geCKo Materials Debuts New Products at JS Disrupt
After being the runner-up in the JS Disrupt Startup Battlefield in 2024, geCKo Materials made a triumphant return to this year’s show with the unveiling of new products as part of its continued efforts to commercialize its groundbreaking technology.
Dr. Capella Kerst, the founder of geCKo Materials, showcased four innovative uses of the company’s super-strong dry adhesive technology. These new applications include a semiconductor wafer handling tool, a robotic gripper designed for smooth surfaces such as solar panels or glass, a curved robotic “end effector” for handling irregular shapes, and an all-purpose gripper for robotic arms.
The inspiration behind geCKo’s technology stems from the adhesive properties of real-life lizards’ feet. Kerst likened the technology to a new form of Velcro that offers advantages such as residue-free attachment and detachment, rapid adhesion, and no need for electrical charge or suction. Remarkably, a one-inch tile of geCKo’s dry adhesive can support up to 16 pounds and be attached and detached as many as 120,000 times, with the capability to remain attached for varying durations.
The versatility of geCKo’s dry adhesive in adapting to diverse manufacturing, picking, and robotic applications has garnered significant interest. Prior to her appearance at last year’s Battlefield stage, Kerst’s company had already secured clients such as Ford, NASA, and Pacific Gas & Electric.
During her presentation at JS Disrupt, Kerst highlighted the company’s impressive growth over the past year. geCKo Materials has tripled its team size, completed an $8 million fundraising round, and seen its dry adhesive technology utilized in six space missions. This success underscores the material’s ability to perform in various environments, including vacuum conditions.
Onstage, Kerst demonstrated a Fanuc robotic arm equipped with six geCKo tiles efficiently manipulating objects, showcasing the technology’s practical applications. In a video presentation, she showcased the safe and rapid movement of semiconductor wafers using geCKo’s material, surpassing the acceleration capabilities of traditional suction or vacuum methods.
“Our partners at TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and Kawasaki challenged us to move the wafers at 2Gs of acceleration. We exceeded expectations by achieving 5.4Gs of acceleration consistently and reliably with geCKo materials,” Kerst explained.
