[The Kwangwoon University 2025 Pre-Startup Package CEO] Nextmaterials, Leading the Future of High-Thermal Conductivity Fillers and Thermal Materials Solutions

Doohwan Lee CEO of Nextmaterials

-Utilizing proprietary Core-Shell structure technology and self-manufactured graphene additives

-Developing innovative core materials that enable significantly faster and more efficient heat dissipation than conventional solutions

Nextmaterials is a specialized thermal interface material (TIM) technology company founded to address ‘heat management’—the most formidable challenge in high-performance hardware, including advanced semiconductors and electronic equipment. The company was established in August 2025 by CEO Doohwan Lee, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering who has dedicated over 20 years to materials technology research at domestic corporate institutes and universities.

The company’s flagship products are high-thermal conductivity fillers and surface characterization solutions. In electronics, Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) are essential for transferring heat between heat-generating chips and heatsinks. Nextmaterials produces ‘fillers’ the critical component of these materials. By leveraging proprietary Core-Shell structure technology and in-house manufactured graphene additives, the company has developed an innovative core material that dissipates heat far more efficiently than existing alternatives.

Nextmaterials competitive edge lies in its market-leading performance and seamless compatibility with existing manufacturing processes. “Our Core-Shell fillers exhibit thermal conductivity more than four times higher than spherical alumina—the current industry standard—and double that of spherical magnesia, which is gaining attention as a next-generation material”, explained CEO Doohwan Lee. “By integrating our unique surface treatment technology, we have drastically increased the filler loading ratio to maximize thermal performance. Most importantly, our products are developed as ‘Drop-in’ solutions that can be applied immediately without requiring customers to modify their existing manufacturing lines, significantly reducing the burden of adopting new materials.”

Currently, Nextmaterials is fostering close technical partnerships with domestic thermal material specialists and pursuing joint development for commercialization. In its early stages, the company is focusing on 1:1 technical consulting and sample testing with specialized manufacturers to verify performance in real-world applications. Building on this foundation, Nextmaterials plans to aggressively expand into global markets through participation in international trade shows and the publication of technical white papers.

The company secured initial commercialization funding through major government-backed tech startup support programs, including the ‘Preliminary Startup Package’ and the ‘Lab-Specialized Startup Support Project.’ Moving forward, Nextmaterials plans to focus on optimization for market fit in 2026, followed by reliability verification of prototypes and the establishment of a pilot production line in 2027. Once process stability is secured around 2028, the company intends to pursue full-scale investment in mass-production facilities and venture capital (VC) funding to leapfrog into a global enterprise.

Regarding his motivation for founding the startup, Lee stated, “The thermal management market is undergoing a structural shift due to semiconductor miniaturization and the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market. I noticed that while global demand for high-thermal dissipation materials is surging, there is a heavy reliance on imports for core filler materials. I decided to start this business to address this market gap with domestic technology and create world-class materials. With the support of government grants and capital investment, we have established our headquarters and R&D center in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do.”

Reflecting on his experience as an entrepreneur, Lee shared, “It is incredibly rewarding to see technology that I’ve refined in the lab for years become the key to solving technical challenges in the industry. Engaging with field engineers and receiving positive feedback on our materials potential reinforces my sense of mission—not just as a researcher, but as an entrepreneur—to successfully commercialize this technology.”

The Nextmaterials team is composed of industry veterans with 15 to 20 years of experience, including Ph.D.-level developers and experts in materials and process design. Based on this deep expertise, the company plans to expand its professional workforce to over 16 members by 2029 to establish a robust organizational structure.

Outlining his future vision, Lee said, “In the short term, we aim to secure product reliability and establish optimal mass-production processes by 2027. Our long-term goal is to achieve an annual revenue of 5 billion KRW by 2029 and emerge as a global leader in thermal management solutions. I want to contribute to the technological independence of Korea's future materials industry.”

Establishment Date: August 2025
Core Business: High-thermal conductivity fillers and thermal technology solutions
Key Achievements: 3 registered patents and 1 pending application; Selected for 3 government-backed startup and R&D support programs

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com