It is one of the largest producers of graphene. A start-up that was born in Como and by the lake still retains its main office. But to find the resources to grow and develop her projects, in 2016 she landed in London and was listed on the Aim market.
Directa Plus is the classic example of a company that a country that really wants to focus on innovation to grab the relaunch train should absolutely enhance and protect. Graphene is a fascinating world, a new technology that will be strategic for the future. Having an Italian company among the global champions of the sector is an advantage that must be maintained and can bring added value to many other manufacturing companies.
The nanotechnologies currently in use in the Lomazzo (Como) plants make this material extremely versatile. It is successfully used in textiles, in asphalts for roads, in water purification, in masks thanks to its antimicrobiotic qualities and trials are underway for use in lithium-sulfur batteries, as well as for numerous other uses.
The Directa Plus graphene production process is among the most innovative, protected by 65 patents: it is the only company in the world to use only physical and non-chemical processes. This, in addition to guaranteeing a better product, guarantees its sustainability.
The latest challenge of Directa Plus, founded by Giulio Cesareo, who is also its CEO, is the use of graphene to produce shoes. The Como-based company has reached an agreement with the Norda group to integrate its “G +” graphene membrane into the “Norda 001” multifunctional shoe. The membrane guarantees thermal efficiency, lightness and antibacterial effects. It is the first time that a graphene membrane has been integrated into a shoe, so much so that the shoe will be presented as one of the most innovative products at the ISPO Munich in January 2022, the largest international sporting goods fair. “A new opportunity opens up in an important market – comments Cesareo – This product is a further demonstration of how the most innovative technologies can have an immediate use in our life”.
Perhaps the most fascinating project Directa Plus is working on concerns electric batteries. Graphene combined with sulfur to replace rare earths in lithium ion batteries. The company is working on it together with the American NexTech. The goal is to create a battery that costs half that of lithium-ion and can deliver an energy density, that is energy for weight, five times higher. This means that a car could travel around a thousand kilometers. Not only that: unlike lithium batteries, those with graphene do not run any risk of catching fire.
After listing on the London AIM (where it has grown by 60% since the beginning of the year, reaching a capitalization of 83 million pounds), Directa Plus closed the first half with 4.56 million in revenues (+ 41%). Not much, it is true, compared to the big names in hi-tech. But the growth potential is enormous. So much so that it has attracted the attention of investors. The first shareholder became Patrick Soon-Shiong, the American billionaire who recently bought the Los Angeles Times for $ 500 million. Doctor, scientist, biotechnology expert, Soon-Shiong became the majority shareholder of Directa Plus by acquiring 18.95% of the shares two years ago. At 68th place in the latest Forbes 400 ranking, Soon-Shiong is a mix of ethnic groups: born in South Africa, of Chinese descent, American by adoption: in addition to inventing a very successful drug for the treatment of some types of cancer, the ‘Abraxaneha, he built his fortune by creating and selling businesses in the biotech sector. Founder and owner of NantWorks, a network of hi-tech and biotech companies listed on Nasdaq, in addition to the Los Angeles Times, he owns other publications and is one of the owners of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Bargain hunters like Soon-Shiong have a flair and crowds of consultants, and also keep an eye on our country, where start-ups and young and innovative companies struggle to find the capital to grow. The risk, not even so uncertain, is that Italy will end up being impoverished.