Warwick Acoustics Ltd is a UK-based audio technology company renowned for its electrostatic loudspeaker technology and audio systems, now engineered for automotive applications, where it is able to deliver significant whole-vehicle benefits. The company believes it is ready to create immersive listening experiences for the premium in-car audio sector.
These new electroacoustic panels have been engineered from the ground up to be applied explicitly to electric vehicles (EVs) as the multi-year development of this new technology is perfectly timed with OEMs’ rapid transition to electrification and life cycle sustainability. Warwick's drivers are proven in the company's patented electrostatic luxury headphones, where the company has earned over 30 global awards and established a successful business and global distribution network.
Now, Warwick Acoustics’ is focused on helping drive the automotive industry’s journey towards lower greenhouse emissions and lead the "clean sound" revolution. Warwick Acoustics is a spin-out of the School of Engineering at Warwick University, founded in 2002. The company is now headquartered at a new state-of-the-art facility at MIRA Technology Park, Warwickshire, in the very heart of the UK's automotive industry. There, Warwick has been expanding its world-class team with vast experience in technology and in-car audio sectors at brands such as Sony, Bose, Harman Automotive, Meridian Audio, McLaren Automotive and JLR.
The UK-based audio technology company is well under way with commercialization of its electrostatic loudspeaker technology. Powered by a series of fully subscribed funding rounds, Warwick Acoustics is scaling rapidly, and investing in industry-leading talent, capability, and state-of-the-art facilities, to support the substantial commercial pipeline that is developing. The company says it's poised to disrupt the global $8 billion in-car audio sector while delivering a positive environmental impact.
Warwick Acoustics believes its systems will bring significant benefits compared to the use of conventional audio technology. Like-for-like, electroacoustic panels are up to 90% lighter, whilst consuming up to 90% less power and offer significant interior design and packaging freedom. As automotive manufacturers (OEMs) set key sustainability objectives, including the decarbonization of their supply bases, Warwick Acoustics' thin driver panels use 100% mass upcycled and recyclable materials, providing OEMs with a key advantage to help them achieve their sustainability targets. Additionally, Warwick Acoustics’ electroacoustic panels do not use any unsustainable rare earth metals – something that the design of conventional speakers continues to rely upon heavily.
To support the commercialization phase, Warwick Acoustics has assembled a rapidly growing team of more than 40 global subject matter experts and leaders in mechanical, electrical, acoustical and systems engineering to redefine the science of electrostatic technology, the principles of in-car acoustic systems design, and manufacturing production techniques. The team brings experience in the in-car audio, technology start-up and automotive manufacturing expertise, from companies such as Sony, Bose, Harman Automotive, Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren Automotive, Meridian Audio and Google.
The company says that, over the next 12 months, it will accelerate its growth trajectory, targeting an increase in the size of its in-house team by a further 50%, to support the substantial commercial pipeline that is developing. This will include recruitment in a range of disciplines, with a particular focus on electrical and mechanical engineers.
As Warwick Acoustics expands into the global automotive sector with its fully automotive-grade ready systems, the company also relies upon its expanding leadership team. As CEO of Warwick Acoustics, Mike Grant is a highly experienced business leader with an exemplary track record that include introducing 3D graphics into the mobile phone industry, the creation of a 200 million user chat community, and the development of a major mobile games publishing business. His strategic insight and business acumen is underpinned by a deep technical knowledge
Ian Hubbard, Chief Commercial Officer, was hand-picked to lead the commercial team at Warwick Acoustics. His highly successful résumé in the global automotive acoustic sector includes playing a key strategic role in developing Sony’s global automotive business over a twenty-year period from scratch.
Ben Lisle, Chief Technical Officer, was formerly head of R&D at Suprajit, an automotive supplier with 16 factories, producing 150 million parts for the majority of global OEMs. Ben has vast experience in integrating components and systems into vehicles. Ben explains the journey they are on, commenting:
"The engineers we have here at our MIRA headquarters, are working at the cutting edge of audio systems, taking electrostatic technology that has never before been used in a vehicle, and transforming and refining it through a range of world class innovations to ensure that the performance, packaging and longevity meets the requirements of the world’s most prestigious OEMs. If you are a smart, forward-thinking electrical, mechanical or audio engineer who knows how to solve problems ahead of the curve, this is the kind of programme that you dream of delivering at least once in your career."
As part of the company’s scale-up, Warwick Acoustics has also strengthened its Board with the appointment of Ian Harnett, a highly respected and longstanding senior executive in the automotive industry, as a Non-Executive Director. With an automotive career that spans nearly four decades, Harnett brings to Warwick Acoustics leading-edge expertise and high-level experience in automotive commercial negotiations, human resources expertise, and a proven track record in securing and bringing on-line automotive production facilities in a range of countries
Within Warwick Acoustics’ Product Development and Acoustic Testing Laboratory, the company’s engineers have already begun installing electroacoustic panel based systems into demonstration vehicles, validating how in addition to the weight, efficiency and design freedom benefits, the acoustics of this unique approach that has been so successful in the headphone arena, translates perfectly into an automotive cabin environment.
In sympathy with the company’s environmental commitments, Warwick Acoustics’ facilities will soon take advantage of renewable energy supplied by MIRA Technology Park. The park’s new Energy Hub will supply on-site businesses with clean energy via a 7MW solar panel array and open a green refueling forecourt providing hydrogen refueling and electric vehicle charging.
"It is an exciting time for Warwick Acoustics as, following successful R&D and product development phases, we are well under way with the commercial introduction of audio systems based on our revolutionary ElectroAcoustic Panel technology. Following a series of fully subscribed funding rounds, we are scaling rapidly, investing in top talent and state-of-the-art facilities to support the substantial commercial pipeline that is developing," Mike Grant, CEO of Warwick Acoustics, comments.
"With material and robust competitive advantages over our competitors in our ability to address all three of these key strategic OEM goals – sustainability, range extension and customer experience enhancement – I am confident that the business will continue to go from strength to strength for many years to come," he adds.
www.warwickacoustics.com
