HeiQ: an exciting textiles technology IPO

TL;DR

High-Q, a material innovation company, experienced strong financial growth in 2020, with an 80% increase in revenue and a significant improvement in profitability. The company's focus on innovation and entering new markets has led to collaborations with well-known brands such as Burberry, Speedo, Patagonia, and Zara. High-Q aims to achieve ambitious targets by leveraging its technology in indoor air purification and probiotic hospital cleaners to tap into new markets and drive further growth.

Transcript

hello with me today i have carlo chintonze co-founder and ceo of hi-q which listed on the london stock exchange in december and recently published its annual results for 2020 hello carlo thanks for joining me today hi lee nice to meet you very good to be here with you for those who might not have heard of iq before could you give viewers a quick ov... Read More

Key Insights

• 🪜 High-Q is a material innovation company specializing in technologies that enhance treated materials, such as textiles and surfaces, with added functionalities like antiviral and antimicrobial properties.
• ❓ The company experienced significant financial growth in 2020, with an 80% increase in revenue and improved profitability.
• 🇶🇦 High-Q's collaborations with well-known brands in various industries, including Burberry, Speedo, Patagonia, and Zara, highlight its reputation and demand for its innovative products.
• 😌 The company's future growth opportunities lie in tapping into the indoor air purification market with its curtain technology and expanding the market for probiotic hospital cleaners.
• 💦 High-Q's entry into new industries, such as coatings, laundry, paint, and water treatment, showcases its ability to leverage its technologies across multiple sectors.
• 👱 Ambitious targets for growth can be achieved by capitalizing on the potential of technologies like indoor air purification curtains and probiotic hospital cleaners.
• ✋ High-Q operates as a three-in-one company, focusing on research and development, manufacturing, and marketing to swiftly bring innovations from the lab to the consumer.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does High-Q do and how does it make money?

High-Q is a material innovation company that specializes in creating technologies to enhance various treated materials such as textiles, coatings, plastics, and surfaces. The company generates revenue through the sale of its innovative products and technologies, which confer additional functionality to these materials, such as antiviral, antimicrobial, or water repellent properties. By providing these benefits, High-Q's products offer improved performance and higher protection or comfort for consumers.

Q: Will the demand for gloves and face masks diminish once COVID-19 cases reduce?

While the initial surge in demand for face masks and gloves during the pandemic was critical for High-Q, these products accounted for only 10% of the company's turnover in 2020. High-Q actively decided to remain in the medical devices field and continue innovating by launching new high-tech masks with improved antiviral effects. The company sees a long-lasting positive impact in this sector and plans to bring its innovation capabilities to further enhance medical devices.

Q: What were the highlights of High-Q's annual results in 2020?

High-Q achieved tremendous growth, with an 80% increase in revenue. Additionally, the company significantly improved its profitability, increasing its EBITDA to €14 million. High-Q also tripled its media mentions and attracted 650 brands, resulting in 150 signed trademark license agreements. The company's customer base doubled, growing by 125% in one year, opening up new markets and expanding its presence in industries such as coatings, laundry, paint, and water treatment.

Q: Which new industries has High-Q entered recently?

High-Q has recently entered the coatings industry by partnering with a company specializing in coatings for paper, cardboard, wood, metal, and glass surfaces. This entry creates opportunities to offer self-disinfecting, antimicrobial, and antiviral coatings, particularly for hospitals and public spaces. Additionally, High-Q has expanded into the laundry industry by collaborating with a leading laundry machine maker to promote viral block technology. This allows hotels and hospitals to retrofit their linen with enhanced protection against pathogens and contamination.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• High-Q is a material innovation company that creates technologies to enhance treated materials such as textiles, coatings, plastics, and surfaces, providing added functionality like antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

• The company's gloves and face masks to fight the pandemic accounted for around 10% of its turnover in 2020, and High-Q plans to continue innovating in the medical devices field while expanding into other industries.

• In 2020, High-Q achieved significant growth with an 80% increase in revenue and a remarkable improvement in profitability. The company attracted 650 brands, signed trademark license agreements with 150 of them, and doubled its customer base.