E Ink Backs Copper-Ink Startup Newcopper to Cut Materials Costs
2026-09-18 · via invidis
E Ink has made an early-stage investment in Newcopper, a US startup developing conductive copper ink as a lower-cost alternative to silver ink used in printed electronics. The deal matters to anyone buying electronic shelf labels or e-paper signage, since it points at a potential materials cost reduction further down the supply chain.
Conductive inks form the electrical pathways in printed components used in displays, sensors, RFID tags, solar cells and connected devices. Silver ink dominates the category because of its conductivity, but its price has pushed manufacturers to look for substitutes. Copper is cheaper and also conductive, but it oxidizes easily, which has kept it out of most printed electronics applications until now.
Newcopper says it has developed a low-temperature, reactive, self-passivating copper ink formulation designed to solve the oxidation problem. The underlying research came out of work led by Professor Shenqiang Ren at the University of Maryland and Professor Liangbing Hu at Yale University. Newcopper holds an exclusive license from the University of Maryland covering the formulation.
E Ink structured the investment as a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity, or SAFE, which gives it the right to convert into equity at a future financing round rather than buying shares at a fixed valuation now. The company did not disclose the amount invested.
According to E Ink, Newcopper's ink is compatible with its existing roll-to-roll coating processes, and its R&D team will evaluate the material for possible use in future displays and electrode applications. E Ink also said the investment could support a more localized supply chain for components used in e-paper products, including electronic shelf labels, retail media displays and digital signage.
"As an established leader in materials and display manufacturing, it's our responsibility to help promising companies scale," said Johnson Lee, E Ink's chairman and CEO, in the announcement.
What it means for operators
The announcement does not specify a timeline for when, or whether, copper ink formulations from Newcopper would appear in commercial E Ink products. It also does not disclose pricing implications, production volumes, or which specific product lines might use the material first. E Ink is the dominant supplier of electrophoretic displays used across electronic shelf labels and e-paper signage, so any move to diversify its materials sourcing away from silver is worth watching, particularly for retailers and signage buyers sensitive to hardware cost trends. For now this is a strategic bet on a supplier, not a product announcement, and there is no indication of when any resulting technology would reach the market.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
The e-paper manufacturer will support the US startup as it scales a copper-based alternative to the silver inks commonly used in printed electronics.
E Ink has made an early-stage investment in Newcopper, a US startup developing conductive copper ink for displays and other printed electronics.
The companies will explore technical collaboration in display materials while working to scale Newcopper’s manufacturing and commercialization. The value of the investment was not disclosed.
Conductive inks create the electrical pathways used in printed components for displays, sensors, RFID devices, solar technology and connected products. Silver ink is widely used because of its conductivity, but its price has encouraged manufacturers to seek alternatives.
Copper is less expensive and also highly conductive, although its tendency to oxidize has limited its use in printed electronics. However, Newcopper has developed what it describes as a low-temperature, reactive and self-passivating formulation intended to address that problem.
The technology originated in research led by Professor Shenqiang Ren at the University of Maryland and Professor Liangbing Hu at Yale University. Newcopper holds an exclusive University of Maryland license covering the formulation.
E Ink is making the investment through a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), which gives the company the right to receive equity following a future financing event rather than immediately purchasing shares at a fixed valuation.
Newcopper’s formulation is compatible with E Ink’s roll-to-roll coating processes. E Ink said its research and development team will evaluate the material for possible use in future displays and electrode applications.
The investment could also support a more localized supply chain for components used in e-paper products, including electronic shelf labels, retail media displays and digital signage.
“As an established leader in materials and display manufacturing, it’s our responsibility to help promising companies scale,” said Johnson Lee, E Ink’s chairman and CEO.