MSR Innovations Inc is a pioneer in the rapidly expanding field of residential solar energy.  The company has developed a proprietary (US Patent Pending) system that allows developers and individual homeowners to incorporate Photovoltaic (PV) power generation into the construction of a roof with dramatically lower cost and unparalleled flexibility and aesthetics. 

MSR’s flagship product is a Modular Solar Roofing system that incorporates ingenious photovoltaic integration.  SolTrak™ is a polymer roofing tile containing an integral solar-electric panel, which is mounted using a unique and proprietary track system.  Similar in concept to track lighting, it features custom extruded “tracks”, enabling easy electrical & mechanical connection and greatly simplifying installation of the product.  This Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) product is produced using high-volume, tight specification manufacturing methods derived from the automotive industry.  

SolTrak™ is essentially a delivery system for PV technology.  It provides a very cost-effective, stand-alone roofing system, with the option to add solar power generation to each panel.  By reducing the up-front capital cost of solar power, SolTrak™ lowers the biggest barrier to residential adoption of PV technology.

MSR intends to introduce our solar roofing system through connections in the developer industry and build steadily on these relationships.  Our first pilot installation is a partnership with Century Group, a local land developer.  Our first significant target market is California, the vanguard solar market in North America.  The initial aim is to win more pilot installations, which can be used as a showcase to further promote our product, but more importantly, can also be used as a springboard to win further projects.

With SolTrak™ the installation of the PV system is simple, rapid and safe; it is done as part of the roof itself.  It also shares the cost with the roof.  Instead of paying twice to install both a premium roof and then a complex PV system on top, the consumer pays for only a single simple installation.  This streamlining of the installation process, along with the inherent savings of the polymer material used in the tiles of the SolTrak™ system, means that the time to recover the cost of the solar power system is reduced significantly – up to half of comparable systems.

Additional benefits of using SolTrak™:

·   The lightweight polymer tiles are easy and inexpensive to handle and transport;

·   The embedded solar panels provide a seamless and attractive appearance;

·   The high-impact polymer material provides superior protection for the expensive solar panels, as well as lower reflection (and thus, better light transmission) than glass;

·   The interlocking tiles minimize overlap, reducing the amount of material needed;

·   Tiles can be easily replaced, so the system can be upgraded/expanded/ repaired painlessly.

Note that SolTrak™ is not tied to any particular PV technology, and can benefit from the worldwide R&D effort to reduce the cost per watt of solar power.

MSR Innovations owns the rights to the intellectual property of the SolTrak™ design. The US patent application 11/643,825 was filed on December 22, 2006. The associated PCT application was filed on January 11, 2007. MSR Innovations has been granted Canadian trademark authorization for the SolTrak™ product name.  MSR Innovations is currently working on a number of photovoltaic related patents, including testers and assessment electronics.

SolTrak™ presents significant barriers to entry for the competition:

·   The unique, proprietary design (MSR intellectual property);  

·   The design flexibility afforded by the manufacturing method (injection moulding) that allows MSR to make significant changes, incorporate added features, and update the product in a swift and cost effective manner;

·   The polymer material used, which is new to the industry, and represents a steep learning curve for anyone entering the space;

·   The design techniques (borrowed from the automotive sector) used, which would necessitate a complete ground-up redesign for any incumbent.

Tim Roddick, Founder & CTO

Tim has a diverse background in design and manufacturing including: co-founding Pro CNC Inc (aerospace component supplier) in Bellingham WA, establishing and supervising the Prototyping Centre at Ballard Power Systems, and creating his own start-up satellite venture, Pro CNC Prototyping Inc.  He brings a solid foundation of technical business entrepreneurship to the company.  Tim has a BSc in Industrial Technology & Vehicle Design from Western Washington University.

Jason Scultety, Founder & COO

Jason has 12 years of experience in fuel cell, automotive, and high-volume component manufacturing. With a diversified manufacturing background, involving positions in product engineering, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, and supplier development engineering, Jason’s experience has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of project management and facilitation. Responsible for delivering products to meet customer requirements, he has significant experience in the management of product development and production readiness.  Jason has previously held positions at Ballard Power Systems, Progressive Moulded Products, and NRI Industries Inc.  He has a BESc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the province of BC.

Jim Thompson, CEO

Jim has 30 years of executive experience in high-growth, technology-based businesses, serving a variety of commercial and business markets. He has held senior management positions ranging from President & CEO to VP Finance and CFO, following earlier roles in Sales, Marketing, and Finance. Throughout his career, Jim has been known for developing and implementing sound strategic and operating plans as well as managing well-structured financings to support growth. As the CFO of Itron, one of the largest suppliers of metering technology, Jim led many successful corporate transactions, including their IPO and secondary offering, during a period of exceptional growth. He has also guided the negotiation and execution of mergers and acquisitions, licensing agreements, partnerships, strategic alliances and joint ventures. Jim has a BEng in Civil Engineering from McGill University, and an MBA from Stanford.

Bill Richardson, Director of Marketing & Business Development

Bill has over 20 years of sales, marketing, and engineering experience in the high-tech marketplace.  As a founder of PMC-Sierra, he was part of the team that led the company from a start-up to a world leader in the telecommunications semiconductor market.  He has also held engineering and marketing positions with MPR Teltech and Sydney Development.  Bill has a BASc in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the province of BC. 

Weidong (Michael) Xiao, R&D Manager

Michael has over 15 years of experience in the Electrical Engineering and Solar Industry sectors, primarily in the experimentation, development, and implementation of digitally controlled systems at companies such as Alpha Technologies Ltd and Palcan Fuel Cell Co.  He has published several papers on photovoltaic power systems and their characteristics and is primarily responsible for the research and design of the photovoltaic system for Soltrak™.  He has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia.