From the microscopic world of nanotechnology to the vast expanse of space, Dr. Gadhadar Reddy is blazing a trail of innovation. His work at NoPo Nanotechnologies has led to revolutionary advancements in water purification, medical diagnostics, electronics, and electric batteries powered by the extraordinary potential of nanotubes.
Founded in 2011, NoPo recently closed Round 1 of venture capital funding for $3M from notable investors led by Micelio (Axilor) and Inflexor. It is now set to expand its Bengaluru factory to manufacture nanotubes for a number of transformative applications.
“I named my company NoPo as a tongue-in-cheek rebuttal of the phrase ‘Not Possible.’ I like to take on the impossible,” Gadhadar says. Gadhadar’s ambitions don’t stop with planet Earth. Now, he’s turning his gaze to the stars. His latest venture, Vrisva, leverages advances in nanotechnology to create lighter, stronger spacecraft.
Revolutionary Applications of Nanotubes
Gadhadar Reddy is so much more than a nerdy, brilliant scientist. He’s a visionary entrepreneur. Convinced that nanotubes—those unimaginably small cylinders of carbon atoms—could revolutionize the world, Gadhadar and his team embarked on a quest to harness their power. Their first breakthrough came in water purification. Inspired by nature’s aquaporins, they created membranes that mimicked this natural process, allowing water molecules to flow through with unprecedented efficiency. This innovation holds the promise of solving one of the world’s most pressing challenges: access to clean water.
From Semiconductors to Lithium Batteries
But Gadhadar’s ambitions were far from quenched. He saw the potential of nanotubes in electronics, a realm where size is everything. “We have been working with partners to take a 40×40-nanometer structure and shrink it to just 1×10 nanometer with the nanotubes,” he explains. With meticulous precision, his team has developed and consistently produces nanotubes of exact dimensions, a feat no one else has achieved. These tiny structures are the building blocks for the next generation of chips, promising faster, more powerful computers. Yet another application is in lithium batteries. NoPo’s single-walled nanotubes help significantly increase the capacity of lithium batteries. “Today we’re one of a handful of suppliers for this material and there is huge demand,” Gadhadar notes.
Medical Diagnostics and Cancer Treatment
Gadhadar’s nanotubes promise to revolutionize medical diagnostics as well. When fed into the human body and illuminated with infrared light, these nanotubes act as beacons, highlighting cancer cells with unparalleled accuracy. This discovery has opened doors to new cancer treatments.
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