History 2002: Profile of Start-Up Optware

Company: Optware Corp.

Location: Kanagawa, Japan

Birth date: 1999

Products: 1TB 12cm optical disc recording system (WORM and then rewritable) based on holography with a 1GB/s transfer rate

Later in 2005, Optware was supposed to release 30GB holographic card for less than $1 at end of 2006.

Founders: Hideyoshi Horimai (president) , Masaharu Ki noshita, Kenichiro Kumagai

Total funding: $3.4 million

Investors: Yasuda Enterprise Development, IT-Farm, Jafco, Sanwa Capital, Orix Capital Technology partners: TuiOptics (Germany), MemoryTech (Japan)

Competitors: any firm working on the next generation of DVD, notably Philips, Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG Electronics, and also start-ups such as InPhase Technologies, Constellation 3D and Mempile

Our opinion: A 12cm optical disc drive with 1TB and a 1Gb/s transfer rate, not to mention compatibility with current CDs and DVDs – are we dreaming? It’s too good to be true.

If that weren’t enough, the product is based on holography recording, a technology that’s never been mastered in the 30-year annals of the storage industry.

And yet, Optware is headed by Hideyoshi Horimai, a serious, competent executive who has been fairly discreet about what his company is up to. He has 13 years of experience with the latest technology developments in optical disc memories at Sony, and has applied for over 250 patents. His biggest achievement is the invention of Magnetic field modulation over-write technology, which allowed for the development of Sony’s Mini Disc. He is also the inventor of Polarized collinear holography, the basis for his current company’s project.

In August 2000, Optware successfully proved the feasibility of this technology for the first time ever.

Moreover, the company concluded a contract in December 2000 with Stanford University for the co-development of the drive, and is also working with MIT, both prestigious U.S. universities.

So, even if the amount of financing is still fairly low, who knows?

Notwithstanding, a final product is still a ways off. Then, of course, the company will be faced with the challenge of imposing WW standards.

Note: under Chapter XI in 2006; closed in 2010

This article is an abstract of news published on issue 170 on March 2002 from the former paper version of Computer Data Storage Newsletter.