Solar cell technology start-up mPower Technology has secured $2.5m in funding to commercialise DragonSCALEs solution in the aerospace market.

The Series A funding round saw the participation of ‘sector investors’ and US-based Sun Mountain Capital.

DragonSCALEs are small, lightweight and flexible solar cells that are individually interconnected. The silicon cells can be moulded into any form and integrated to power any device.

Sun Mountain Capital partner Lee Rand added: “This technology is going to drive the next adoption wave of solar power.

“We’ve already seen the advantages that mPower can deliver in the aerospace market and believe that this is just the start of adoption across many industries.”

In 2017, mPower Technology and Sandia signed a licensing agreement for microsystem-enabled photovoltaics.

The licence was intended to expedite the commercialisation of mPower’s solar cell technology and secure investments.

According to mPower Technology, the technology is suitable for aerospace applications due to factors such as low weight, stowage and radiation recovery pace.

It is affordable when compared to the existing Gallium Arsenide-based (III-V) solutions, making it a reliable option.

mPower Technology president and CEO Kevin Hell said: “We’ve made a great deal of progress in 2019 with our partners in the aerospace market. This investment is a direct reflection of the promise of this technology and the confidence our investors have in our ability to execute our business plan in the near future.

“With its disruptive cost and performance advantages, our ground-breaking technology is incredibly well-positioned to be the solar power solution of choice for the next era of aerospace applications, particularly the large emerging market for satellite constellations.”