Paramium Technology was one of the Tech winners of the 2021 IdeaFunding Pitch Competition for Tech. Companies in the vertical pitch competition were grouped by similar industry verticals to compete in categories such as tech, SaaS, bio and life science, and consumer product. Paramium came up with a new, more affordable way to manufacture high precision compound curve reflective panels. Keep reading to learn more!
Q: Describe your company. What’s your product and what problem are you solving for your customers?
A: Our company disrupts freeform metal panel manufacturing using our patented thermoforming technology. We fabricate custom curved metal sheets for applications like radio antenna dishes. Antenna designers can now numerically optimized dish designs, however, traditional manufacturing methods for custom dish shapes have high upfront costs and long lead times. Our technology is capable of providing short production runs with lower upfront costs. This enables antenna designers to do rapid prototyping, bringing their optimized designs to fruition expeditiously.
Q: Congratulations on winning IdeaFunding! What are your next steps? How will this money help you achieve your goals?
A: Our next steps are to work with the NSF to complete Phase 1 of research and development which will result in a meter-scale prototype, submit a proposal for Phase 2 funding and continue working with our customers to answer RFQs and collaborate on custom prototype panels. This money will allow us to continue research and development between grant phases which could be up to 6 months. This money will go towards hardware and direct labor to develop our minimum viable product.
Q: What has been most helpful to you in the Southern Arizona ecosystem to help you develop your technology?
A: Being part of the UACI and Startup Tucson have provided us a plethora of opportunities and resources. Having a strong community of positive, forward thinking and encouraging people is the most valuable thing. With this team of people, anything is possible.
Q: What do you foresee as the biggest impacts of your technology on industries that rely on antennas and telescopes?
A: The fundamental purpose of our manufacturing method is to provide antenna designers with a timely and cost effective way to produce freeform curved panels. Being able to redesign and optimize geometries can increase data rates and coverage. This will lower the cost of internet, cloud based computing, and space communications. Antenna designers have already theorized optimal shapes that have been impossible or extremely costly to produce so far. Our technology lets them innovate and optimize.