Rockville Startup Expanded Insulation Research Facility
The Rockville-based materials firm, founded in 2018, doubled its lab space to advance energy-efficient insulation technology.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Remote Work
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Liatris expanded its research and development operations in Rockville in 2025, doubling its footprint at the TwinLabs complex to nearly 10,000 square feet. The startup develops high-performance insulation using aerogel and foamed cement to improve building energy efficiency.
Why it matters
The company aims to address the widening gap between energy demand and supply specifically driven by the rapid growth of data centers. Its insulation products can reach up to two times the R-value effectiveness of conventional materials.
Liatris maintains a 10,000 square foot research facility at the TwinLabs complex with 12 full-time employees. The company currently produces two primary types of building insulation based on aerogel and foamed cement.
The players
Frank Yang
He is a co-founder of the Rockville-based startup Liatris.
Arthur Yang
He is a co-founder of Liatris who brings 40 years of research experience to the company.
Maryland Department of Commerce
This state agency provided the Build Our Future grant to support the growth of Liatris.
The details
Operating under a fabless business model, Liatris partners with external manufacturers for production while retaining development of its proprietary processes and equipment in-house. The team utilizes small-scale pilot equipment and three chemical fume hoods to refine its advanced insulation materials.
Timeline
Frank and Arthur Yang co-founded the company in 2018.
The firm moved into the TwinLabs research complex in 2021.
Operations at the Rockville facility doubled in size during 2025.
Market Landscape
The firm follows a pattern set by the Maryland Department of Commerce's Build Our Future grant in supporting local hardware startups. This expansion positions the company to compete in the growing market for building efficiency technologies driven by high-density data center cooling needs.
As Liatris moves toward commercialization, the company plans to shift its business model toward licensing fees and royalties. This transition could eventually increase the market availability of high-efficiency insulation products for local contractors and building developers.
The takeaway
Liatris represents a growing cohort of specialized materials startups that rely on a fabless model to scale hardware innovation. By focusing on high R-value materials, the firm is addressing a critical component of energy management in modern infrastructure projects.
Further reading
Learn more about local business growth in the Rockville Remote Work section.
More information
Find detailed information regarding current research and development projects on the Liatris company website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Bethesda Magazine.
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