Canatu Plc Press release 2 January 2026 at 09:00 am EET
Canatu and DENSO enter Joint Development Agreement to develop large-scale CNT chamber, supporting potential automotive applications such as full windshield heaters
Canatu Plc (CANATU, Nasdaq First North, Finland) and DENSO Corporation ("DENSO"), a leading global supplier of automotive technology and components, have signed a 17-month Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to develop advanced manufacturing equipment for producing larger-area carbon nanotube (CNT) films for automotive applications. Scaling CNT film size is critical for enabling future applications, such as full windshield heaters.
Under the JDA, the companies will build a large-scale CNT deposition chamber compatible with existing Canatu CNT100 HPR reactors and related post-processing tools. The system will first be built and tested at Canatu's facility in Finland. If desired, the system can later be dismantled, shipped, and reassembled at DENSO's facility in Japan.
The total contract value is classified as the lowest quartile of the "Medium" (1.0-5.0 M€) category in accordance with Canatu's disclosure policy, with corresponding revenue expected to be recognized primarily in H1/2026, subject to the completion of the defined milestones.
Shinichi Yatsuzuka, Senior Director of DENSO Corporation, commented: "Scaling this cutting-edge material marks an important step in our innovation strategy. Achieving larger-format CNT film will not only clarify commercial potential but also strengthen our ability to shape next-generation products with high differentiation. We believe this collaboration will open new opportunities and contribute to delivering advanced solutions to the market."
Juha Kokkonen, CEO of Canatu Plc, commented: "The very early Canatu CNT network was only coin-sized. Since then, Canatu has scaled stepwise to the current 600mm-wide production line. Now it's time to take the next step. We aim to deliver larger-area applications such as full-windshield heaters, while also enabling future solar-cell solutions for automotive use."
The new joint development project continues a long-standing collaboration between the companies. Canatu and DENSO have completed several successful joint development programs, and this agreement further strengthens the partnership in developing equipment for larger-sized transparent CNT film production and related process technologies.
Additional information
CEO Juha Kokkonen, tel. +358 40 543 0367
VP, IR, Communications and Marketing Mari Makkonen, tel. +358 50 442 2343
Certified adviser
DNB Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ), tel. +46 (0) 8 588 685 70
About Canatu
Canatu (CANATU, Nasdaq First North, Finland) is a fast-growing deep technology company creating advanced carbon nanotubes (Canatu CNTs), related products, and manufacturing equipment for the semiconductor, automotive, and medical diagnostics industries. Canatu partners with forerunner companies, together transforming products for better tomorrows with nano carbon.
Canatu's versatile platform technology has broad potential applications. Its current core includes CNT membranes for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) processes in the semiconductor industry, enabling more effective manufacturing of the most advanced chips, as well as film heaters for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in the automotive industry. Additionally, electrochemical sensors for medical diagnostics are in the development phase. Canatu's patented CNT reactors and Dry DepositionTM method yield clean and pristine CNTs. The company operates through two business models: selling CNT products directly, as well as selling CNT reactors and licensing the related technology so that customers can produce CNT products under a limited license.
Headquartered in Finland, Canatu also operates in the US, Japan and Taiwan. Founded in 2004 as a spin-off from Aalto University's Nanomaterials Group, Canatu currently has close to 170 employees representing over 30 nationalities, with nearly 20% holding or pursuing doctorates. Discover more at www.canatu.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
About DENSO CORPORATION
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a 7,161.8 billion yen leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company's 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO's operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global.
