November 15, 2024 Reinventing Tradition: The DuPont Startup Mindset

How DuPont found new uses for some of its revolutionary materials.

By Jill Clements, Global Business Development Manager, DuPont Kevlar® EXO™

Starting in an engineering role at DuPont fueled my passion for problem solving, experimentation and curiosity, which are all crucial traits to have when it comes to developing new products and solutions. While I have spent the majority of my career at DuPont and eventually moved from engineering to business development, one thing has always remained the same: the drive to think far outside the box. So, why would one of the world’s leading multinational multi-industrial companies be interested in thinking like a startup? It’s what will take our company into our next era.

Progress in any field takes time; it does not come all at once and it often emerges from unexpected places. But how do you pick the right unexpected places? What the development process for Kevlar® EXO™ has taught me is that the key to innovating is anticipating what the world will need next. By reimagining how this material can be used in entirely new contexts, we’ve unlocked potential far beyond its original use. So how did we get started?

Ideation: 6G and Space

The Kevlar® brand is known around the world for its use in body armor. However, my job has been to explore possible applications outside of its traditional use case. The first step to unlocking the full potential of a new product is always market research. Which industries are primed for hypergrowth? Where are the opportunities to be part of the next expansive area? Space and related applications in 6G technology will provide the most unique opportunities for Kevlar® EXO™ over the next few years. So, how could our existing materials solve a problem in this new industry?

Projections estimate more than 100,000 new spacecraft will be launched by 2030, which highlights a looming problem: space debris. Currently, there are over 35,000 tracked objects in orbit, and 130 million pieces of debris too small to be tracked. These are pieces of broken satellites or discarded parts of rockets that pose a serious threat to active satellites. Any significant impact damage could disrupt communication networks and potentially cause a cascading effect of further debris generation.

As the cost of satellites continues to fall, satellite connectivity is becoming more affordable and effective than ever before. This evolution is key to the development of 6G, where satellite communication networks will converge to offer seamless global coverage, building on the foundation laid by existing 5G satellite services.

With 6G and hyperconnectivity on the horizon, Kevlar® EXO™ will play an essential role in the future of global communications. As more satellites go up, protecting them from orbital debris becomes increasingly critical—and that’s where innovation from Kevlar® EXO™ comes into play. We had an aramid fiber known for its ability to repel and protect. In addition to protecting law enforcement and first responders from bullets, it can also protect satellites from space debris. Even more importantly, the new, lighter Kevlar® EXO™ minimizes the payload of the protective material. With these applications in space, we are able to meet a growing need using the strengths of our product.

The Next Step: A New Generation of Automotive Innovation

In professional motorsports, every ounce counts. Whether it’s Formula 1, NASCAR or other high-speed racing sports, teams are constantly pushing for vehicles that are not only faster but also as safe as possible. With its grand prix races, F1 has some of the highest safety standards of any racing circuit. As we explored new areas for material applications, we realized the lightweight and heat-resistant properties of Kevlar® EXO™ could help F1 design teams in their mission to constantly break the speed barrier.

The material can reduce vehicle weight without compromising safety—critical when you’re talking about cars that exceed 200 miles per hour. We’ve seen a dramatic weight reduction in fuel bladders used in F1, which allows teams to shave off valuable seconds for lap times and reallocate weight to other parts of the car, all while still ensuring high safety standards are met. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Kevlar®EXO™ applications in motorsports, where the product extends beyond F1 into industries like aviation, where crash-resistant, collapsible fuel bladders could be a marked improvement compared to what’s on the market today.

Lowering Our Carbon Footprint

Because of the incredible strength of Kevlar® EXO™, less material is needed across its various applications, like bullet resistant vests or fuel bladders, which allows for significant weight reduction. Reducing the overall weight of these applications can then, in turn, significantly lower a company’s carbon footprint by decreasing the energy and resources required at multiple stages of its lifecycle. Lighter products use fewer raw materials, which reduces the environmental impact of sourcing and manufacturing. Additionally, lighter products require less fuel for transportation, leading to lower emissions during distribution. Overall, by focusing on product weight reduction, companies can achieve more sustainable operations and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.

Patience and Flexibility Lead to Long-Term Innovation

For manufacturing leaders facing a rapidly changing world, you must anticipate the challenges of tomorrow. That’s why we’ve approached Kevlar® EXO™ as a multi-industrial platform and aligned our efforts with global mega-trends, such as decarbonization, lightweighting and alternate energy sources, which will shape industries over the next 10 to 20 years.

Any successful forward-thinking strategy requires knowing when to pivot. Not every idea will lead to a successful product, and that’s why it’s essential to have a culture of experimentation. You have to be able to take a hard look at projects, recognize when it’s not working out and apply what you’ve learned to other experiments. This willingness to embrace failure is what drives true innovation—it allows you to move on quickly to refocus on ideas that hold real potential.

For manufacturing leaders, fostering an environment that supports calculated risks is essential. Innovation can’t happen in a vacuum. Teams need the time, space and flexibility to experiment, explore and solve problems we haven’t even encountered yet. At DuPont, we’re learning more every day about what Kevlar® EXO™ can do. . The material is still new, and the technical team has been crucial in helping us discover innovative applications.

We’ve learned that while serving existing markets, such as military and defense, is vital, diversification is just as important. Exploring how we can create new categories in key industries—space travel, motorsports and green energy—has opened up exciting opportunities for Kevlar® EXO™, and it’s through our team’s technical talent that we’ve been able to explore, experiment and sometimes fail our way to success.

The future of innovation lies in this willingness to adapt, empower teams and embrace the unknown.

Jill Clements has been with DuPont for over 26 years in a variety of roles ranging from manufacturing support to R&D to business development and is currently the Global Business Development Leader for Kevlar® EXO™. An engineer by training, she spent the first part of her career in manufacturing and product development and holds 15 patents. Jill has spent the last 15 years in business development across a variety of industries including Aerospace, Automotive, Composites, and Safety Apparel.  In her spare time, Jill has a variety of hobbies including horseback riding, playing the banjo, learning about wine varietals and rescuing cats

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