By Kyle Alspach
Lilliputian Systems Inc., a developer of tiny fuel cells intended to charge portable electronics, is set to move into its first phase of manufacturing thanks to financial help from two quasi-public state agencies, a company official said.The Wilmington company recently received a $5 million, low-cost loan from MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, said Mouli Ramani, company vice president of business development. The money will help buy wafer manufacturing equipment for the Wilmington facility, allowing the company to transition from development of its silicon power cells to larger-scale manufacturing, he said.
“We’ve committed to expanding right here in Massachusetts because they’ve been so good with us,” Ramani said.
The company intends to bring its first product to the market soon – a “USB mobile power system” that would use silicon cell cartridges to charge consumer electronics such as cell phones and MP3 players, Ramani said.
The product will not be sold under the Lilliputian name, he said, but by one of the company’s partners, who he did not name. Ramani didn’t have an estimate on when the product could arrive on the market.
A cartridge for the system is expected to cost $1.99 and would provide enough power to keep a cell phone charged for two weeks, Ramani said.
The silicon cells are also currently being tested by companies in Asia, the U.S. and Europe, which may integrate the cells into future products to be sold to consumers, he said.
The technology has been approved for use on aircraft and is environmentally-friendly, causing just one-sixth of the carbon emissions of using a wall charger, according to Lilliputian.
The company, which employs 40 people currently, also plans to increase its staff “significantly” as part of the upcoming expansion, Ramani said, declining to provide specifics. The company is investing funds “well in excess of the state’s contribution” for the expansion, he said.
Lilliputian Systems has raised more than $90 million in venture capital funding since it was founded in 2001.
