From Startup to Leader: UICO’s Transformation in the Industrial Touchscreen Market

uicollc
Aug 28
3 min read

Updated: Sep 24

The industrial touchscreen market is once again facing headwinds. With tariffs still being finalized, we’re entering a period of uncertainty not seen since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s increasingly evident that nearly all products entering the U.S. will be subject to some level of tariff, regardless of origin.

At the same time, innovation that was paused during COVID is finally beginning to take root. But the landscape around us has fundamentally changed. Industry consolidation has accelerated. Zytronic, a long-standing UK-based competitor, shut down in 2024. Methode’s TouchSensor division closed in 2020. 3M exited the touchscreen business in 2021 and Touch International was acquired by AIS in late 2024.

So, as others close up or disappear, we continue to grow and thrive. This makes it an especially celebratory moment for the team at UICO, as we mark our 18th year in business. I wanted to share a few memories and highlights from my five years as CEO of this resilient and innovative company, and why I know we have a bright future and many years in the durable touchscreen market ahead.

The Origins of UICO

UICO was founded in 2007 by a University of Chicago Booth MBA student and an academic with a background in industrial design. It was incubated at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and launched just as Apple released the first iPhone, introducing the world to capacitive touchscreens. I led an angel group called Hyde Park Angels that invests in Midwest startups and let the Series A funding round for UICO.

UICO's first major customer was a large U.S.-based marine controls and navigation company. From there, we expanded into other applications: kitchen and bath, medical devices, and some of the earliest wearable tech.

But the wearables market didn’t scale the way we had hoped. The pivot strained resources, and when funding dried up, the board made the decision to make a change. I stepped in as Executive Chairman in 2018 and assumed the role of CEO in 2019.

Why I Took the Helm

What drew me to UICO?

It was resilient- hard to kill. The company had survived customer churn, chip shortages, employee turnover, and a global pandemic. It had:

A blue-chip customer base rare for a company of our size
Cross-vertical technology with meaningful differentiation
A front-row seat at the intersection of people and machines
High design-in stickiness: once specified, our technology stays put
Strong bones and a ton of unrealized potential

UICO Today: Five Years of Transformation in the Rugged Touchscreen Market

Since taking the helm, we’ve fundamentally rebuilt the business. Here's what we've accomplished:

Refocused on Industrial & Rugged Applications We realigned the business around what we do best: delivering reliable, high-performance solutions for rugged, industrial environments.
Expanded Our Size Range From compact 3” modules to expansive 86” panels, we now serve nearly every screen size demanded by our customers across diverse markets.
Diversified Chipset Expertise We built deep technical expertise across Cypress/Infineon, EETI, and Microchip. We support sensor design, tuning, and advanced features like force touch and multi-chip solutions.
Strengthened and Localized the Supply Chain We transitioned from a single-source model in Asia to a diversified global supply chain spanning China, Taiwan, and the U.S. Our process begins with in-house design and validation, then scales through trusted contract manufacturing partners—delivering both cost efficiency and flexibility. We also specialize in supporting high-mix, low-volume programs, which are increasingly common in the industrial market. The era of requiring extremely large MOQs is behind us.
Built a High-Performance Team & Culture We’ve added experienced leaders in engineering, sales, and operations. We’ve built a culture defined by our UICO Elementals: solve hard problems, own the outcome, and serve customers with urgency and care.
Scaled Project Execution We transitioned from being a single-threaded project company to managing multiple concurrent programs through empowered individuals and agile teams.
Evolved from Component Supplier to Full Solution Provider We grew from offering just touch sensors to delivering full touchscreen assemblies and monitor solutions: from 3” to 86” - including bonding, integration, and customization.

The Road Ahead for Industrial Touchscreen Leader: UICO

Today, we’re not just surviving, we’re thriving.

As machines become smarter and the need for robust human-machine interfaces grows, UICO is uniquely positioned to lead. Our solutions are embedded in mission-critical environments - where failure is not an option, and reliability is paramount.