Cheshire quantum dot specialist Nanoco Group has filed counterclaims against Japan’s Shoei Chemical Inc and its US subsidiary Shoei Electronic Materials, Inc. for patent infringement in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The counterclaims follow Shoei’s declaratory judgment action filed on November 27, 2025, which claimed it was not infringing several Nanoco patents.
After evaluating options with legal counsel, Nanoco’s Board determined it has grounds to pursue counterclaims against Shoei for infringing its intellectual property.
The company is seeking damages for infringement of four US patents: No. 7,588,828, No. 7,803,423, No. 7,867,557, and No. 8,524,365.
Shoei, which acquired quantum dot manufacturer Nanosys Inc’s assets in September 2023, supplies quantum dots to major global technology companies. The monetary damages sought by Nanoco have not yet been specified.
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Nanoco isn’t new to the rodeo when it comes to high-profile IP battles. In 2023 it won $150m in damages as part of a “no fault” settlement over alleged IP breaches following litigation with Korean giant Samsung.
Next, in April 2025, the firm filed a lawsuit against another South Korean multinational, LG Technologies. The Runcorn-based manufacturer of quantum dot technology alleges that LG “has wilfully infringed on a number of its patents related to the use of its cadmium free quantum dots in its televisions.” Nanoco landed $5m in a second “no fault” arrangement to resolve the matter.
Quantum dots are a nanomaterial 1000 times smaller than a human hair that significantly enhance the colour and gamut visible to the human eye when light is shone through them.
This kind of technology usually contains cadmium, a toxic heavy metal. Nanoco, however, has pioneered the use of cadmium free quantum dots, developing and patenting a method for mass-producing cadmium free quantum dots through its “seeding” methodology.
Nanoco Chairman, Dr Jalal Bagherli, said: “Nanoco has on multiple occasions proven the value and validity of its IP through the Samsung and LG litigation processes. As a Board, we have been clear in our commitment to defending our IP to ensure a fair outcome for shareholders of Nanoco, and have the financial resources to do so.
“As with previous litigation that the Board has overseen, while there is potential for damages, litigation itself carries considerable inherent risk and the Board must weigh the opportunity versus the cost. Having taken legal advice and given Shoei’s position in the global technology supply chain, the Board believes that it is in the best interests of shareholders to both defend the Shoei claims of non-infringement, and pursue counter claims for infringement.”
Nanoco has retained Dallas-based IP law firm Caldwell, Cassady and Curry to represent it in the latest litigation with Shoei. This is the same law firm that represented the company in its successful litigation against both Samsung and LG Electronics.
The case is expected to go to trial within 2026 and is being funded from Nanoco’s existing cash reserves.
