Armor Company Successfully Collecting Money Through Crowdfunding

A Sedgefield-based nano-materials company is pioneering a technologically advanced type of body armor with money raised through crowdfunding. Graphene Composites (GC) is now approaching the funding target of its fourth campaign.

The company uses a combination of ingredients, including graphene and aerogels, to produce a variety of extremely unique composites. These composites are some of the most resilient, strongest and among the lightest weight materials ever made.

Graphene Composites’ products are targeted to the aerospace industry, renewable energy and body armor manufacturers. GC is hoping its pitch on Crowdcube will raise £100,000 and are offering 0.99% of the company’s equity in exchange.

GC and its partner, the Center for Process Innovation, have raised over £91,000 so far. With several patents pending, the Sedgefield-based partnership is extremely optimistic.

The monies raised during this round of funding will be used in developing a brand new product, the GC Shield. This armor shield is designed to slip into a backpack to protect against a low velocity gun or knife attack.

Graphene Composites claims that a number of GC Shields can be quickly linked together to form a GC Shield Wall. The wall could protect a whole group of people gathered in the same space. This is a brand new way of providing personal security.

The company is planning to launch GC Shield this summer and expect US schools to show a great deal of interest. Funds raised are for initial production as well as getting the GC Shield certified as ballistic and stab resistant.

Chief Executive Sandy Chen founded Graphene Composites eight years ago. As a visionary and entrepreneurial investment analyst, he imagined there would be many applications for a graphene/aerogel composite. GC’s innovative team also includes Graham Laycock, Finance Director and Dr. Steve Devine, Chief Technology Officer.