Avadain

Imagine a world where batteries are more efficient, medical devices are safer, computers are more powerful, planes fly faster, and our troops are safer.

All this — and far more — is possible with graphene. Graphene is the strongest, thinnest, lightest, most thermally and electrically-conducting material in history. In fact, it’s defined as a “super material” — a substance with remarkable physical properties.

For graphene to reach its potential, a high-quality supply of it needs to be manufactured at large volumes. It needs to be affordable, too. Until recently, the breakthrough technology to solve this challenge this didn’t exist. But now, a startup called Avadain has created it.

Avadain is a materials-science company using patented technology to produce superior-quality graphene flakes at a low cost. Its large, nearly-defect free flakes overcome the technical obstacles that have plagued the graphene industry. And its manufacturing process can potentially meet the need for more than eighty percent of the global market for graphene flakes — an opportunity worth billions of dollars.

Team Background

Phil Van Wormer - Co-Founder & CCO

Phil has more than 40 years of experience developing and commercializing new technologies and products. These include advanced membranes, films, polymers, aerospace composites, super capacitors, and electric vehicles.

He began his career with DuPoint, a chemicals company, serving as a product manager. From there, he spent four years as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing with GE Capital, a financial services business.

More recently, he was Global Marketing Leader with Agilent Technologies, a manufacturer of test equipment and supplies for the pharmaceutical, life science, food safety, and chemical processing industries. He then became Principal of Vita Vis Sustainable Solutions, a consulting company for alternative energy businesses.

Additional manufacturing experience includes leading the turnaround of a $100 million polymer manufacturing operation in Texas and starting a film manufacturing facility in Japan.

In addition to his experience in the materials sector, Phil has worked in transportation and logistics. He was Chief Commercial Officer with TotalTrax, a provider of real-time vehicle and driver inventory tracking technologies. He was then CEO of ev Transportation Services (evTS), which develops all-electric commercial utility vehicles.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University.

Brad Larschan - Co-Founder & CEO

Brad co-founded Avadain and has been involved with the development and patenting of its technology since 2016. He’s served on the company’s Board of Directors since its inception and arranged an early investment in its technology by Panasonic.

In addition to his role with Avadain, he is co-founder & CEO of Bastille, a company that commercializes disruptive technologies created by universities and research institutions.

Brad’s experience includes patenting and commercializing IP-based technologies. He is a member of the IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists, which identifies individuals leading strategies to maximize the value of IP portfolios.

Earlier in his career, Brad held leadership roles in several early-stage companies. Before that, he was an international lawyer in Washington D.C.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Political Science from Boston University, a Master’s degree in International Law from Tufts University, and a Law degree from Boston College Law School.

Co-Investors