[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] Industrial materials company UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD(011330)has nominated Madison Maxey, founder and CEO of U.S.-based flexible electronics firm Loomia Technologies—which Unichem is currently in the process of acquiring—as a candidate for an executive director position, marking a move to expand its robotics and smart mobility businesses.

UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD announced on the 28th that it has submitted a proposal to appoint CEO Maxey as an inside director to the agenda of an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting. If the proposal is approved, CEO Maxey will join UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD’s board of directors and will be responsible for post-acquisition integration of Loomia, the commercialization of flexible electronics technologies, and joint development and commercialization strategies with global clients.

Flexible electronics is a technology that enables electronic circuit functionality even on curved or stretchable surfaces, and it is gaining attention as a key interface necessary for robots and smart mobility to detect and respond to pressure, temperature, and deformation. If semiconductors are the “brain” of physical AI, then flexible electronics serve as the “skin and nerves” that sense the external environment and transmit commands.

The “Lumia Electronic Layer (LEL)” developed by Lumia is a technology that applies thin, flexible circuits to soft materials such as fabric and leather. It can implement functions such as pressure sensing, touch-based human-machine interfaces (HMIs), heating, wiring, and data transmission. UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD plans to expand this technology into applications such as robot exteriors, tactile sensors for grippers, sensors for automotive seats and interior trim, and integrated heating and HMI components.

CEO Maxi earned a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Stanford University and founded Lumia in 2014. She was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list for 2016 and Inc.’s “500 Women Entrepreneurs” list for 2025.

Monroe Kennedy III, director of Stanford University’s ARM Lab (Assistive Robotics and Manipulation Lab), was also included as a candidate for the board of directors as part of this restructuring. The ARM Lab conducts research on robotic tactile sensing, precise object manipulation, human-robot collaboration, and humanoid-related technologies.

UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD envisions a collaborative structure in which CEO Maxi oversees flexible electronics products, intellectual property (IP), manufacturing, and global commercialization, while Director Kennedy sets the technical direction for robotic tactile sensing and precise manipulation. The goal is to establish a business structure that spans from robotics research to the commercialization of flexible electronics and the mass production of materials.

Roles will also be divided by region. In the future, in the U.S., Lumia will lead the development of core technologies and joint development with global clients, while in Northeast Asia—including South Korea—UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD will handle material design, prototype production, quality verification, mass production, and supply chain management for automotive clients.

The plan is to build on the development discussions currently underway with clients—which are conducted under non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)—to secure prototype evaluations, certifications, requests for quotations (RFQs), and mass production orders in the future.

A UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD official stated, “This initiative to bring him onto the board is not merely about recruiting an overseas expert, but about establishing a system of responsible management to translate Lumia’s technology into mass-production revenue for UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD,” adding, “By combining our leather and materials manufacturing capabilities, accumulated over 50 years, with core flexible electronics technology and global robotics research capabilities, we will transform UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD into a physical AI materials company in the fields of robot exoskeletons and smart mobility sensors.”

The spokesperson added, “While we will comply with confidentiality obligations to our clients regarding ongoing projects, we plan to transparently disclose relevant details to the market once order awards and mass production schedules are finalized.”