Fast 15: Douglas Hutchings

Native Brit Douglas Hutchings not only has found a home in Arkansas, but he’s also found a favorable environment for entrepreneurs.

“I like to give credit where credit is due,” he said. “A lot of folks don’t appreciate the support that is available in Arkansas, such as the Arkansas Economic Development Council.”

 Born in Dover, England, Hutchings moved with his family to Mena as a child. He earned a bachelor’s degree in math and physics at Hendrix College in Conway before coming to Fayetteville to get his master’s and doctorate in microelectronics-photonics at the University of Arkansas.

That’s where he and some fellow graduate students developed the solar cell technology that formed the basis for the company he founded in 2008. It’s commercializing processes that would make products like solar panels cheaper and more efficient.

The company raised seed capital in 2009, got matching funds from the state and won other funds from the National Science Foundation.

“Most of what we do currently is what I call lab scale, smaller devices,” Hutchings said, but he’s about to start raising money for a larger-scale pilot production line.

The firm currently employs six, and Hutchings is looking to add to that number shortly.

He said his motivation stems from “the opportunity to do something that could have a very large impact.”

“Energy is one of the big issues of the next few decades, and we have a technology that could significantly impact that field,” he said. “Plus, we have a pretty fun group of people we get to work with every day.

“Our end goal would be to enable solar manufacturing here in Arkansas.”

In his free time, he and his colleagues visit middle schools, where they do experiments to try to get students interested in math and science. He’s also active with the Northwest Arkansas Entrepreneurship Alliance.

“I really enjoy the startup atmosphere in Northwest Arkansas, so I get involved in projects when and where I can add value,” he said.

— Serenah McKay