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Our material is the result of a 5 year scientific journey led by our Chief Science Officer Dr. Massimo Bertino PhD.
Know as “Max” on the team, he is a widely recognized material scientist with multiple research citations and patents awarded during his celebrated career running the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Doctoral Program at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Alongside Everett Carpenter PhD, a leading materials engineering leader and CEO of ThermaGEL Innovations, they have developed and refined ThermaGEL’s material science, solving the decades old problem which has limited the availability of the best insulation ever developed: Aerogels.
Technology
Using a truly innovative approach, this new aerogel material is a unique formulation of bio-based and readily available precursors, which once mixed and dried in a patented, proprietary process, can deliver unprecedented thermal properties that will define the future of insulation.
This new proven approach re-defines aerogel technology for the current century and beyond, making it available across multiple construction applications, and readily available to resolve growing energy challenges.
Our magic happens in the manufacturing process ensuring low-cost large-scale manufacturing and a significantly greener, more efficient process.
All our materials are the result of extensive research with Virginia Commonwealth University, The US Department of Transportation, US Department of Energy, and the US Military.
In addition to the performance testing carried out by those partners, we have also obtained independent certification of our performance from Capital Testing and Intertek.
As a result of our scientific experience and our materials engineering expertise, we have consistently delivered a product that has exceeded expectations, in every test.
ThermaGEL’s scalable approach, allows us to serve applications in diverse areas including: walls, ceilings, heat generating machinery, battery protection, critical fire safety, military applications, refrigeration, shipping, emergency shelters, medical and pharmaceutical, solar cells, greenhouses, and agriculture.
With an aggressive bio-based product pipeline, our mission is to deliver superior next generation insulation, while reducing energy waste and C02 emissions.
We manufacture a product with a carbon footprint 90% less environmentally impactful when compared to industry incumbents like PIR.
Our fireproofing material emits no toxic or environmentally harmful fumes.
We continue to evolve our science across all industries where the impacts of climate change are not yet effectively mitigated.
We aspire to be the de-facto insulation solutions provider in the coming decades.
Our aerogel material is manufactured as dried wafers which are then turned into VIPs (Vacuum Insulated Panels) increasing performance even further.
Our base panel delivers R18 at just 1″thick. We can deliver a variety of thermal values in various form factors, with a 3″ thick panel delivering a staggering R54 thermal resistance.
Our fireproof granules can be utilized as a packing powder material or cell divider between individual lithium cells and other voids in large battery arrays. We are able to support existing arrays and new battery systems.
This process protects aligned cells from thermal runaway and the cascading effects that cause complete catastrophic system failure.
ThermaGel Innovations is a materials science company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. We specialize in the manufacture of next-generation high-performance materials that improve thermal resistance, fire resistance, and overall building efficiency and safety. Our mission is to deliver sustainable insulation technologies for a wide range of industries, including commercial and residential construction, refrigeration, grid-level battery storage, and beyond.
We threw away conventional wisdom and reimagined aerogel technology from the ground up. ThermaGel Innovations has a patented and proven proprietary formulation and manufacturing process to create thermal material that has multiple applications across many different industries. – No other company has a single material that can be utilized in so many areas.
ThermaGel Innovations was founded in 2023 and built on more than a decade of publicly and privately funded research and development by its founders in advanced aerogel materials.
We are an independently backed startup, currently in our Series A fundraising stage. Our leadership team includes scientists, engineers, financial and business strategists with deep domain expertise in materials science, energy infrastructure, business affairs and startup growth.
We are a mature start-up in that our founders have completed more than a decade of R&D into our base product. Our MVP is a multi-patented process and is a material ready for manufacture and deployment.
For the first time in history, our manufacturing process allows us to redefine the concept of affordable aerogel material insulation, by discarding many of the historical challenges and manufacturing requirements of the existing competitors.
Our high performance aerogels are built on a lean continuous casting production system that manufactures at scale.
Each product we make, utilizes a proprietary combination of commodity chemicals and bio-based or recycled ingredients alongside a proprietary manufacturing process, resulting in a high-performance aerogel materials and products.
Our chemistry and manufacturing process is protected by a robust patent portfolio which avoids toxic or rare substances keeping us scalable and sustainable.
We are a US manufacturer with our own facility near Richmond VA. . We expect to scale to over 100 new local jobs in the next few years.
While traditional aerogels — such as those made from silica — are known for their extremely low thermal conductivity, they are brittle, fragile, and difficult to manufacture at scale or to competitively price for widespread building use.
ThermaGel maintains comparable thermal performance but is far more robust, easier to handle, and less expensive to manufacture. Our composite aerogel structure solves key limitations in legacy silica aerogels and is designed specifically for real-world construction environments.
Aerogels are ultra-lightweight porous materials with extreme thermal resistance. They are often called ‘frozen smoke’ due to their unique structure. ThermaGel’s aerogel is engineered to be stronger, more durable and easier to handle than traditional silica aerogels making it ideal for use in construction, refrigeration and a myriad of other areas.
Our crystal and EmberX™ products are equally robust but designed for use in battery safety applications.
Yes. Aerogels have a long history with NASA and other aerospace agencies, most famously used to insulate the Mars Rover and other spacecraft due to their unmatched ability to withstand extreme temperatures while adding minimal weight.
ThermaGel’s approach is different, and all our owned patents are unique to our company Our aerogels use a different approach and a unique formulation to bring aerospace-grade science into scalable use for the built environment — without the high cost and fragility of older formulas.
ThermaGel Innovations currently offers three distinct product lines.
The Fortico™ line of ForticoPro™ and ForticoX™ VIP Panels. These VIP panels are moisture, mold and rodent resistant as well as offering different levels of fire resistance and fireproof.
EmberX™ For use in Thermal runaway protection and battery protection. A granular fire safety crystal for integration into BESS, Grid level storage, battery manufacturing. EmberX™ can also be delivered as a thin mechanically sound board for integration into battery housings. Currently this is only available to the US Military and via Joint Development Agreement (JDA).
ChillArmor™ This product offers a slimline ultra-high value thermal resistance for used in refrigeration envelopes and addresses the high energy consumption weight and longevity of incumbent solutions. This is only available via Joint Development Agreement ( JDA) and aimed at appliance manufacturers, cold storage manufacturers and refrigerated shipping companies where retrofit can drive substantial costs savings both in weight and energy consumption.
Our aerogel panels offer thermal resistance (R-values) that outperform conventional insulation by 3x–5x per inch. For example, our panels provide an R-value of ~18 per inch, significantly higher than fiberglass (R-3 to R-4) or spray foam (R-6 to R-7). That means you can achieve superior insulation performance with less material thickness. Aside from better performance and lower overhead costs. Using our slimline panels when compared to thicker encumbent solutions results in more usable space in your structure. This is particularly important in commercial retrofit applications so owners can reduce energy expenses.
Yes. Independent testing confirms that ThermaGel materials and products are flame-retardant, self-extinguishing, and capable of withstanding high temperatures without ignition. It complies with key fire safety benchmarks and emits negligible toxic compounds under heat exposure.
ThermaGel offers several products with different fire ratings.
It’s Fortico-X R18 VIP Panel is fire resistant at 1 inch thick. Its premium panel is R18 Fireproof at 1.5” thick. Incremental multiplication of the R Value does not increase necessity for additional fireproofing material thickness meaning that an R54 Fireproof panel is only 3.5” thick, with a Fire Resistant R54 delivering at 3” thick.
Our VIP panels are sealed against moisture and the natural polymer backbone of our aerogel is both resistant to moisture and a deterrent for pests and rodents.
Our panels are engineered for durability and strength, with compressive resistance greater than 1.25 MPa—comparable to paper-backed gypsum board. This allows for easy installation in retrofit and new-build environments.
We cannot currently offer independently verified performance in this category however our scientific team do plan to seek certification in this category based on positive laboratory results.
Fortico™ panels help reduce energy consumption by reducing the effects of thermal bridges. This is achieved by installation of a layer of our thermal insulation on top of existing building envelopes where traditional thermal bridges such as wall and ceilings studs and joists are not protected by traditional insulation. The benefit of our material is not just its thermal protection but its slim line profile and material strength which allows it to be adhered to the existing building envelopes and then finished in a variety of ways without significant occupancy downtime and loss of useable space.
Continuous insulation provides a level of insulation across all the surface of a wall or ceiling. In doing so, the thermal bridges, like studs, are covered thereby dramatically cutting down on thermal conductance. In a typical application, the insulation applied between the studs might be as high as R9, but due to the stud acting as the thermal bridge the overall insulation value of the wall can be reduced to R6. By covering the wall with our continuous insulation, we can maintain a far superior R-18 on the wall, thereby cutting the over energy lose through the wall by over 60%.
ThermaGel insulation products can help reduce your operating cost by lowering your electricity and other utility costs. Better insulation keeps your building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter and uses less energy to heat or cool it.
By reducing the overall energy costs associated with HVAC, you reduce the wear and tear on HVAC systems, thereby increasing lifespan.
Traditional retrofits can reduce a building footprint, so there is a smaller area to drive income. Our retrofit materials protect the initial building investment and increase building value by meeting growing requirements for building efficiency and protecting the long term value of any structure in a real estate portfolio.
ForticoX™ pays for itself over a relatively short time – 2-3.5 years. (Payback time will vary based upon individual building variants.) Additionally, the cumulative savings will improve over time as energy costs rise, making this type of capital investment a strong financial proposition for people leading operations, sustainability or financial affairs.
For new construction products, architects, engineers and builders can consider fewer structural building materials when using our products as a result of the reduction in weight of the materials when compared to other types of insulation. This could lead to significant building saving on large steel or concrete structures
YES! we have a number of independent certifications from InterTEK for thermal properties and Capital Testing for the fire ratings and behavior. The US Navy has also done a number of important fire and battery tests and validated our properties through our (CRADA) Research and Development Agreement, concurrently the Army is also currently in a series of tests using our materials for other applications.
Products are offered directly through the company and through independent sales reps in the US. For more information, please contact us and a member of our sales team will contact you.
Our VIP panels can be installed in both interior and exterior applications and as part of integrated building envelopes where the structural integrity and slim line form factor create a strong value proposition when creating seamless insulation without thermal bridges
Products are not currently available for residential use except through channel partnerships and residential building builders and architects.
Yes. there are minimum orders for new clients unless you are engaged in a Joint Development Agreement ( JDA) For more information on orders and pricing please follow contact us and a member of our sales team will contact you.
Please contact us and a member of our sales team will contact you.
There are several ways to install the Fortico™ line of panels depending on the application – whether it is interior retrofit /exterior retrofit or in wall. Our sales team and engineers will be able to assist customers with specific information. There are specific criteria which must be followed by installers, but no special tools are needed to install the Fortico™ lines of panels whether ForticoX™ or ForticoPro™. For more information or, if you are an existing customer, please contact contact us
Architects, designers and contractors should specify any water-based or bio based adhesive. Any flammable adhesives should not be used and will void the warranty.
Yes. You can add a layer of Fortico™ panels to existing structures. Care should be taken in calculating the load on strap hangers and other support systems for suspended ceilings however the weight of our material makes it easy to support even if some additional wire support is necessary
Weight per square foot of the ForticoX™ is 450 grams (or 1 lb.) so less support structure is needed. ForticoPro™ the fire-proof version of the Fortico panel is 10% heavier.
At ThermaGel Innovations, we are proud to offer Fortico vacuum insulated panels — officially tested, certified, and trusted for superior thermal performance and safety.
Our panels have undergone rigorous third-party testing by leading laboratories, including Architectural Testing, Inc (Intertek) and
TA Waters Instruments. In April 2024, these labs conducted ASTM C518: Heat Flow Meter Testing on our VIP samples, confirming:
In-house mechanical tests show our panels have a mechanical strength greater than 1.25 MPa—comparable to standard paper-backed gypsum board—ensuring durability and reliability.
We don’t just meet industry standards—we set new ones. Our panels are manufactured in Richmond, VA, and every batch is independently verified for quality and performance. We are constantly researching and developing new materials and methods to deliver the next generation of thermal protection for your projects.
Download our certification documents or contact us to learn more about our research and testing.