[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Intermolecular, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMI) announces today that Epistar, Corp. (TWSE:2448) and Intermolecular, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMI), have signed a collaborative development program (CDP) and royalty-bearing IP licensing agreement to increase the efficiency and reduce cost of Epistar‘s light emitting diode (LED) devices. Under this agreement, Epistar and Intermolecular engineers will work together to leverage Intermolecular’s High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC™) technology platform to dramatically accelerate development and manufacturing qualification of novel materials and processes for advanced LED products.

“After a rigorous review of Intermolecular‘s capabilities through an initial collaboration engagement, we have seen how their combinatorial approach to materials innovation and device integration can augment Epistar’s leadership in LED technology,” said M. J. Jou, president of Epistar. “Collaboration with our industry partners has been critical to our world-leading R&D and manufacturing strategy. We are confident that leveraging Intermolecular's team and technology platform will further increase our competitive advantage.”

The commercial LED market is highly competitive, and new technologies created by R&D are needed to both improve light output and to reduce costs. A multi-functional team of technologists from Epistar and Intermolecular will work together using the HPC Platform to accelerate the pace of R&D ten times or more compared to what can be achieved in a conventional LED lab.

“We are very excited to partner with Epistar, a global leader in LED manufacturing,” commented Sandeep Nijhawan, senior vice president and general manager of Intermolecular's clean energy group. “Entering into a strategic engagement with a top-tier LED company like Epistar validates the applicability and disruptive potential of the HPC technology platform for LEDs, a market that continues to have tremendous room for growth and technology innovation.”