keywords
Where Aerogel Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aerogel Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales (E-commerce): Aerogel Technologies sells its own aerogel products (Airloy Ultramaterials, classic monolithic aerogels, aerogel particles, aerogel blankets) and distributes third-party aerogel products (Cabot Aerogel Lumira, Enova, Thermal Wrap; Aspen Aerogels Spaceloft, Cryogel, Pyrogel; Sumteq Sumfoam; Aerogelex biopolymer particles; Tiem Factory monoliths; Ioannis Michaloudis aerogel art) directly to the public through its BuyAerogel.com e-commerce platform. This is primarily one-time product sales with sub-bulk and bulk pricing available.
- Custom Aerogel Solutions (R&D, Custom Manufacturing): Custom aerogel solutions including custom shapes, sizes, formulations, bulk quantities, applications integration, and IP development for industry, government, and academia. Priced in hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on project type (Type 1–4 framework). Services include materials properties characterization, cost modelling, production representative process development, and IP development. Existing customer relationships include product development partnerships with Airbus and Ford Motor Company.
- Technology Licensing (NASA Technologies): Aerogel Technologies holds licenses for NASA Glenn Research Center's polyimide and polyamide aerogel patents (including exclusivity in many fields), generating revenue through commercialization of licensed NASA technologies including the x-aerogel/polymer-crosslinked aerogel patent portfolio. This represents inbound licensing of foundational IP that supports the Airloy product line.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Type 1 Custom Solutions — Minor customization of stock products |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Type 2 Custom Solutions — Known material customization |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Type 3 Custom Solutions — Literature-demonstrated formulations with R&D |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Type 4 Custom Solutions — Novel material with no literature precedent |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | E-commerce sub-bulk and bulk pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Aerogel Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aerogel Technologies manufactures and sells mechanically strong aerogel materials (its Airloy Ultramaterials line) and traditional monolithic aerogels, plus distributes third-party aerogel products through BuyAerogel.com. The company also offers custom aerogel R&D and manufacturing services, ranging from minor customization of stock products to full development of novel materials with no literature precedent. Core technology is the patent-pending Stelmakh process, which produces mechanically robust aerogels at ambient pressure without supercritical drying, enabling theoretically unlimited panel dimensions at significantly lower cost.
Product overview
Aerogel Technologies offers a comprehensive portfolio of aerogel materials through two main categories: proprietary Airloy Ultramaterials (mechanically strong polymer aerogels) and Classic Aerogels (traditional monolithic aerogels), complemented by distributed partner products. Airloy Ultramaterials include the X103 (polyurea), X114/X116 (polyimide), X126 (polyamide), X134 (polyurethane), X56 (transparent hybrid), and H116 (waterproof nonflammable) series—available in multiple density classes and form factors from tiles to large panels to thin films. Classic offerings encompass silica, hydrophobic silica, RF polymer, and carbon aerogel monoliths. Distribution partners include Cabot Aerogel (Lumira, Enova, Thermal Wrap), Aspen Aerogels (Spaceloft, Cryogel, Pyrogel), Sumteq, Aerogelex, and Tiem Factory. The company sells directly via BuyAerogel.com ecommerce platform and offers custom solutions for specialized applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Airloy: Revolutionary class of ultralight, multifunctional materials that are 3-15x lighter than plastics, offering strength and durability expected of engineering materials with superior thermal and acoustic insulating properties.
- Classic Silica
- Valentine Aerogel
- Bottled Sky
Products and services
- Airloy X103 Polyurea aerogel panels available in L, M, H, and XH density classes (0.1-0.55 g/cc) with mechanical strength and stiffness at low densities, thermal insulation comparable to expanded polystyrene, plastic-like feel, thermoformability, and operating temperatures up to 80°C. Used for aviation interiors, automotive components, and engineering applications.
- Airloy X114 Aromatic polyimide aerogel panels optimized for high-temperature applications up to 400°C. Non-flammable with strong mechanical strength and stiffness at low densities, available in 0.2 and 0.4 g/cc densities. Used for aerospace, aviation, and high-temperature engineering.
- Airloy X116 Aromatic polyimide aerogel with hydrophobic properties and water contact angles greater than 140°. Operating temperatures up to 300°C, non-flammable, with thermal conductivities as low as 22 mW/m-K at densities as low as 0.09 g/cc. Used for hydrophobic thermal insulation in aerospace, aviation, and engineering.
- Airloy H116 Waterproof, nonflammable, dust-free, halogen-free polyimide aerogel. 100x better at resisting moisture than previous polyimide aerogels, absorbing less than 9% its weight in water after 24h submersion. Can be produced as 3D forms, thin films, or conformal coatings. Includes the world's first launderable aerogel. Samples available via BuyAerogel.com with B2B volumes available.
- Airloy T116-L Aromatic polyimide aerogel with improved dimensional stability at high temperatures. Operating temperatures up to 300°C, hydrophobic, non-flammable, with thermal conductivities as low as 22 mW/m-K.
- Airloy X126 Aromatic polyamide aerogel for high-temperature and high-stiffness lightweight applications. Operating temperatures up to 250°C with thermal conductivity of 48 mW/m-K (L variant) for applications where heat trapping is undesirable.
- Airloy X134
- Airloy X56-MH Silica/polyurea hybrid aerogel with optical transparency and over 80% light transmission through 1-cm thick parts. Machinable and mechanically durable with thermal conductivity of 24 mW/m-K at 0.3 g/cc density and operating temperatures up to 80°C. Used for daylighting, optical, and transparent insulation applications.
- Airloy X414 Carbon aerogel derived from pyrolyzed aromatic polymer aerogels (X114). High-surface-area, electrically-conductive carbonized version for structural electrodes and energy storage applications including supercapacitors and batteries.
- Airloy HR Rollable sheet form of Airloy H116 material for flexible applications requiring waterproof and nonflammable properties.
- Airloy HT Flexible foam form of Airloy H116 material for compliant foam applications with waterproof, nonflammable, and dust-free properties.
- Classic Silica Aerogels
- Hydrophobic Silica Aerogels Water-repelling silica aerogel monoliths for applications exposed to moisture, humidity, or polar solvents. Ideal for chemical spill cleanup, oil recovery, and microwave/RF induction heating processes.
- RF Aerogels Resorcinol-formaldehyde polymer aerogel monoliths used as precursors for carbon aerogels through pyrolysis. Applications include supercapacitor/battery electrodes, catalysts, and thermal insulation.
- Carbon Aerogels High-surface-area electrically conductive porous carbon materials for energy storage, catalysis, and desalination applications.
- Valentine Aerogel Heart-shaped colored aerogel novelty gift product made from pure silica aerogel.
- Bottled Sky Aerogel art creation by Dr. Ioannis Michaloudis featuring pure silica aerogel cast into signed bottles. Blue appearance against black background and virtually invisible against white. Sold as a signed limited-edition art product.
- Lumira Aerogel Distributed Cabot Aerogel product for daylighting and fenestration. Eco-friendly thermal management with 0.7-4.0 mm particle size, ~20 nm pore diameter, >90% air by volume, and thermal conductivity 0.09-0.12 W/m-K. Cradle-to-cradle certified.
- Enova Aerogel Distributed Cabot Aerogel fine-particle performance additive for insulative coatings. Three particle types (IC3100, IC3110, IC3120) with thermal conductivity of 0.012 W/m-K, providing ultralow thermal conductivity, extreme shear resistance, and hydrophobic smooth finish.
- Spaceloft Distributed Aspen Aerogels aerogel blanket optimized for sub-ambient to ambient applications including building insulation. Thermal conductivity 0.145-0.21 W/m-K, hydrophobic to prevent corrosion under insulation.
- Cryogel Z Distributed Aspen Aerogels aerogel blanket optimized for cryogenic applications including cryogenic pipelines and liquefied gas systems, operating down to cryogenic temperatures.
- Pyrogel XTE Distributed Aspen Aerogels aerogel blanket optimized for high-temperature applications up to 650°C. Used for medium-to-high pressure steam pipes, aerospace engineering, fire barriers, and welding blankets.
- Thermal Wrap Distributed Cabot Aerogel low-dust insulating aerogel blanket with water-repelling aerogel particles in non-woven polymer fibers. Thermal conductivity ~23 mW/m-K, conformable, available in rolls up to 100m.
- Sumfoam Distributed Sumteq thermoplastic polymer aerogel granules and powders based on polystyrene with 1000x smaller pores than traditional expanded polystyrene. Low thermal conductivity, hydrophobic, thermally processable, and recyclable.
- Aerogelex Biopolymer Particles Distributed Aerogelex aerogel particles based on alginate, caseinate, cellulose, egg, lignin, pectin and more. Biocompatible for drug delivery, personal products, and insulative packaging.
- Tiem Factory Large Hydrophobic Tiles Distributed Tiem Factory Inc. (Japan) large hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths — the largest commercially available hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths. Dimensions ~10.0 cm x 10.0 cm x 1.0 cm, density 0.11 g/cm3, 90% transparency at 550nm, thermal conductivity 13 mW/m-K. Used for transparent insulation and process visualization windows.
- Custom Aerogel Solutions Custom aerogel material solutions including custom shapes, sizes, formulations, bulk quantities, applications integration, and IP development. Four project types: Type 1 (minor customization, hundreds of dollars), Type 2 (known-material customization, thousands of dollars), Type 3 (literature-demonstrated formulations with R&D, tens of thousands of dollars), and Type 4 (novel material with no literature precedent, hundreds of thousands of dollars). Services include materials properties characterization, cost modelling, production-representative process development, and IP development. Sold to industry, government, and academia.
Quantifiable outcome
- Replacing 10% of Boeing 737 interior plastics with Airloy could save an airline the size of Southwest $500M–$1B per year in fuel costs
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Aerogel Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Aerogel Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Aerogel Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- NASA Glenn Research CentercoreSince 2016, Aerogel Technologies has been partnered with NASA Glenn Research Center to bring NASA's aerogel materials to market. The partnership includes licensing NASA technologies (including exclusive rights in many fields for polyimide and polyamide aerogels), scientific research collaborations, and public outreach efforts. Aerogel Technologies licensed NASA's x-aerogel/polymer-crosslinked aerogel patents (originally developed from the company's own foundational patents) plus NASA's polyimide and polyamide aerogel patents for monolithic forms. For NASA technology licensing inquiries, contact Amy Hiltabidel at NASA Glenn.
- AirbusmajorMajor product development partnership with Airbus for aviation interior components using Airloy Ultramaterials as lightweight structural and insulating materials for aircraft. The partnership is part of a broader effort to integrate aerogels into commercial aviation applications including wall panels, interior structures, and other components where weight reduction delivers significant fuel savings.
- Ford Motor CompanymajorMajor product development partnership with Ford Motor Company for automotive applications using Airloy Ultramaterials. Applications include lightweighting vehicle components such as door panels, dash panels, undercarriages, and other parts to improve fuel efficiency and extend electric vehicle range, as well as soundproofing and thermal management applications.
- Cabot AerogelcoreAerogel Technologies distributes Cabot Aerogel products including Lumira aerogel particles for daylighting, Enova aerogel performance additives (IC3100, IC3110, IC3120), and Thermal Wrap insulating blankets through its BuyAerogel.com e-commerce platform. This is a distribution/partnership relationship where Aerogel Technologies resells Cabot's products alongside its own.
- Aspen AerogelscoreAerogel Technologies distributes Aspen Aerogels products including Spaceloft, Cryogel Z, and Pyrogel XTE aerogel blankets through its BuyAerogel.com e-commerce platform. This distribution partnership makes Aspen's products available alongside Aerogel Technologies' own products in a comprehensive aerogel marketplace.
- Tiem Factory Inc.minorAerogel Technologies distributes large hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths manufactured by Tiem Factory Inc. (based in Japan). These tiles are the largest commercially available hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths and are distributed through BuyAerogel.com for applications including transparent insulation and process visualization windows.
- SumteqminorAerogel Technologies distributes Sumteq Sumfoam thermoplastic polymer aerogel products (granules and powders), the world's first commercially available thermoplastic polymer aerogels, through BuyAerogel.com.
- AerogelexminorAerogel Technologies distributes Aerogelex biopolymer aerogel particles (based in Hamburg, Germany) through BuyAerogel.com. Products include aerogel particles based on alginate, caseinate, cellulose, egg, lignin, pectin and more for applications in drug delivery, personal products, and insulative packaging.
- Ioannis MichaloudisminorAerogel Technologies distributes unique handcrafted aerogel art products created by master aerogel artisan Dr. Ioannis Michaloudis (based in Greece), including Bottled Sky creations and other one-of-a-kind aerogel art objects sold through BuyAerogel.com.
- Gel LaboratoriesminorIn 2016, Aerogel Technologies opened its facility to materials and chemical technology startups in the Boston area to create Gel Laboratories, an incubator designed to accelerate startups in a way compatible with the unique time and resource constraints of these companies. This represents an internal incubation ecosystem rather than a traditional commercial partnership.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aerogel Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Huntsman Corporation: Huntsman is a global specialty chemicals producer with major polyurethane and polyimide systems serving automotive lightweighting, aerospace, and insulation end markets. Comparable as a deep-pocketed incumbent whose incumbent material specifications and global sales coverage Aerogel Technologies must compete against for OEM sockets.
- BASF (Performance Materials): BASF is a global chemical and advanced materials incumbent with a portfolio including polyurethane foams, polyimide systems, and insulation additives used in the same automotive, construction, and aerospace applications that Airloy targets. Functions as the broad incumbent competitor Aerogel Technologies must displace in incumbent-supplier-dominated enterprise specifications.
Emerging players
- Sumteq: Sumteq commercializes Sumfoam, claimed to be the world's first commercially available thermoplastic polymer aerogel (granules and powders). Distributed by Aerogel Technologies through BuyAerogel.com; competes with specific Airloy X-series SKUs in polymer aerogel format targeting recyclable/thermoformable end uses.
- Tiem Factory Inc. Japan-based Tiem Factory manufactures some of the largest commercially available hydrophobic silica aerogel monoliths (10 cm x 10 cm tiles), which Aerogel Technologies distributes in North America. Comparable as a niche specialty aerogel manufacturer competing for transparent insulation and specialty optics applications.
- Svenska Aerogel: Svenska Aerogel is a Sweden-based producer commercializing Quartzene, a quartz-based aerogel material sold in powder and granulate form for insulation, paint, and coatings. Comparable as a niche aerogel materials start-up but lacking the strong, machinable bulk polymer aerogels Airloy is built around.
- JIOS Aerogel: JIOS Aerogel is a Korea-based manufacturer of silica aerogel powders and composites focused on industrial insulation and energy-saving applications. Comparable to Aerogel Technologies in offering particulate aerogel products to construction and industrial markets but without the polymer-crosslinked Airloy platform.
- Aerogelex: Aerogelex (Hamburg, Germany) produces biopolymer-based aerogel particles (alginate, cellulose, lignin, etc.) for drug delivery, personal products, and packaging. Distributed through BuyAerogel.com and overlaps with Aerogel Technologies in biopolymer aerogel particle use cases for cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications.
Direct peers
- Aspen Aerogels: Aspen Aerogels is the largest publicly traded pure-play aerogel insulation manufacturer (NYSE: ASPN), producing Spaceloft, Cryogel, and Pyrogel blanket products for energy infrastructure and building insulation. Aerogel Technologies actively distributes Aspen's products through BuyAerogel.com, confirming direct category overlap in mechanical-property and blanket aerogel formats.
- Enova Aerogels (brand within Cabot): Enova is Cabot Corporation's fine-particle aerogel performance-additive brand (IC3100/3110/3120) used in insulative coatings, building materials, and daylighting. Comparable to Aerogel Technologies' particle and coating-product layer of the Airloy line and competing directly on the BuyAerogel.com shelf alongside it.
- Cabot Corporation (Cabot Aerogel): Cabot Corporation's aerogel business produces Lumira daylighting particles, Enova performance additives, and Thermal Wrap blanket products sold through BuyAerogel.com. Cabot is one of the two long-standing, scaled aerogel incumbents alongside Aspen and represents Aerogel Technologies' most direct competitive threat in opaque and translucent aerogel products.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aerogel Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceAerogel Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aerogel Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Aerogel Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aerogel Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aerogel Technologies
What does Aerogel Technologies do?
Aerogel Technologies manufactures and sells mechanically strong aerogel materials (its Airloy Ultramaterials line) and traditional monolithic aerogels, plus distributes third-party aerogel products through BuyAerogel.com. The company also offers custom aerogel R&D and manufacturing services, ranging from minor customization of stock products to full development of novel materials with no literature precedent. Core technology is the patent-pending Stelmakh process, which produces mechanically robust aerogels at ambient pressure without supercritical drying, enabling theoretically unlimited panel dimensions at significantly lower cost.
Is Aerogel Technologies a public or private company?
Aerogel Technologies is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aerogel Technologies founded?
Aerogel Technologies was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aerogel Technologies based?
Aerogel Technologies is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aerogel Technologies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (E-commerce) is the primary driver. The others are custom Aerogel Solutions (R&D, Custom Manufacturing) and technology Licensing (NASA Technologies).
Who are Aerogel Technologies's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Huntsman Corporation and BASF (Performance Materials). Emerging players are Sumteq, Tiem Factory Inc., Svenska Aerogel, JIOS Aerogel and Aerogelex. Direct peers are Aspen Aerogels, Enova Aerogels (brand within Cabot) and Cabot Corporation (Cabot Aerogel).
Does Aerogel Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aerogel Technologies.
What industry is Aerogel Technologies in?
Aerogel Technologies's product category is Advanced Aerogel Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAGAG, Aerogel & Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs). Its NAICS code is 3252 and its SIC code is 2821.