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Startups: Grow like USound

Much sound from tiny speakers: The Graz-based startup USound, which was founded in 2014, has already registered around 150 patents and is thus far ahead in this technology sector.

What does USound do?

The Graz start-up USound develops and produces MEMS – Micro Electro Mechanical Systems. These are based on the principle of piezoelectricity. In the process, solids react to pressure by releasing an electrical voltage. Conversely, piezoelectric materials convert electricity into pressure. In the case of MEMS these are sound waves.

While conventional loudspeakers require a permanent magnet, the MEMS come with a piezoelectric layer, which is applied to silicon. This allows a much smaller design and also saves a good 50 percent of energy. Both are ideal for applications in headphones or smartphones, where the speakers contribute 10 to 15 percent to the battery life and the size of each component plays a crucial role. In addition, the MEMS generate no electromagnetic fields that can interfere with other components in the phone. “The MEMS are the LED of the acoustics, so to speak”. says USound CEO and co-founder Ferrucio Bottoni.

The current main application of the loudspeakers from Graz are headphones and in-ear systems. “The sound of our MEMS is even better than the alternatives in in-ear solutions”, says Bottoni proudly of the product. “At the moment we are concentrating on this area, because we put a lot of money into the development and want to play it back in the first place.”

Large order from China

The first step was taken in autumn of the previous year. An order for one million micro loudspeakers per year went from the Chinese producer 3nod Acousticlink from Shenzhen to the Grazer. The Chinese want to block the piezoelectric speakers in headphones. The MEMS are manufactured by ST Microelectronics near Milan and the company Flex in Althofen, Carinthia. “98 percent of the parts for our microspeakers come from Europe”, emphasizes Bottoni.

The micro loudspeakers from the Graz startup USound offer high audio quality, integration capability and small designs. © Video: Styrian Business Promotion SFG

USound sees itself primarily as a developer, two-thirds of the approximately 60 employees are employed in this area. So far, they had focused purely on the technological side. “This year the market is entering – on a grand scale,” says a pleased Bottoni. “That’s why we’ll be hiring new sales, marketing and production managers, mostly in Graz”. Because of its momentum and focus on innovation, USound was also named Company of the Month in March.

Project car sound

In the next two to three years, USound wants to grow organically and expand its product portfolio. So there are already prototypes for a speaker system that could find application in the car. “We’re still struggling a bit with physics, because for the perfect reproduction of low notes, you need a large area that generates the sound waves”, says the Usound CEO. But this can be solved by arranging a larger number of MEMS in a matrix.

Usound In-Ear Headphones: A Revolution in Acoustic USound

In the long term, Bottoni can even imagine an IPO in addition to steady growth. After a financing round a few weeks ago, he and co-founder Andrea Rusconi each owned 13 percent of USound, with three percent owned by co-founder Jörg Schönbacher. The rest is in the hands of private investors around the former owner of Sensor Dynamics, Herbert Gartner. There, Bottoni and Rusconi had also worked long until they became self-employed after selling the company to a US corporation.

Does glass work, too?

At some point, the company wants to become the provider of overall loudspeaker systems. For the time being however technical developments are on the program. On the one hand, the efficiency of the MEMS should be improved, which can be achieved with optimized materials. Optimizations are also possible in production. And finally, according to Bottoni, one wants to use not only silicon but also other substrates for the piezoelectric layer – such as plastic or glass.

Published inStartups
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