DuPont celebrated the opening of its Silicon Valley Technology Center, welcoming customers, community partners, industry groups and other guests to learn about the company's localized approach to innovation in the Bay Area.

The site features DuPont's newest Innovation Center, a dedicated showcase featuring new and exploratory projects, labs to support ideation with on-site prototyping, and flexible meeting spaces that can connect customers to the company's global network of innovators and technical experts.

"Whether it's in consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace or other industries impacted by emerging technologies, innovation happens daily here in Silicon Valley," said Dalen Keys, DuPont Silicon Valley Technology Center site leader. "DuPont brings an enormous breadth of advanced materials and expertise to the table that can make the difference for today's innovators. That's why it is essential for us to be present in the heart of the valley to build relationships and participate in this dynamic community."

The DuPont Silicon Valley Technology Center will serve as a hub for the DowDuPont Specialty Products Division businesses to tackle customer challenges with applications support, rapid prototyping, testing and iterative design.

On-site labs dedicated to fabrication, formulation, reliability and characterization are in daily operation to enable real-time collaboration. Through DuPont's global network of Innovation Centers and supporting teams, partners gain access to solutions enabled by the complete suite of capabilities, product offerings and expertise across the Specialty Products Division.

"DuPont has long been defined by innovation, and innovation is what drives us forward. As we evolve into a new company, we will continue to support our customers where they are," said Marc Doyle, chief operating officer, DowDuPont Specialty Products Division.

"It's a perfect time for DuPont to establish this Center because the insights and opportunities for collaboration in Silicon Valley have the potential to shape our future business. Connecting our customers to our scientists here and around the world will help deliver real-world products, open new market segments, and increase our rate of innovation."

Within the Innovation Center, visitors can try on a smart winter jacket that uses DuPont™ Intexar™ Heat for comfortable warmth without the need for bulky cables or wires. Another feature is a custom-designed drone, built primarily out of DuPont materials, including Pyralux® flexible circuit materials in lieu of traditional wiring for a lightweight design, Kapton® RS thermally conductive film to insulate and protect the battery, and DuPont™ Temprion™ thermal management materials to dissipate heat.

An additional highlight of the new Innovation Center is a dedicated space focused on DuPont's new AHEAD™ (Accelerating Hybrid-Electric Autonomous Driving) initiative, an integrated market-focused approach for the automotive market, offering customers a seamless experience to explore technologies and capabilities for vehicle electrification and supporting infrastructure applications.

A number of these product samples are on display within the center, such as solutions for lightweighting, battery pack components and assembly, thermal management/safety, electric motors, powertrain/chassis and electrical/electronic applications for improved automation/driver assists/self-driving capabilities.

"The pace of innovation is rapidly accelerating," said Alexa Dembek, chief technology and sustainability officer, DowDuPont Specialty Products Division. "As our customers and other partners explore the Innovation Center, we want to connect with them and inspire them to present us with their toughest challenges and creative ideas for collaborative projects."

DuPont opened its first Innovation Center in Nagoya, Japan in 2005. Since then, DuPont has built a network of Innovation Centers across the world, including sites in Brazil, Switzerland, Russia, Turkey, China, India and Taiwan.