UbiQD

Happy Sunday.

Let’s Imagine wasting sunlight.

Well, we don’t have to imagine, that’s what most greenhouses do.

Why? because plants only use certain wavelengths of light, and “ignore” the rest.

But what if you could hack that unused light… and turn it into more food?

That’s exactly what this company does—using quantum physics.

They've developed quantum dot films that turn this “bad” light into “good” light.

Better light
↓
More photosynthesis 
↓
Up to 28% higher yields

At a time of rising energy costs and food security concerns, this might be one of farming’s smartest efficiency hacks.

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 BUSINESS BREAKDOWN

Agriculture is being revolutionized by something you can't even see.

Quantum dots, tiny semiconductor particles 10,000 times smaller than a human hair.

Most of us think quantum dots = fancy TV screens.

This company thinks bigger: they’re using them to transform agriculture and clean energy.

The problem

Greenhouse lighting is expensive, inefficient, and doesn't match plants optimal light needs.

This means that farmers struggle with high energy costs and suboptimal crop growth.

The fix

UbiQD's UbiGro greenhouse films leverage quantum dots to turn “bad” light into red light that plants love. No extra electricity needed.

The results:

• + 21% tomato yields

• +16% cannabis yields

• + 28% strawberry yields

And they’re not stopping at farming:

• Solar: Quantum Dot enhanced windows that could reduce U.S. energy costs by $50B annually

• Security: Anti-counterfeiting inks through partnership with SICPA

The upside:

1.3M acres of greenhouse space worldwide → a whole new lighting category with zero electricity.

And that's catching investor attention, with $20M in Series B funding to build what they aim to be the world's largest quantum dot supply chain.

But… How does it work?

Simple: let sunlight do the work.

Their greenhouse technology is simple yet brilliant.

Embedding quantum dots, those tiny particles that can bend light, into greenhouse films.

Then, the magic happens when sunlight hits it.

The quantum dots capture shorter wavelengths (UV and blue light) that plants use less efficiently. They convert this light into longer wavelengths (orange and red)—precisely what plants love.

No electricity. No extra gear. Just better light, naturally.

Two ways farmers can use it:

• UbiGro Cover: Replaces the greenhouse roof

• UbiGro Inner: Hangs inside as a retrofit

What problems do they solve?

1. Energy waste: Traditional greenhouse LEDs guzzle electricity and only cover part of the spectrum. This solution requires zero power while delivering a broader, “better” light.

2. Growth inefficiency: Normal greenhouse covers let sunlight in, no questions asked. UbiGro tunes the light to match what plants actually need.

3. Cost barriers: Their Gen 2 films cut costs by over 80%—making cutting-edge tech affordable for more farmers.

4. Environmental concerns: Old quantum dots use toxic cadmium. UbiQD uses safer copper and indium, so it’s better for people, plants, and the planet.

Why they’re hard to beat?

1. Proprietary tech: They hold exclusive licenses for safer quantum dot tech from MIT and Los Alamos National Lab, creating a significant IP moat.

2. Price + performance: Their quantum dots hit nearly 100% efficiency—at a fraction of the cost of competitors.

3. Platform play: Their tech doesn’t stop at farming. It’s already expanding into solar, security, and more.

4. Safety first: No toxic cadmium here. Their copper-based dots are cleaner, cheaper, and easier to scale.

UbiGro(their greenhouse film) is now deployed across 30+ global growing operations with documented yield increases of 10-28% depending on crop type.

What's amazing is how seamlessly it integrates into existing operations.

As CEO Hunter McDaniel puts it:

By fundamentally changing how plants receive light, not just how much light they get, they are creating an entirely new category in agricultural technology.

It's not better greenhouse lighting; it's a completely different approach to plant illumination.

Business Stats

• Industry: CleanTech Materials

• Headquarters: Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA

• Year founded: 2014

• Total funding: $41.2M (Crunchbase)

• Investors: Builders VC, Scout Ventures, Phoenix Venture Partners, and others

• Business model: UbiQD focuses on integrating their quantum dots as "drop-in solutions" for existing products across three main verticals: agriculture (UbiGro films), solar (WENDOW panels), and security (anti-counterfeiting inks).

• Traction: UbiGro is deployed in 30+ global growing sites with documented 10-28% yield increases. Their cost-reduced Gen 2 films sold out immediately, creating unmet demand. They've partnered strategically with manufacturers to scale production without building capital-intensive infrastructure. They acquired Blue Dot Photonics in February 2025.

• Website: www.ubiqd.com | ubigro.com

• Socials: LinkedIn

Founder profile

Dr. Hunter McDaniel (CEO)
With a Ph.D. in Materials Science from UIUC and experience at Los Alamos National Lab, he's published over 50 papers and patents. He founded UbiQD to translate this expertise into real-world applications, initially focusing on agriculture and solar energy to create sustainable solutions.

CASE SCENARIOS

This could be huge

1. Not just a product. A platform. 
   UbiQD isn’t here to just sell you greenhouse film. They’re building a quantum dot platform that powers ag, solar, and security. One core tech. Multiple industries. More ways to win.

2. Better, cheaper, greener. Pick all three. 
   Their copper-based quantum dots aren’t just safer—they’re cheaper and more stable than the toxic stuff. Better performance and lower cost? That’s a moat no giant can easily cross.

3. Outrunning the copycats. 
   UbiQD cut costs by 6x in Gen 2, speeding up adoption while making it unprofitable for new players to compete. They’re locking in market share before others even show up.

This could be a problem

1. Supply chain vulnerability 
   As with many hardware businesses, they rely on a few key suppliers. If prices jump or a supplier goes down, margins could get squeezed fast.

2. Farmers don’t move fast.
   Agriculture tends to change slowly. UbiQD needs serious proof to get farmers on board.

3. Scaling ain’t cheap. 
   Building the world’s biggest quantum dot supply chain burns cash. If scaling slips, their Series B runway could shrink real quick.

BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT

Drop Your Vote

Things I’m reading

(A list of things I bookmarked instead of doomscrolling)

• The theory of innovation adoption in agriculture: An Application. Upstream Ag Insights

• Branded Beef - who wins and why. Prime Future

• Why cows love their robots.

• Explaining the white powder that appears on cheese.

• How some flowers mimic the smell of rotting meat

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