Small manufacturers in Texas can apply for assistance today! Learn more here.

About NextFlex

Building the Next Big Thing In Flexible Hybrid Electronics

gear icon

The formation of NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, has catalyzed the rapidly expanding field of Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE).

NextFlex is a consortium of American electronics companies, academic institutions, non-profits, state, local and federal government partners with the shared goal of advancing U.S. manufacturing of printed flexible electronics. Since its formation in 2015, the NextFlex community of technologists, educators, problem solvers and manufacturers have come together to collectively facilitate FHE innovation, narrow the advanced manufacturing workforce gap and promote sustainable electronics manufacturing ecosystems.

NextFlex is one of nine Manufacturing Innovation Institutes established by the DoD Manufacturing Technology Program as public-private partnerships. NextFlex was launched under AFRL Cooperative Agreement FA8650-15-2-5401 and continues to be financially supported through AFRL Cooperative Agreement FA8650-20-2-5506, membership dues, and various commercial, government, and educational offerings made available via the NextFlex Technology Hub.

If you have questions about our membership system, including the use of our fabrication facility and our Project Calls, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.

NextFlex’s pilot-scale manufacturing line, the Technology Hub, is compliant with both International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) manufacturing standards for defense equipment and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) manufacturing standards for medical devices. NextFlex’s Quality System adheres to the intent of the ITAR standards for the export of defense-related articles, services and technology on the U.S. Munitions List (USML).

All defense device products and components produced at the NextFlex fabrication facility are manufactured consistently to meet these requirements, which include standards for military electronics, materials, guidance equipment and related items. In addition, NextFlex’s Quality System adheres to the intent of the FDA’s regulations for good manufacturing practices. All medical device products and components produced at the NextFlex facility are manufactured consistently to meet Quality System Regulations (QSR) requirements.

Meet the NextFlex Leadership Team

MalcolmNew

Malcolm Thompson, Ph.D.

Executive Director

NextFlex

Dr. Thompson brings over 30 years of executive experience in the display, semiconductor, and telecom industries to his current role as Executive Director of NextFlex. He served as the Founder and Chairman of the US Display Consortium and was CTO at Xerox PARC. Dr. Thompson was also CEO of four startups during his career, raising over $300M: dpiX, makers of digital x-ray imaging systems; Novalux, providers of high power vertical cavity lasers; Vitex, makers of encapsulants for OLEDs; and RPO, manufacturers of touch systems for mobile products. Recent advisory roles include advisor to the National Academy of Sciences for flexible electronics, the Pentagon, and White House Economic Advisory Council; he was also appointed Technology Pioneer at the World Economic Forum in 2000 and 2001. Dr. Thompson received a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from the University of Brighton.

Diane

Diane Baxster

Director of Finance

NextFlex

Diane Baxster, NextFlex’s Director of Finance, brings over 30 years of CFO experience in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Diane started her career with Ernst & Young before joining industry. She has worked in publicly traded companies as well as privately held startups in medical device, biotech, electronics, software, training and services companies. She was the CFO for the United Services Organization, Inc. (USO) and educational institutions. Diane is highly skilled in management of finance and accounting operations, including strategic planning, financial planning and analysis, financial organization, systems implementation, revenue recognition, inventory control, cost accounting, cash management and management of P&L. She is proficient in business development, customer relations, merger & acquisition negotiations, and turnaround situations. She is also experienced in contract negotiations & administration, managing banking relations including debt instruments and investment portfolio management. Diane has strong skills in human resources management setting policies & procedures, recruitment, training and supervision. She has managed corporate compliance and regulatory reporting – FAR, SEC, tax (domestic & int’l) affirmative action, retirement programs and risk analysis.

Giorgio2

Giorgio Bazzan, Ph.D.

Government CTO

NextFlex

Giorgio Bazzan is a Program Manager in the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Division. Dr. Bazzan is the lead of the Division efforts in Biomanufacturing and manage various programs for the Defense Production Act – Title III. He also serves as Government Chief Technology Officer for NextFlex, a $170M public-private partnership established to create a domestic manufacturing ecosystem in flexible hybrid electronics.

Before joining AFRL, he worked for UES Inc. in various roles (Research Scientist, Program Manager and Deputy Division Director). Research areas included additive manufacturing techniques (inkjet, aerosol jet and direct-ink writing) applied to organic and flexible electronics. He also wrote several successful proposals and managed several government contracts. Dr. Bazzan received his Ph.D. in Chemistry (Nanotechnology & Materials Chemistry program) from the City University of New York and his MS in Chemistry from Padua University (Italy).

Eric2

Eric Forsythe, Ph.D.

Government Program Manager

NextFlex

Eric W. Forsythe is a staff physicist at the Army Research Laboratory. Dr Forsythe is the Team Leader for Display Technologies and is an Associate Program Manager for the Army’s Flexible Display Center. Prior to joining the Army Research Laboratory, he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Rochester, in both the Physics Department and the Chemistry Department, where he worked on electronic interfaces and carrier transport in organic light emitting devices in collaboration with the Eastman Kodak Company. Dr. Forsythe received his Ph.D. in Physics from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ in 1996, where he studied Si nanocrystalline based light emitting devices. Currently, Dr. Forsythe’s research activities include, organic based light emitting device for flexible displays, organic based thin film transistors and organic based photovoltaics. He has authored/coauthored more than 45 papers and has given more than 20 invited talks and seminars.

Ed2

Ed Hendricks

Director of Business Development

NextFlex

Ed has over 20 years of experience in Business Development and managing P&L’s in emerging and diverse markets and technologies for the EMS market. Ed served in a variety of business management positions at Jabil, supporting diverse markets such as distributed energy, solar, water treatment, networking-telecom, data storage, medical electronics, and emerging technologies in advanced interconnect and aerospace. Prior to Jabil, Ed served 10 years in the United States Army in various leadership positions in Military Intelligence, specializing in Counter-Espionage. He earned a Bachelors of Science in Human Factors Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Becky

Rebecca Lewis

Director of Workforce Development

NextFlex

Becky joins NextFlex as the Director of Workforce Development, having worked most recently as the Director of Academic Partnerships with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Becky has over twenty years of leadership experience in higher education, grant procurement and workforce development. She has helped secure multiple Federal and state grants of over 10M at her former organizations and developed collaborative partnerships between academia and industry over the past 20 years, primarily in manufacturing and healthcare. Becky is passionate about improving people’s lives through workforce development, including addressing issues of equity, access to higher education and improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations through access to quality STEM Education. Becky holds a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Health, both from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Scott2

Scott Miller, Ph.D.

Director of Technology

NextFlex

As the Director of Technology, Scott is responsible for the portfolio of Project Calls funded by NextFlex, runs its Technical Council and Technical Working Groups, leads the development of FHE industry roadmapping, oversees initiatives within the Institute, builds and maintains relationships with government and industry partners, and is actively engaged with many o the Agency Driven Projects that NextFlex executes with partner organizations. Scott has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Degree from the University of Delaware and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, where he did research on large area electronics manufacturing based on printing processes. Prior to joining NextFlex, Scott led materials R&D groups at GE Global Research supporting a diverse range of businesses. He has worked in areas including printed, flexible, and hybrid electronics; wearable devices; additive manufacturing; and bioprinting and biofabrication.

Erica2

Erica Roman

General Counsel

NextFlex

Erica Roman, NextFlex’s General Counsel, brings over 20 years of experience to this role. Her practice has spanned a variety of environments, from law firms to the U.S. Government, from litigation to transactional law. Her experience is firmly rooted in technology, having practiced with large and boutique law firms in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area, including being a member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Licensing Group at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper).

Ms. Roman suspended her private practice for several years when she was selected to serve in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C. Her duties included addressing multi-agency intellectual property policy matters and amicus curiaebrief positions on behalf of the U.S. Government, in addition to preparing Congressional testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet.

Ms. Roman has deep experience with counseling non-profit technology consortia and other trade groups. She was a member of the original proposal team to secure NextFlex’s funding via its Cooperative Agreement, and has remained a legal advisor to NextFlex since its inception. Ms. Roman was named NextFlex’s General Counsel in November, 2018.

Ms. Roman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Yale University and a Juris Doctorate from University of California, Hastings. Ms. Roman is admitted to practice in California as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Karen2

Karen Savala

Director of Marketing

NextFlex

Karen Savala is responsible for all aspects of marketing at NextFlex, including strategy, brand management and marketing communications. Prior to joining NextFlex, Karen served as the President of the Americas for SEMI where she led a broad number of strategic industry initiatives involving professionals from across the globe. She also launched the association magazine and worked with technical committees developing semiconductor packaging standards. Karen holds a BS in Business Management from San Jose State University.

Taylor2

Taylor Silver

Director of Human Resources

NextFlex

As the Director of Human Resources, Taylor is responsible for all HR functions including strategic programs and initiatives, company-wide communication and events, health and safety, legal compliance, recruitment and retention of a diverse and high-quality workforce, benefits administration, and employee morale and well-being.

Taylor has the unique experience of joining NextFlex in February 2016, only 6 months after its inception, making her the 12th employee in the company, supporting the varied needs of a burgeoning Executive Team. As the company grew, Taylor was able to devote her full attention to HR, drawing upon the people skills she had developed through her years in the hospitality and recreation industries. During NextFlex’s rapid expansion from 2019 to 2022, Taylor was instrumental in growing the NextFlex workforce by 57%.

Taylor earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of California at Santa Cruz. She is currently an active member in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

JanosFinal

Janos Veres, Ph.D.

Director of Hybrid Electronics Strategy

NextFlex

Janos is a technologist at heart, and he is passionate about the future of manufacturing and the new ecosystems enabled by digital technologies. Janos has held R&D, manufacturing and management positions in electronics, displays, specialty materials and printing companies including PARC, PolyPhotonix, Kodak, Merck, Avecia, Zeneca and Gestetner, where he developed printed circuits, functional materials, OLEDs, displays, medical devices as well as novel process technologies. He brings experience of industrial partnerships and joint development projects in the US, Europe and Asia. Janos holds a Ph.D. in Solid State Electronics from Imperial College, London. He is author of over 50 patents.

Art2

Art Wall, Ph.D.

Director of Engineering and Fab Operations

NextFlex

As Director of Engineering and Fab Operations for the NextFlex Technology Hub, Art oversees a range of process tools used in development and prototyping of flexible hybrid electronics development. The tools placed in the Hub are available both to members and for commercial use, and are used for printing, assembly and integration, and test and measurement. Prior to joining NextFlex, Art led many different groups and technologies associated with hard drive products for both IBM and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. Most recently Art co-founded and served as vice president at NuvoSun, an innovative photovoltaic company that was later acquired by The Dow Chemical Company. Art earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from Gustavus Adolphus College, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Minnesota. Art has co-authored more than 30 articles in refereed journals, presented at 16 US and International Conferences, and holds six US patents.

As NextFlex Members, companies large and small are teaming up with academic institutions, nonprofits and governments with one mission ­— to advance the flexible hybrid electronics manufacturing ecosystem in America.

Virginia Tech Logo
3DFortify Logo
Ames Goldsmith
NF member logo AnalogDevices
Anthro Energy Logo
Applied Nanotech Inc Logo
Aptima VigiLife Logo
AZ Science Center
NF member logo Auburn
Averatek square
Belmont CC
NF member logo bestronics
NF member logo Binghamton
BARDA1
NextFlex Honorary Member Blach
NF member logo BoiseState
NF member logo BrewerScience
Calhoun CC
Caltronics Logo
NextFlex Corporate Tier 3 Member Carpe Diem Technologies
Celanese Logo
ChemCubed Logo Silho edited edit
Cincinnati State
NF member logo SanJose
Columbus State CC
Cuyahoga Community College
NF member logo Darpa
DCMA1
DIUX
NF member logo DMEA
NF member logo DTR
DIG DP
Drake State
Drexel Logo
NF member logo EInk
East Mississippi CC
Eastern Gateway CC
NF member logo Eastman
Eastman Kodak Logo
Education Works
El Camino College
Electroinks Logo
Epicore Biosystems
Evergreen Valley College 1
StackedLogo Green
EWI square
Frabric8Labs Logo
NF member logo fujifilm
GE HealthCare Logo
gdms logo blue 1
NF member logo GE
NF member logo GeorgiaInstitute
Hocking College
Houston CC
Impossible Objects Logo
Infinite Corridor Technology
Integrated Deposition Solutions
Intricon Logo
Iowa State University
Iris Light Logo
NF member logo Jabil
Komori
NF member logo DoDLab
Liquid Wire
Lithoz Logo
NF member logo Lockheed
LCCC
NF member logo LorainCollege
Lux Semiconductors
NF member logo MIBP
Meridian Community College
Mission College
Missouri State
Momentive Logo
MOSI
Nano Dimension
Nano Ops Logo
NF member logo Nasa
NGA1
NF member logo NIST
NF member logo NIH
NF member logo NSF 1
Nautilus Defense
NF member logo NBMC
NJIT Logo
NexTex Venture
Northrup Grumman Logo
novagard solutions logo main
NF member logo nScrypt
Nunez CC
Ohio University Logo
NF member logo Optomec
Oregon State University Logo
NF member logo Parc
Pearl River Community College
Plasmatreat
NF member logo Purdue
NF member logo Raytheon
Rio Grande CC
NF member logo RIT
Shawnee State
Shoei
NF member logo SI2
Siemens
Southwest Mississippi Community College
Space Foundry
NF member logo Stanford
Stark State
STEAMBridge
SUNRAYscientific NewLogo
Syght Logo
Tapecon
Tekna
Trenholm State
TTM Technologies
NF member logo DOD
MANTECH SEAL 2C
NF member logo DoEducation
NF member logo DoEnergy
NF member logo AirForce
NF member logo Army
NF member logo Navy
NF member logo FDA 1
NF member logo USForestService
NF member logo UES
NF member logo universalinstruments
University at Buffalo
NextFlex Member - University of Colorado Boulder Logo
University of Dayton Logo
NextFlex Academic Tier 3 Member University of Delaware
NF member logo UniversityofMaryland
NF member logo UMassAmherst
NF member logo UMASS
UT Austin
NF member logo UniversityofWashington
NextFlex Member Vivonics
Washington State CC
Washington State Logo 1
NF member logo WesternMichiganUniv
Worcester Polytechnic Institute WPI
Zane State
View All Members
View All Members

The Flexible Revolution is here.
Find out How you can get involved.

Learn More

Questions? Comments?
Contact Us.

Contact

Stay up to date with the latest from NextFlex

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.